A reader writes:
I have this nagging question regarding the revision of the English translation of the Roman Missal. After reading the following: http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/blog.cfm?id=424, I was curious whether this new translation could eventually lead to either the use of, or the creation of, a biblical translation at Mass other than the NAB.
This is just speculation, but my sense is that this is not likely to happen soon–unless the Holy See decides to mandate it, which doesn't strike me as that likely in the near future.
The reasons are twofold:
1) What translation of Scripture is used at Mass is normally left up to the local conference of bishops. You don't have to get the approval of a whole group of bishops' conferences (e.g., those of all the English speaking nations) to get approval for a Scripture translation for the Mass.
That's why there are different lectionaries in use in different English-speaking countries. Here in the U.S. we use one that is generally based on the New American Bible, but they don't use such a one in England.
For there to be a new translation here in America, without a Vatican mandate, the American bishops would have to mandate one themselves, which leads to the second contributing reason I suspect there won't be one soon . . .
2) The retranslation of the Roman Missal is a hugely contentious undertaking and after it's done both sides are likely to want a period of liturgical peace. The attitude will be, "Well, that was very unpleasant. Let's not do anything like that again for some time."
Fundamentally re-doing the lectionary would be just such an undesirable task. Oh, sure, they might tinker with it. But to do a major revision would open too many wounds.
I suspect that the Holy See is unlikely to mandate a new lectionary in America for similar reasons–though you never know.
Also, could any of this lead to a similar reworking of the Liturgy of the Hours?
I see this as more likely. After completing the retranslation of the Sacramentary, it would be logical for the Holy See to say, "Now let's fix the translations of the other rites," including the Liturgy of the Hours.
I read somewhere that there was movement afoot to gain acceptance of the RSV-CE 2nd Edition in the liturgy, is that true? Is it feasible?
I am aware of some movement in this regard, and it could happen, though I'm somewhat skeptical of its chances in the short run.
The best one could hope for along these lines would be permission to use the RSV:CE in addition to the NAB lectionary at Mass. A replacement of the NAB with the RSV:CE would be seen as too direct a repudiation of the bishops' work since the NAB translation was produced at their behest and under their authority.
And I think the odds of getting even permission to use the RSV in addition to the NAB is not great.
It took long enough for the U.S. bishops to get everyone on the same lectionary page. They're likely to want to leave that page unturned for a while.
So, while things can always change, I suspect that we're stuck with our current lectionary translation for a while.
Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
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Another issue is that, iirc, the USCCB owns the copyright for the NAB and so receives money for its use. Is that correct?
What would we do without bishops conferences?
A priest friend who spent several years working in the CDWDS said that the LOH plan and timetable are already in the works… fwiw.
According to a July 2006 report by Helen Hull Hitchcock at http://www.adoremus.org/0706NRSV.html :
“The first meeting of the new International Commission for the Preparation of an English Language Lectionary (ICPEL) was held in Roehampton, England in April. An effort initiated in 2003, the aim of ICPEL is to produce a Lectionary based on the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV) for several English-speaking national Churches: Australia, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. Since 1966, all these countries have been using lectionaries based on the Jerusalem Bible.
“ICPEL’s plan is to have its new Lectionary ready when the new Missal translation is approved for use. A Lectionary based on the same 1989 NRSV translation has been in use in Canada since the early 1990s.
“Other conferences were involved in early discussions: Canada, New Zealand, Malaysia-Singapore, the Philippines and South Africa. The United States conference did not participate, as it remains committed to using the New American Bible translation whose copyright it holds. …”
It would be beneficial for those buying new small missals if they had a new translation of the readings. Some would consider it a waste to buy one with the new Mass words, then to buy another a few years later with the new words for the readings. So there could be a reluctance for publishers to produce these new small missals if there is doubt about future translations of the readings.
The Vatican’s publication of the Lectionary considers it part of the Roman Missal. At the top of the title page it has “MISSALE ROMANUM”. Then in smaller letters: “EX DECRETO SACROSANTI OECUMENICI CONCILII VATICANI II INSTAURATUM AUCTORITATE PAULI PP. VI PROMULGATUM”. Then in much larger letters: “ORDO LECTIONUM MISSAE”. (1981, ISBN 8820913569).
I thought both the Jerusalem Bible and the RSV-CE were approved for liturgical use in the USA, and that they have been for a very long time. It says so here, for instance:
http://www.adoremus.org/396-ScripConfus.html
Was approval withdrawn?
BTW, I have (and use daily) a 3-volume study edition of a Jerusalem Bible lectionary published in 1983 in Australia. Very cool.