Simple Missal vs Breaking Bread, Today's Missal and Word & Song
This guide is for pastors, DREs, liturgy and music directors, and parish business managers deciding what to put in the pews next year. If your parish already has a hymnal or worship aid and wants full daily readings without a subscription, the Simple Missal is built for that. If you want music in the same book, a missal-hymnal like Breaking Bread or Word & Song fits better.
At a glance
| Simple Missal | OCP Breaking Bread | OCP Today’s Missal with Daily Readings | GIA Word & Song | Ignatius Pew Missal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Books per year | 2 (Aug 1 to Jan 31; Feb 1 to Jul 31) | 1 | 3 | 1 (annual) | Annual |
| Readings | Full readings for every Sunday and weekday | Sundays and holy days | Daily readings | Sunday readings and weekday reading citations | Not published |
| Antiphons and propers | Entrance and Communion antiphons, every day | Daily Mass propers | Daily Mass propers | Antiphons included | Entrance and Communion antiphons set to simple chant for Sundays and major feasts |
| Music | No musical scores; lyrics to common Exposition and Benediction hymns | 850+ songs | No music; pairs with Today’s Missal Music Issue | 700 hymns, songs and psalms; 10 Mass settings | Hymns and Mass settings |
| Published price per copy | $3.99 per edition (bulk, 10+ copies); 10% off at 500+ | $6.99 with a recurring subscription of 2+ cases (32 per case) | $2.59 with a recurring subscription of 2+ cases (32 per case) | $6.96 per subscription per year for 50+ subscriptions, plus shipping | $5.19 each at 50+, tiered (2024 list price) |
| Contract or subscription | No long-term contract; each edition ordered separately | Price tied to recurring subscription | Price tied to recurring subscription | Annual subscription | Described as subscription-based |
| Shipping | Free in the US | $1.37 per book, minimum 1 case (OCP 2026 product sheet) | Not published | Plus shipping | Not published |
| Samples | Free digital sample; $5 paperback sample | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Get a free digital sample or order a $5 paperback sample. Questions? Call (402) 855-6227.
What’s inside each missal
Readings: Sunday only vs every weekday
This is the biggest difference between the books. The Simple Missal prints the full readings for every Sunday and every weekday. OCP’s Today’s Missal with Daily Readings also includes daily readings. Breaking Bread carries full readings for Sundays and holy days only. GIA’s Word & Song prints the Sunday readings and gives citations for the weekday readings rather than the full text.
If your parish has a weekday Mass community that follows along in the pew, check this row first.
Antiphons and Mass propers
The Simple Missal includes the Entrance and Communion antiphons for every day. OCP lists daily Mass propers for both Breaking Bread and Today’s Missal. Word & Song includes antiphons. The Ignatius Pew Missal sets the Entrance and Communion antiphons to simple chant for Sundays and major feasts, which may appeal to parishes that want to sing the propers.
Music and hymns (or none)
The Simple Missal has no musical scores. It does include the lyrics to common Exposition and Benediction hymns. It’s designed for parishes that already have a hymnal or print their own worship aid.
The missal-hymnals take the opposite approach. Breaking Bread contains more than 850 songs, and Word & Song has 700 hymns, songs and psalms plus ten Mass settings. The Ignatius Pew Missal includes hymns and Mass settings too. Today’s Missal with Daily Readings has no music and pairs with OCP’s separate Today’s Missal Music Issue.
Price per copy and what a year costs
Comparing sticker prices alone can mislead, because the books come out on different schedules. Look at the price per book and the number of books you need each year side by side.
- Simple Missal: $3.99 per copy per edition for 10 or more copies, with 10% off at 500 or more. There are two editions a year.
- Breaking Bread: $6.99 per copy with a recurring subscription of two or more cases. There is one book a year.
- Today’s Missal with Daily Readings: $2.59 per copy with a recurring subscription of two or more cases. There are three books a year.
- Word & Song: $6.96 per subscription per year for 50 or more subscriptions, plus shipping. There is one book a year.
- Ignatius Pew Missal: the most recent published price we found is the 2024 list price of $5.19 each at 50 or more copies, tiered. Confirm current pricing with Ignatius Press.
Multiply each price by the number of books per year and by the copies your parish needs, then add shipping where it applies.
Contracts and subscriptions
The Simple Missal has no long-term contract. You order each edition separately.
OCP’s published prices for Breaking Bread and Today’s Missal are tied to a recurring subscription. GIA sells Word & Song as an annual subscription, and Ignatius Press describes its Pew Missal as subscription-based. Each publisher sets its own terms, so ask them directly about changes and cancellations.
Shipping and delivery schedule
Shipping on the Simple Missal is free in the US. OCP’s 2026 product sheet for Breaking Bread lists shipping at $1.37 per book, with a one-case minimum. GIA lists Word & Song prices “plus shipping.”
The Spring 2027 Simple Missal covers February 1 to July 31, 2027, and delivery is expected by January 15, 2027. The Simple Missal currently ships only within the US.
Which missal is right for your parish?
- You need hymns in the pew: a missal-hymnal such as Breaking Bread or Word & Song puts readings and music in one book.
- You already have a hymnal or worship aid: the Simple Missal or Today’s Missal with Daily Readings avoids paying for music twice.
- You have a daily Mass community: choose a book with full weekday readings, such as the Simple Missal or Today’s Missal with Daily Readings.
- You want a traditional or chant focus: the Ignatius Pew Missal sets the antiphons to simple chant for Sundays and major feasts.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a missal and a missalette?
A missalette is a disposable seasonal or annual pew book with the Mass texts and readings, replaced when its dates run out. The Simple Missal is a pew missal published twice a year, with full readings for every Sunday and weekday plus the Entrance and Communion antiphons for each day.
Which pew missal includes full daily readings?
The Simple Missal and OCP’s Today’s Missal with Daily Readings both print full readings for weekdays as well as Sundays. Breaking Bread includes full readings for Sundays and holy days only, and GIA’s Word & Song gives Sunday readings with citations for weekday readings. Parishes with daily Mass communities should compare this first.
Is there a pew missal without hymns?
Yes. The Simple Missal has no musical scores, though it includes lyrics to common Exposition and Benediction hymns. OCP’s Today’s Missal with Daily Readings also has no music and pairs with a separate music issue. Both suit parishes that already use a hymnal or print their own worship aid.
How much do pew missals cost per copy?
The Simple Missal is $3.99 per copy per edition for 10 or more copies, with two editions a year. Breaking Bread is $6.99 with a recurring subscription for one annual book. Today’s Missal with Daily Readings is $2.59 for each of three books a year. Compare the full annual cost, including shipping.
Do I have to sign a subscription?
Not for the Simple Missal. There’s no long-term contract, and you order each edition separately. OCP’s listed prices for Breaking Bread and Today’s Missal assume a recurring subscription, and GIA sells Word & Song as an annual subscription. Check each publisher’s current terms before you order.
Is shipping included?
Shipping on the Simple Missal is free anywhere in the US. GIA lists Word & Song pricing as “plus shipping,” and OCP’s 2026 product sheet for Breaking Bread lists $1.37 shipping per book with a one-case minimum. Add shipping to each quote when you compare annual costs.
Can we get a sample before ordering?
Yes. You can get a free digital sample of the Simple Missal or order a $5 paperback sample. Until the Spring 2027 edition is printed, paperback samples are the Fall 2026 edition, which shows the format your parish would receive.
When does it arrive, and what dates does it cover?
The Spring 2027 edition of the Simple Missal covers February 1 through July 31, 2027. Delivery is expected by January 15, 2027, so parishes have the books in hand before the edition begins. The Fall edition covers August 1 through January 31.
Is the Simple Missal available outside the US?
Not yet. The Simple Missal currently ships only within the United States, where shipping is free.
Try the Simple Missal free
The easiest way to decide is to hold one. Request a free digital sample, or order a $5 paperback sample to see the print quality and layout in your pews.
Get a free digital sample or order a $5 paperback sample.
Questions? Call (402) 855-6227 or visit our FAQ.
Prices and features as published by each publisher, checked October 2026. Confirm current terms with each publisher. Sources: Simple Missal Spring 2027, Simple Missal FAQ, OCP missal comparison, OCP Breaking Bread product sheet (2026), GIA Word & Song, GIA Soundboard, Ignatius Pew Missal FAQ.