Many people are aware that the Lectionaries used in Canada and in the United States are based on different modern English translations of the Bible, and thus are significantly different in the wording of most of the scriptural readings. Most people do not realize, however, that there are also very many detailed differences in the verses included in particular readings.

It is generally thought that the Roman Catholic Lectionary is exactly the same throughout the world. Since the Canadian Lectionary uses language that is much more "inclusive" than the United States Lectionary (not only the 1970 edition and but also the 1998 edition), some parishes and individuals in the United States have used CL instead of USL in recent years. This choice can lead to confusion during the liturgy if people hear proclaimed aloud a version of the scriptures that is noticeably different from the one printed in the "missalettes" available in the pews of many parishes. Moreover, preachers who use the CL to prepare a homily may accidentally focus on a word or a verse not found in the corresponding readings of the USL.

The following sections first highlight the major differences between these two Lectionaries in their overall translation and format, and then explain in detail almost one hundred and fifty minor differences in the biblical readings actually printed in the CL and the USL. The purpose of this analysis is not to argue that one Lectionary is better than the other, but rather to show the differences between the two versions objectively. Future editions of both Lectionaries might be improved by a careful consideration of the current discrepancies.

Abbreviations:

• CL = Lectionary: Sundays and Solemnities. Ottawa: Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1992.
• Neo-Vulgate = Bibliorum Sacrorum: Nova Vulgata Editio. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1979.
• OLM69 = Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typica. Vatican City: Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, 1969.
• OLM81 = Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typica altera. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1981.
• USL = Lectionary for Mass: For Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America. Volume I: Sundays, Solemnities, Feasts of the Lord and the Saints. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1998.

1) Edition and Biblical Translation:

The current editions of the Canadian and United States Lectionaries are both ultimately based on OLM81, the second edition of the official "Order of Readings for Mass", as required by the "Decree Regarding the Second Typical Edition", promulgated 21 January 1981 by the "Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship" (Prot. CD 240/81). This decree, reprinted in the front of all Lectionaries, specifies that "the text of the Neo-Vulgate must be adopted as the typical edition for liturgical use." Yet the expanded "Introduction" to this new "Order of Readings for Mass" also permits the use of "vernacular translations approved for liturgical use" (par. 111) and allows for certain adaptations to be made in the wording (par. 124). The Congregation's "Decree" also says that "the Neo-Vulgate edition of the Sacred Scriptures has been used in indicating the biblical references," although the "Introduction" again allows the versification of other approved translations of the Bible to be used (par. 119).

The 1998 United States edition of the Sunday Lectionary is based primarily on the New American Bible translation (NAB: 1970 edition of the OT, 1986 revision of the NT). However, many detailed changes were made in the wording, due partly to inclusive-language concerns and partly to differences from the text and the versification of the Neo-Vulgate Bible.

The 1992 Canadian edition is based mostly on the translation and versification of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV), with some adaptations. Thus, most of the differences between the USL and CL, both in wording and in reference numbers, are due to discrepancies between the NAB and the NRSV, respectively.

2) Overall Arrangement of Readings:

Both editions generally follow the order of the liturgical year, but there are several major differences in the arrangement of the contents in the Canadian and United States Lectionaries:

a) Three-Year Cycle of Readings: For each liturgical season the CL prints the readings for Years A, B, and C in separate sub-sections, while the USL intersperses the three annual cycles. For example, for the Season of Advent the CL prints the readings for all four Sundays of Year A first, then the four Sundays of Year B, and then Year C. In contrast, the USL follows the order of OLM81 by first printing the readings for all three years of the First Sunday of Advent, then all three years of the Second Sunday of Advent, and so on. Thus, the CL arranges the readings 1A, 4A, 7A, 10A, 2B, 5B, 8B, 11B, 3C, 6C, 9C, 12C, while the USL prints 1A, 2B, 3C, 4A, 5B, 6C, etc.

b) Tables of Readings: At the beginning of each section, the CL includes a comprehensive table of scripture references for all the readings in that liturgical season (pp. 2, 50, 106, etc.). While these tables provide very convenient overviews and comparisons of the readings in Years A, B, and C, they must be used with caution, since they unfortunately also contain a large number of typographical errors. The USL provides no charts of detailed scriptural references, but only one very general table showing the "Order of the Second Reading for Sundays in Ordinary Time."

c) Common Sung Texts: At the beginning of the sections for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time, the CL also collects the optional "Common Responses," "Common Responsorial Psalms," and "Gospel Acclamations" for that liturgical season (pp. 3-4, 51-52, etc.). In contrast, the USL only contains one section of "Alleluia Verses for Sundays in Ordinary Time" (#163 and 509), and one section of "Common Texts for Sung Responsorial Psalms" (#173-174), containing the optional Psalm texts for all liturgical seasons together.

3) Placement of Certain Feasts:

Although the numbers assigned to all the readings are the same in the Canadian and United States Lectionaries, following the official numbers of the Latin edition, a few Feast Days are found in different locations in the Canadian edition. While the USL prints the readings in the same order as OLM81, the CL has the following feasts in roughly chronological order:

a) Ash Wednesday (#220): The CL volume for "Sundays and Solemnities" includes the readings for Ash Wednesday at the beginning of its section for the "Season of Lent" (i.e. just before reading #22A). The inclusion is most likely due to the popularity of this feast day, although it is technically not a "Solemnity." The first volume of the USL does not contain Ash Wednesday at all.

b) Chrism Mass (#260ABC): The CL places this special liturgy at the end of the "Season of Lent" (just after reading #38C, but before the section with the "Easter Triduum"), while the USL places the Chrism Mass near the end of Volume 1, just after the "Common Texts for Sung Responsorial Psalms." This discrepancy reflects a change in the placement (and numbering) of the Chrism Mass in OLM81 as opposed to OLM69.

c) Easter Triduum (#39-42ABC): The CL contains one section for the "Easter Triduum" with all the liturgies from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, so the next section, the "Easter Season," begins with the Second Sunday of Easter (#43A). In contrast, the USL has a combined section: "Easter Triduum and Season of Easter." Its "Easter Triduum" subsection contains only the liturgies for Holy Thursday and Good Friday, however, while Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday are placed at the beginning of the "Season of Easter" subsection.

d) Octave of Easter (#261-266): The readings for the Octave of Easter are included in Volume I of the 1998 United States edition, but are only in the Weekday volumes of the 1992 Canadian edition, as indicated in a rubric (CL, pp. 296, 298).

e) Trinity Sunday, Body and Blood, Sacred Heart (#164A-172C): The CL includes these Feasts between the Seasons of Easter and Ordinary Time (i.e. between readings #63C and 64A), while the USL and OLM81 place them after Ordinary Time.

4) Detailed Rubrics:

The Canadian Lectionary repeatedly prints several explicit rubrics (instructions for the readers in red type) within the text, while the United States Lectionary generally contains the same instructions only in the Introduction, but not in the text itself:

• After each First Reading and each Second Reading: "A period of silence is observed after the reading."
• With each Gospel Acclamation: "This verse may accompany the singing of the Alleluia. If the Alleluia is not sung, the acclamation is omitted."
• Within the Passion Readings (Palm Sunday and Good Friday): "At this point all may join in singing an appropriate acclamation."
• Easter Vigil (#41ABC): After each of the Psalms that accompany the seven readings from the Old Testament, the CL reminds the reader, "A prayer follows the psalm before the next reading is proclaimed." After the seventh reading, the rubric is even more explicit: "A prayer follows the psalm, as well as, the 'Glory to God' and the opening prayer before the Epistle is proclaimed."
• The Epiphany of the Lord (#20ABC): An explanation about which readings are to be used in case the Feast of the Epiphany is moved to a Sunday is explicitly given in the CL at the beginning of reading #19ABC (Second Sunday after Christmas) and at the end of readings #21A, 21B, and 21C (Baptism of the Lord). In the USL, unfortunately, these instructions are not explicitly given with reading #19ABC. Moreover, the heading for reading #20ABC says, "January 6: The Epiphany of the Lord," without acknowledging that this feast is moved to a Sunday in most of the Dioceses of the United States. A rubric to this effect is given only belatedly at the beginning of reading #21ABC (Baptism of the Lord).

5) Titles of Readings, Seasons, Feast Days, and Masses:

While most of the categories of texts have the same titles in both Lectionaries (First Reading, Responsorial Psalm, Second Reading, Gospel), what is called the "Gospel Acclamation" in the CL is simply called the "Alleluia" (outside of Lent) or the "Verse Before the Gospel" (during Lent) in the USL. Also, what the CL entitles "Feasts of the Lord and Solemnities of the Saints" are named "Solemnities and Feasts of the Lord and the Saints" in the USL, both of which can easily be confused with the "Solemnities of the Lord during Ordinary Time" (i.e. Trinity Sunday, Body and Blood of Christ, Sacred Heart: readings #164A-172C).

There are also some slight but interesting variations in the exact titles used for the feast days during the Christmas Season, for the Easter Triduum, and for the Solemnities of the Lord. Overall the titles in the USL are more formal than those of the CL and closer to the Latin titles given in OLM81. This is especially true of the other Solemnities and Feasts at the end of the following table:
 

1) Optional Readings:

For certain Sundays and Feast Days, optional readings are provided in one edition but not in the other. In other cases, readings indicated as optional in the United States Lectionary are the only ones prescribed for that day in the Canadian Lectionary:

a) Holy Family (17ABC) and Baptism of the Lord (21ABC): The CL prints the readings of these feasts separately for Years A, B, and C without explicitly indicating that the readings for Years B and C are officially "optional" for both days. In contrast, the USL prints the First Reading, Responsorial Psalm, Second Reading, and Alleluia of Year A, followed by all of the Gospels for Years A, B, and C. In the next subsection it prints all of the readings for Year B, and then does the same for Year C. This arrangement not only results in the duplicate printing of the Gospels for Years B and C, but it unfortunately also de-emphasizes the optional readings for these years. Moreover, it is very confusing for the Feast of the Holy Family, due to the duplicate use of the capital letters A and B (although in contrasting black type) for the longer and shorter forms of several of the readings!

b) Palm Sunday (37-38ABC): The CL arranges all the readings (for the Procession with Palms and for the Mass) in separate blocks for Years A, B, and C, thus printing the common First Reading, Responsorial Psalm, and Second Reading three times each. The CL also prints each of the Passion Proclamations twice, the second time in a convenient format designed for several readers. In contrast, the USL first prints the Processional Gospels for all three years (37A, B, C), and then has one block for the readings used at the Mass (38ABC together). The USL also mentions the option of omitting one or both of the first two readings, a rubric not explict in the CL.

c) Easter Sunday (42ABC): As an optional Gospel for an afternoon Mass, the CL prints the full text of Luke 24:13-35, while the USL only mentions this option in a rubric. Both Lectionaries also have a rubric indicating that the Gospel from the Easter Vigil may be read in place of the regular Easter Sunday reading from John 20.

d) Ascension (58A, 58B, 58C): Again the CL prints the readings of this day separately for Years A, B, and C without explicitly indicating that the Second Readings for Years B and C are officially "optional" (the First Reading and Responsorial Psalm remain the same, but a different Gospel is prescribed for each year). However, for this feast the USL follows a pattern different from before. It prints Years A, B, and C in three separate blocks, but for the Second Readings of Years B and C, it first prints the Year A text (Eph 1:17-23) before adding the optional texts from Years B or C, respectively. Thus, the A reading is again emphasized more than the B and C options.

e) Pentecost Vigil (62ABC): In addition to the regular number of readings for the Vigil of Pentecost in the USL, the CL also adds a complete set of seven readings for an "Extended Vigil of Pentecost", which is not in the USA edition.

f) Pentecost Sunday (63A, 63B, 63C): The CL and the USL respectively handle this Solemnity in much the same way as they did the Feast of the Ascension, although for Pentecost both the Second Reading and the Gospel have "optional" choices for Years B and C.

g) All Souls: Novermber 2 (668): The CL prints specific readings for Years A, B, and C separately, in addition to saying that any of the readings recommended for Masses for the Dead may be used. In contrast, the new USL prints thirty-one different reading options from the list of Masses for the Dead.

2) Specific Biblical References:

Both the Canadian and the United States Lectionaries always print the scriptural references in red type at the beginning of each reading, but only the CL also prints the individual verse numbers in the margins next to the corresponding lines of the text (a very helpful feature!). In contrast to older editions, both of the new Lectionaries now give biblical references more specifically by using letters to indicate if part of a scriptural verse is omitted from the reading (e.g. 35:1-6a, or 63:16b-17). Although the USL has detailed and accurate references for most of the readings, it often fails to use letters to indicate partial verses in the Responsorial Psalms.

Furthermore, in some cases the biblical text actually printed in the Lectionary does not correspond exactly to the scripture reference in the official "Order of Readings". This is more often the case with the 1992 CL, but sometimes also with the 1998 USL. In other cases, there are simple typographical errors in one or both of the editions. Thus, the published editions of both Lectionaries unfortunately contain many inaccuracies, omissions, and errors in the biblical references given with each reading and/or in the overview tables and indices (see the Typographical Errors pages). In cases of discrepancy, the following tables contain the exact biblical references of the texts as actually printed in the Lectionaries, based on careful comparisons with the appropriate versions of the Bible.

On the other hand, many of the differences in the verse references given in the two Lectionaries for the same readings are due to the discrepancies between the NAB and NRSV translations. This is true especially for the Psalms (not included in the table below), but also for several other readings from the Hebrew Bible. The First Readings in the following chart have different verse references for what are essentially the same biblical texts, although there may also be some differences in the translations due to discrepancies in the underlying Hebrew texts:
 

3) First Readings from Sirach

The readings taken from the Book of Sirach constitute a special case, since the versifications of the NRSV and NAB are often identical, but different from those of the Neo-Vulgate edition of the Bible. Although several U.S. publishers have retained the old verse numbers from the NAB (except for a few typographical errors), most of the texts as printed in the new United States Lectionary are based more directly on the Neo-Vulgate version of Sirach. Thus, not only are the verse numbers different, but in most cases there are also significant differences in the translation. Moreover, although the verses seem identical for reading 150C, the texts are actually significantly different:
 

4) Longer Forms and Shorter Forms:

The two Lectionaries usually provide the same options for the "longer form" and "shorter form" of a particular reading. Yet the USL always prints out the complete text of both options, while the CL often merely indicates the second option with the rubric: "The shorter version ends [or begins] at the asterisk."

However, in several cases the USL includes an optional "shorter form" for a reading, while the CL provides only the corresponding "longer form" (lengthened further in one case). In contrast, the CL adds a "longer form" for one reading, while the USL contains only the shorter form.
 

In several other cases, the "longer form" of a certain reading is identical in the two Lectionaries, but the optional "shorter form" of the United States edition is even shorter than that of the Canadian edition:
 

5) Other Actual Changes in the Reading Selections:

In both Lectionaries many further adaptations have been made to the biblical texts, especially to provide better introductions to passages that are read out of context. The USL usually keeps these changes fairly short and to a minimum (adding introductory words like "Jesus said to his disciples" in the Gospels, or explicit addresses like "Brothers and sisters" for the Pauline letters). In contrast, the CL has a fairly large number of changes, for reasons explained in an "Editorial Note":

OVERVIEW:  Analyzing all the changes in the following table leads to a few general observations about the Canadian Lectionary:

• It corrects some grammatical problems caused by biblical passages being taken out of context, such as missing antecedents, incomplete sentences, or changes in speakers.
• It is more positively disposed toward women, both by omitting some negative statements and by adding some positive comments.
• It often gives more explicit historical details to set a reading in context better, especially in readings from the Old Testament.
• It makes the strophes of the Responsorial Psalms slightly longer and of more equal length.
• It sometimes provides further theological arguments, especially in the Letters of Paul.

• OLM69 = Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typica (1969)
• OLM81 = Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typica altera (1981)
• CL = Canadian Lectionary: Sundays and Solemnities (1992)
• USL = United States Lectionary for Mass. Volume I (1998)