Saints and Festivals of the SEC in Microsoft Outlook

Current version: 1.0
Released Sunday 02 December 2007

Now updated for 2007-2008

The following files allow you to import the Scottish Episcopal Church saints’ days and festivals for 2007-2008 into the Microsoft Office Outlook Calendar.

These files contain saints’ days and festivals from the First Sunday of Advent 2007 to the week of The Last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King) 2008, inclusive, as well as the readings for each day (Eucharist and Daily Prayer).

Please feel free to download this file and follow the simple, illustrated instructions on how to import it into Microsoft Office Outlook.

Download

To download these files, right-click the link in your browser and select Save Link As….

This year I’ve created three files:

  • Standard (CSV, 24 KB)
    Contains details of all saints’ days and festivals, but details of no readings (my usual file).

  • Sunday readings (CSV, 71 KB)
    Contains details of all saints’ days and festivals, and readings for only Sundays and Major Festivals.

  • Complete (CSV, 107 KB)
    Contains details of all saints’ days and festivals, and readings for all Sunday, Festival and Daily Eucharists, and Daily Prayer readings.

Important notes

  1. Back-up
    Make sure you back-up your Outlook .PST file before you import. (I recommend that you use the Personal Folders Backup application which works for Outlook 2000, Outlook 2002 XP and 2003.)

  2. Illustrations
    All illustrations show Microsoft Office Outlook 2003; details may vary slightly for older copies of Outlook. This does not work for Microsoft Outlook Express, which is an email application and does not offer calendar functions.

  3. Accuracy
    Details are as far as possible correct, although a few errors may have crept in in the production of this file (for example in how translated (moved) minor festivals have been scheduled). It was produced for my own personal use, but I’ve also decided to release it into the public domain. Feel free to use and/or adapt it to your own use. The file can be edited in Microsoft Office Excel (or other spreadsheet, e.g. OpenOffice.org.

  4. Readings
    In the “Complete” version, the readings for ordinary saints days and lesser festivals are simply those for that day of the week in relation to the previous Sunday rather specifically for that minor saint/festival. For example, the readings given for Ambrose of Milan (Friday 07 December) are those for the Friday of Advent 1.

    In other words, I’ve used only readings from The Lectionary and the Readings for Festivals, and not those from elsewhere or from the Readings for Special Occasions or Common Readings for Saints Days.

Step-by-step installation guide

1. File > Import and Export …

Screenshot from Outlook 2003 of File, Import and Export

Open Microsoft Outlook, and from the File menu select Import and Export…

2. Import and Export Wizard

Import and Export Wizard

The Import and Export Wizard window will open. Select Import from another program or file, then click Next >.

3. Select Comma Separated Values (Windows)

Comma Separated Values (Windows) is selected in the Wizard window

Select Comma Separated Values (Windows) from the list, and click Next >.

4. Locate the CSV file to import

Import a File window

You will now be prompted to Import a File. Click the Browse … button and locate the file you downloaded, e.g.

sec_dates_2007-2008_readings.csv

once selected click Next >.

5. Select Calendar under your Personal Folders

Select destination folder

Now select the destination folder from those listed under your Outlook Personal Folders. You want to select Calendar, and then click Next >.

6. Confirm and click Finish

Confirmation screen

You will be presented with a confirmation screen, similar to the one above. Make sure that the details are correct — and if you need to, check that the Map Custom Fields… settings are correct (by default, they should be). Click Finish to begin importing the details into your Outlook Calendar.

7. Import is in progress

Import and Export Progress bar

Outlook will begin to import the information into your Outlook Calendar, showing you its progress (as above).

8. It’s done

Screenshot of Outlook Calendar showing saints\' days

Once complete, you’ll find that details of all the Scottish Episcopal Church saints’ days, festivals and Sundays, from Advent 2007 to the Saturday after the Last Sunday of Pentecost (Christ the King) 2008, have been added as all-day events to Outlook.

Archive

(Right-click and select Save Link As….)

Comments

If you’d like to leave a comment, please do so on the blog post: Import SEC dates and readings into Microsoft Outlook (2007-2008 version now ready).