News about the new English Catholic Lectionary

Thanks to Bishop David's blog (scroll down on the right) I have just discovered that the forthcoming new English RC Lectionary (for a group of English-speaking Catholics excepting U.S. and Canada) is to be taken from the English Standard Version. Here is more information from Fr. Hugh.


I used to have a paperback copy of this bible but stupidly gave it away. Personally I think that, overall, it is an excellent translation. It is much better than the NIV and, I have to say, I prefer it to the RSV (and certainly the NRSV!). I have got used to the Jerusalem Bible readings (as we all have I suspect) and now celebrating the 1962 Latin Mass I am reading the Douay Translation (which I also like) and the Knox (which I like in part). Interestingly Fr. Hugh has some positive remarks about the Knox version.


Well, when can we expect to see the first part of the New Lectionary? Apparently, quite soon (I suspect this means within three years). What is going to happen to all the new Sunday and Weekday hand missals that are now being produced - sometimes lavishly? I feel sad for the Catholic publishers who may regret moving so quickly, but I am pleased about the news. To be honest, although I tried hard - dutifully - to like the NRSV, I just could not warm to it. I have found the Revised New American version much better (it is available on Kindle). Some of the new American Catholic bibles are superb, even though some of the notes are appalling (were they written by a real Catholic?).