Q: I am planning a Mass on August 5 for my best friend before he leaves the country for mission work and seminary. For a Mass such as this, do I use the readings/collect for the weekday or is it acceptable to use a “Mass for Various Needs/Occasions” (RM 1255, 1256, 1284, 1310 for example)? If I use one of these Masses, what are the readings “prescribed” and how do I determine if a gloria and credo are appropriate?
A: August 5 is a weekday with an optional memorial, so you’re perfectly free to choose readings and presidential prayers from the masses for various needs and occasions. This mass would not call for the Gloria or the Creed.