The bishops’ conferences of Australia, Ireland and New Zealand are pooling their expertise and resources in a joint Lectionary project. Source: ACBC Media Blog.
For more than 50 years, parishes and communities have listened to the Scripture readings proclaimed in church from the same translations given in the Lectionary for Mass.
Many of these books are now in a poor state and in need of replacing.
The bishops have recognised that this is an opportunity for a new edition of the Lectionary, taking advantage of a revised translation of the readings, which is both accessible and faithful to the evolving nuances of the English language and contemporary biblical scholarship.
After consultation with experts in both Scripture and liturgy, and also among the faithful, the Revised New Jerusalem Bible was chosen as the text for the Lectionary.
This translation recognises the need for the text to be proclaimed in the liturgy, to be faithful to the original biblical texts and it is sensitive to inclusivity.
The editorial leadership for the project will be provided by Martin Foster, an experienced editor who previously oversaw the preparation of the Lectionary for England and Wales.
Mr Foster will work with experts from all three conferences to ensure the quality and liturgical appropriateness of the final text.
The first draft texts, the Sundays of Advent and Christmas, will be sent to bishops for review early in 2025, with the rest of the Lectionary following over the next couple of years.
This project is a major collaboration and it is hoped that it will enrich the celebration of the Eucharist in parishes and communities into the future across Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
FULL STORY
Three conferences join forces to revise Lectionary (ACBC Media Blog)
