Why is our lectionary falling apart?
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Your lectionary is (probably) falling apart because it is old.
I have seen lectionaries where words have been crossed out to make the text more inclusive or to provide particular instructions to readers. I have seen lectionaries that are well-used and well-loved, where pages that were torn and carefully sticky-taped back together. I have seen lectionaries that have been re-bound by professional bookmakers to repair the damage that the sticky-tape could no longer salvage. Australian Catholic parishioners must care for their lectionary. Apart from it being an important liturgical text from which we proclaim the Word of God, the books are no longer in print and probably won't be for sometime. Unfortunately Rome can't agree with the Australian Bishops Conference on translation. Of course, our friends in Rome are being careful - we all want the best texts for our context. The scandalous fact is that this back-and-forth with Rome over the translation has been going on for twenty years. Meanwhile, Australian parishes are without. Vatican II's Constitution on the Divine Liturgy decreed that the liturgy be celebrated in the vernacular. (insert quote and reference). An International Commission on English (ICEL) was established to manage the translation of the original Latin into English for the various bishops' conferences. Translation has always been a 'hot-topic'. The literal translation of the 2011 Missal for many was clunky, with many believing it uses overly formal language, far removed from daily experience. Unknown to many is that there was a 1998 proposed translation for the Missal that preserved the people's responses and was ICEL history of translation - lectionary Francis' decision is good news. My only recommendation? Consider buying shares in a company that makes sticky-tape. |
Further Reading:
Failed 1998 English Missal Translation Liturgy NZ Roman Missal - FAQs about the Translation Liturgy Office of England and Wales https://www.ewtn.com/library/LITURGY/CONFSCRI.TXT |