Liturgical Books in the English-Speaking World
In recent years, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has approved vernacular editions of the Lectionary for Mass (New American Bible translation [NAB], 1997, 2000) and the Rites of Ordination of a Bishop, of Priests, and of Deacons, both of which were confirmed by the Holy See and are now in use throughout the United States of America.
In response to inquiries concerning the status of these books in other English-speaking Episcopal Conferences, the Secretariat for the Liturgy recently conducted an informal survey of the use of the second typical editions of the Ordo Lectionum Missae (1981) and the De Ordinatione Episcopi, Presbyterorum, et Diaconorum (1989) in other English-speaking countries. The following summary of that survey is provided for the information of our readers.
| COUNTRY |
Rites of Ordination |
Lectionary |
| Australia |
The first edition is still in use.
Plans for a second edition have
been deferred until after
completion of the
Roman Missal. |
The first edition (Jerusalem
Bible) is in use. |
| Canada |
The Conference of Bishops is
in the process of considering
the ICEL translation, having
sent amendments and
comments on a draft
translation of it to ICEL in
June, 2004. |
A revision of the second
edition (New Revised Standard
Version [NRSV]) has been
completed and the Sunday
volume will be submitted to
the Holy See in the near future
for the requisite recognitio. |
England
Wales
Scotland |
A translation of the second
edition has been approved and
has been submitted to the Holy
See for the requisite
recognitio. |
The first edition (Jerusalem
Bible) is in use, while a second
edition (NRSV) is under
consideration. |
| India |
The Conference of Bishops
will discuss the issue in 2005. |
The first edition (in both
Jerusalem Bible and RSV
versions) is in use. |
| Ireland |
The ICEL translation is
pending consideration by the
Conference of Bishops. |
The first edition (Jerusalem
Bible) is in use, while a second
edition (NRSV) is under
consideration. |
| New Zealand |
The first edition is still in use. |
The first edition (Jerusalem
Bible) is in use. |
| Pakistan |
The first edition is still in use. |
The first edition (Jerusalem
Bible) is in use. |
| Philippines |
The first edition is still in use. |
The U.S. second edition
(NAB) is presently in use. |
| South Africa |
The first edition is still in use. |
The first edition (Jerusalem
Bible) is in use. |