Bishops from Ireland, Australia and New Zealand collaborate on Joint Lectionary Project

Martin Foster with Sandra Garry, PA to Chief Operating Officer of Bishops' Conference at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, during Irish Bishops' 2024 Winter Meeting. Image CCO Archive

Source: Irish Catholic Media Office

For more than fifty years, parishes and communities across the island of Ireland, Australia and New Zealand have listened to the scripture readings proclaimed in church from the same translations which are 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 amongst 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. For the psalms in the Lectionary, the Abbey Psalms and Canticles will be used. This is a sympathetic revision of the familiar Grail Psalter and the revised text has already been adopted in several English-speaking countries.

The three Bishops' Conferences will pool their expertise and resources in this 'Joint Lectionary Project'. 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 'Joint Lectionary 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.