Revised lectionary approved for Canada 24 August 2007

The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) will publish a revised Lectionary for Sundays and Solemnities. This is the book of readings used in the public worship of the Roman Catholic Church in Canada. The revised lectionary is expected to be available next spring in order to be used for the beginning of the following liturgical season - Year B - starting 30 November 2008.

The Holy See recently gave its approval (recognitio) to the project. It is the fruit of years of research and discussion by the Bishops of Canada and a number of experts working in close collaboration with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome. The project also involved consultation with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.


CCCB Vice President Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg said he welcomes the news "that the Holy See has granted its official seal of approval for the publication of a new Lectionary for Sundays and Solemnities for the Church in Canada."


Archbishop Weisgerber went on to say, "The Lectionary is the result of important cooperation between members of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and officials of the Holy See. While most of the Lectionary text has not been altered, changes have been made so that the Word proclaimed in our churches will be clearer or more accurate. I look forward to receiving this new edition into our diocesan Church."


Canada is currently the only country where the Roman Catholic lectionary is based on the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, the copyright for which is held by the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Other English-speaking Episcopal Conferences are now also considering the possibility.