From the first Sunday in Advent 2024, Catholic parishes in England and Wales will begin using a new translation of the Lectionary, which contains the scripture readings for Mass and the sacraments.

Mary Baxter, one of our dedicated readers, recently attended a course entitled, The New Translation of the Roman Lectionary: Why We’ve Got It and Opportunities for Mission. This course, held in Luton, was designed for priests, catechists, and laypersons. The event featured two main presenters: Fr. Paul Turner and Martin Foster from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW).

Reflecting on her experience, Mary shared, “The presenters were excellent communicators with vast knowledge at their fingertips (they both maintain a strong online presence). The day was intensely interesting and educational about the liturgy. It helped me understand the reasons behind the change and was beneficial for me as a reader.”

Fr. Paul Turner has generously made his PowerPoint presentation available on his website: paulturner.org.

The new edition of the Lectionary will feature scripture readings from the English Standard Version – Catholic Edition (ESV-CE) of the Bible and will use the Abbey Psalms and Canticles for the Responsorial Psalms. The Lectionary will be published by the Catholic Truth Society (CTS).

For further resources, please visit the Liturgy Office – England & Wales website.