Msgr. Caron's approach draws upon the traditional practice of the Roman Rite as it pertains to the postures and gestures of the various rites. It takes into consideration the immemorial customs that have grown up around the public worship of the Roman Catholic Church.
The General Instruction on the Roman Missal provides the framework for the way Mass is to be celebrated. Along with the rubrics, the General Instruction describes what is to be done by the priest celebrant, the other ministers, and the faithful. However, unlike previous editions, the Missal of Paul VI provides very little detail as to how a given action is to be carried out. Rather, it assumes that the traditional practice of the Roman Rite through the centuries informs the current celebration of Mass.
This principle of interpretation has been made clear only in the third edition of missal in 2002; it helps to define the proper body language of Mass, just as the spoken and sung texts have their own respective grammar and syntax. As such, Ceremonial for Priests is the heir to the various commentaries on the rubrics found in multiple languages prior to the Second Vatican Council. In these pages, you will find:
Ceremonial for Priests functions as a starting point for all those who wish to take seriously the need to offer God the worship due to Him in the beauty of holiness.