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The Vatican Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has confirmed its approval for the new Lectionary proposed by the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales last year. The Lectionary, which includes the scripture readings for Mass and the sacraments, is being published by The Catholic Truth Society (CTS) and will come into use in Catholic parishes in England, Wales and Scotland this December.

The Lectionary is changing as part of the continuing process of revising liturgical translations. The process began with the Roman Missal in 2011 and has continued to work through all the other liturgical rites. The changes are intended to make biblical translations more faithful to the original languages, using better, more up-to-date biblical scholarship and a text which is more proclaimable. Archbishop Emeritus George Stack of Cardiff, Chair of the Department for Christian Life and Worship, welcomed the dicastery’s ‘Confirmatio’ for the Lectionary saying:  

“The Lectionary is one of the great fruits of the [Second Vatican] Council. It fulfils the mandate of the Council Fathers to open up the scriptures for the faithful so that Sunday by Sunday Christ himself speaks to us in the word. The new Lectionary gives us an opportunity to hear that word with fresh ears as we engage with a text which is intended for public proclamation, and reflects up to date biblical scholarship. I hope that parishes and other communities will engage in preparation for the Lectionary so that all the faithful will hear the word of God with deepened faith and understanding.” 

The new Lectionary will be available to pre-order from the Catholic Truth Society (CTS) at the start of May 2024 and will be in stock this October. To be notified when the Lectionary is available to pre-order, sign up for CTS’ email newsletter.

Lectionary FAQs

Will parishes be able to keep using the old Lectionary?

No, the new Lectionary will come into force on the first Sunday of Advent 2024, parishes will need to change over to the new Lectionary on 1 December. The Altar Missal remains unchanged however, people’s Missals will need to be replaced.

Other than the translation of Scripture, will there be any other key differences between the new Lectionary and the old one?

‍The new Lectionary will use the English Standard Version Catholic Edition of the Bible and the Abbey Psalter and will be used in England, Wales, and Scotland. It will include an up-to-date Proper of Saints including the new universal and national feasts that have been instituted since the publication of the last lectionary.

How many volumes is the new lectionary?

‍Four volumes:

1. Sundays, Solemnities, Feasts of the Lord.

2. Weekdays: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time (weeks 1 to 9), Lent, Easter. Proper of Saints: December to May, Commons.

3. Weekdays: Ordinary Time (6-34). Proper of Saints: June to November, Commons.

4. Ritual Masses, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, Votive Masses, Masses for the Dead.

How much is the Lectionary likely to cost?

The Lectionary will be available in three sizes: a full-size Ambo Edition (£695), a much smaller Chapel Edition (£395) for use in small chapels, and a Study Edition (£250) for liturgy and homily preparation.

Will CTS also be producing the Book of the Gospels and new People’s Missals?

Yes, CTS will produce a book of the Gospels in a leather-bound, as well as a more finely bound Processional Edition for larger parishes and cathedrals. CTS and other publishers will be producing People’s Missals in due course including Sunday, Weekday and Daily Missals.

Sources: CTS and the Liturgy Office‍