The President of the Commission for the Liturgy and Spirituality (CELE) of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference (CEP) announced that a new “National Songbook” intended for liturgical celebrations is being prepared, which also includes “specific songs for the sacrament of marriage”. “The main goal is to provide guidelines so as to ensure high-quality celebrations in all of our parishes”, Mgr. José Cordeiro said as he presented the initiative to the press. The head of the CELE recalled that Portugal is among the countries that have more largely embraced the reform of the liturgy: “We have wonderful songs and musical compositions that respect all of the criteria proposed by the Church in this area, but we need to provide continuity and improve and refine some of them”. For this reason, the Commission intends to present the “National songbook” and submit it for advice to the Plenary Assembly of the Bishops that will take place in Fatima on 13-16 November 2017. “The new publication includes about a hundred songs that will certainly reflect the peculiarity of some dioceses. Nonetheless, the approval of the texts by the Bishops’ Conference will guarantee full compliance with the liturgical and canonical norms thereby avoiding the mistakes that, in good faith, may be made by our local communities”, Mgr. Cordeiro concluded.