And to reiterate: The approval of an existent translation of a (comparatively) slim volume is not the same as approval of an (existent) revision of the full liturgy.
And the USCCB press secretary (or whomever) was either misleading, imprecise, or inexplicably buried the lede by reporting *revisions to the liturgy of the hours *in the first paragraph, but failing to note the actual vote.
Look: I’d love for someone to make me eat my words, but (to my knowledge) there just does not exist, at this time, any kind of official revised English translation of the Liturgy of the Hours which is just waiting for Vatican confirmation of the USCCB’s approval.
No one would be happier than me were I to be proved wrong. But I ain’t holding my breath for it to happen.
tee
Certainly it is not ready yet, it is not expected before 2020.
It was the portion in red, just the
Supplement to the Liturgy of the Hours.
USCCB Newsletter March 2015 stated: “Elements of the Divine Office are either Scriptural in nature, or non-Scriptural; the USCCB is responsible for Scriptural elements, and the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL) provides translations of the non-Scriptural portions for the approval of the English-speaking Conferences of Bishops.”
The scriptural elements are covered below from the same newsletter:**Revised Grail Psalms **
The source of the Psalmody in the present English translation of the Liturgy of the Hours is the Grail Psalms, a Psalter long noted for its poetic qualities and for its consistently metrical translations, which greatly facilitate both singing and common recitation. In November 2008, the Bishops of the USCCB approved a revised version of these Psalms, called the Revised Grail Psalms (RGP), as the official Psalter for use in future liturgical texts, including the Liturgy of the Hours. The RGP, with some corrections, was confirmed by the Holy See in 2010. Additional corrections and adjustments were proposed and approved by the USCCB in November 2014, and are being prepared for submission to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments for the requisite confirmation.
Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospel Canticles
In addition to the Psalms, three Hours – Morning, Evening, and Night Prayer – include canticles derived from other Scriptural sources. These three Hours also include the important and well-known Gospel Canticles of Zechariah (Benedictus), Mary (Magnificat), and Simeon (Nunc Dimittis) from the Gospel of St. Luke. The monks of Conception Abbey prepared translations of these canticles in a poetic and rhythmic style similar to the RGP. Having undergone a preliminary review, the body of Bishops will vote on the amended versions at the June 2015 USCCB plenary meeting. If approved by the Bishops, the texts will be submitted to the Congregation for recognitio.
The Old Testament and other New Testament canticles in the present English translation are taken from the 1970 edition of the New American Bible. Although every effort was made at the time to present them in sense lines and in a manner conducive to singing or community recitation, some of the canticles in the breviary present difficulties for communities. One notable example comes from Ephesians 1:3-10, which occurs in the Psalter every Monday at Evening Prayer: “God chose us in him / before the world began / to be holy / and blameless in his sight.” With its uneven lines and random accented syllables, few communities make it through this strophe without stumbling. The proposed Conception Abbey canticles remedy the awkwardness found in some of the Old and New Testament Canticles without compromising accuracy of translation.
Scriptural Readings
Every liturgical Hour includes other passages of Scripture, either in the form of brief passages (lectiones breves) in most of the Hours, or in more extensive passages found in the Office of Readings. The revised Liturgy of the Hours will draw from the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE). A revision of the Old Testament was completed in 2010 but still requires approval by the Holy See for liturgical use; the revision of the New Testament is well underway. It is hoped that a final liturgical text of the NABRE will be completed and approved in time for inclusion in the revised breviary. In addition, the Committee on Divine Worship has recommended the inclusion of two cycles of biblical readings for the Office of Readings, following the schema found in the Holy See’s liturgical journal, Notitiæ. A final decision on that issue will take place at a future date.
ICEL elements
Hymns, Antiphons, Intercessions, and Other Non-Scriptural Elements
While the USCCB prepares new Scripture translations for the Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition, the work of ICEL focuses on other liturgical elements, including the hymn texts, antiphons for the Benedictus and Magnificat, intercessions, and concluding prayers not drawn from the Roman Missal. …
… The Conference may either send each completed segment to the Holy See as it is approved, or wait until all five fascicles are approved and transmit the full text of the Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition for confirmation.
Although the Liturgy of the Hours, Second Edition is not likely to be implemented before 2020 at the earliest, the Committee on Divine Worship and body of Bishops as a whole are dedicated toward completing a translation for the benefit of the Church in the United States that is both textually faithful to the Latin and musically poetic in English.
