ACP Submission on a New Edition of the Lectionary

ACP Submission on a New Edition of the Lectionary

In response to the Bishops request for submissions in relation to the proposed new edition of the Lectionary for Mass in Irish dioceses, the Association of Catholic Priests wish to make the following points.

1. As a general point we regard this as a particularly inopportune time to be introducing a new Lectionary, for two reasons. Firstly, due to the pandemic and the extensive closure of churches, parish funds have been greatly reduced, so paying for this new Lectionary will add a further, and in our view unnecessary, burden to parishes. Secondly, with Cardinal Sarah now retired as head of the Congregation for Sacred Liturgy, and with the prospect of a new appointment with a different understanding of liturgy, it would seem wise to wait some time before making such a big change.
2. If there is to be a new Lectionary, it is of crucial importance that it consists of language that is easily readable and does not contain anything that would be likely to offend people. We refer particularly here to the importance of inclusive language. For those reasons we would support the choice of the Revised New Jerusalem Bible in preference to the archaic-sounding English Standard Version: Catholic Edition.
3. The deliberate marginalisation and invisibility of women in the Lectionary needs to be addressed.We ask that biblical women leaders be restored to Lectionary texts from which their witness has been diminished or deleted.

Roy Donovan, John Collins, Tim Hazelwood and Gerry O’Connor

Association of Catholic Priests Leadership Team

11.05.2021