Review: Angelus Press 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Top to Bottom: Angelus Press EF Missal, MTF OF Missal,
Baronius Press EF Missal

Over the years, I have attended the Extraordinary Form of the Mass on probably a little under a dozen occasions.  I happen to live in an area where there are a number of options each weekday and Sunday for the EF.  One of the things I enjoy doing, particularly before Mass, is to see what Missal is the most popular in the congregation.  By far, at least in the EF Masses I have attended, the Missal I have seen most often is the Angelus Press 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal.  And since I know that there are at least a couple people who read this blog and attend the EF, I contacted Angelus Press to see if I could obtain a review copy of their 1962 Missal.  They graciously accepted that offer.  I am happy to post some of my random thoughts and photos of this Missal after having spent some time with it.  All of these observations come from someone who is a bit of an outsider to the Extraordinary Form, one who will likely only attend on occasion.  When I do attend the EF, this Missal will certainly accompany me and be an exceptional aid to participating in the Mass.

One of the things I have noticed in many of the pre-Vatican II missals that I have seen is that they are true works of art.  They typically have a classic look and feel to them, along with being accompanied with many beautifully rendered images.  This missal is no exception.  The total page count is 1980 (not counting the endpages) and the size is 6.75 x 4.2.  It fits very well in the hand, and in many ways I prefer the size and feel of the Angelus Press missal to the Baronius missal, even though they are very similar.

Note the extensive introduction

The volume is smythe sewn, which should be mandatory for not only Missals but every Catholic bible (in leather) that is produced.  This will ensure that it will last, which for something as personal as a daily missal, is a necessity.  One of the things I treasure most is an Italian language prayer book/missal which was brought to the United States by one of my relatives.  It is over 100 years old now but remains in great shape due to it being sewn.  I think about it often as I, myself, have young children.  What better gift to pass down to a son or daughter than a well-made missal or bible, that has been lovingly used and prayed with by a parent?   The smythe sewn binding is very firm and tight.  At first, it may seem to be a bit too tight, at least in comparison to, say, the Baronius 1962 Missal. Over the time I have used it, it has loosened up a bit and isn't really an issue.  In regards to the cover, it is a leather-like Skivertex polymer gold-embossed flexible cover.  Like the binding, it is a bit stiff at first.  It will soften a bit over time.  There are five liturgically colored ribbons which fit the needs for the occasional flipping that any daily missal (EF or OF) makes necessary.  To round out the ascetic quality of this volume, it comes with gilt edges which are also rounded.  (For some reason, I particularly like the feel of rounded edges on my higher quality book.)  

Angelus Press edition on top

When you open the missal, the first thing that will strike you is that the color of the page is a bit yellow-ish.  When you compare it to the Baronius Missal, the differences become quite evident.  This will be, perhaps, the biggest issue one will have to decide on if they are deciding between the two.  Depending on the type of lighting there is at your local EF parish may ultimately be what decides it for you.  After using it on a couple of occasions, I have found that I'm quite ok with the Angelus Press (yellow-ish) pages.  It was not an issue for me in any way at Mass.  The lighting in the church where I attended the EF wasn't particularly great, but I still had no issue reading along with the Mass parts.  

This is an new typesetting and not a photographic reproduction, which was often the case before release of Summorum Pontificum.  All the liturgical texts are in Latin and English, with the biblical texts coming from the venerable Douay-Rheims (Challoner) translation.  The words are in black, with the rubrics being in a the traditional red.  The liturgical text is that of the 1962 typical edition of the Missale Romanum. The liturgical calendar is keyed to that edition and it includes the revised Holy Week Liturgy of 1962.  The Latin is found on the inside of the page, slightly smaller than the English.  This edition contains plenty of commentary and explanations to help the person who is new to EF utilize this Missal.  

Note the commentary on the right side of
the page

One of the most helpful additions to this Missal, particularly as one who does not attend the EF every week, are the inclusion of the commentaries that are found on the right side of the page in Ordinary of the Mass section.  As one who has attended the OF all my life, I learned a number of things which has enlightened my appreciation of both forms of the Mass.  

Angelus Press notes that this is the "most complete missal ever."  If you to their website, they list the additional features that this missal contains.  It is quite extensive.  Contained in this missal are plenty of prayers and devotions which one could use outside of Mass throughout the liturgical year.  As one who has used the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the past, I was grateful to see that they included Vespers and Compline for Sundays from the traditional office.  While I don't mind the repetition of the Little Office, it is certainly nice to be able to change things up a bit once a week on Sundays.  (They also included Vespers for parts of the Triduum as well in this edition.) This, of course, reminds me that Angelus Press has a lovely Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary in paperback, which includes the Office of the Dead and is very readable.  That, with their 1962 Missal, would make a great pair for daily prayer.

Overall, I am very pleased with this Missal by Angelus Press and encourage those who attend the EF to consider it when looking for a Missal.  In comparison with any missal that is currently available for the OF, I find that the Midwest Theological Forum Daily Roman Missal comes the closest to it in quality.  Yet, I really enjoy the format and feel of the Angelus Press version considerably more, as well as finding it to be more helpful in the additional prayer resources are included in it.  

Thank you, again, to Angelus Press for providing this review copy in exchange for an honest review. 

N.B. If anyone is interested in obtaining a very good edition of various editions of the 1962 Missal, please email me.  I have obtained a few additional copies and would be happy to part with them for a reasonable offer.

Vespers for Sundays

Second Sunday of Easter: Liturgy of the Word Comparison (w/ Fr. Neil)

Second Sunday of Easter (Year B)

First reading

Original Jerusalem Bible 1966 as found in the Current JB edition of the Lectionary

Acts 4:32-35 (no changes to Biblical text in Lectionary)

³² The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.

³³ The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.

³⁴ None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, ³⁵ to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

Acts 4:32-35

³² The whole group of believers was of one heart and mind; no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.

³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

³⁴ None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the sale, ³⁵ and laid it at the feet of the apostles; it was then distributed to each as any had need.

Comparing these passages it is clear that the RNJB is fundamentally a revision of the JB and many phrases remain unchanged. Verse 32 in the RNJB uses “one” heart and mind which is a more literal reading of the Greek. The RNJB uses “private ownership,” which eliminates the need for “his” and is clearer. In Verse 33 the RNJB moves the phrase with great power” to the start of the verse, again in keeping with the Greek. The change from “respect” to “grace” is probably a better translation of the Greek “charis.”  In Verse 34 “proceeds” is a more literal translation that “money.” Again in verse 35 “laid it at the feet” is a more exact translation than “present it.”  The more literal translation continues with the RNJB’s use of “each.”

Second reading

Original Jerusalem Bible 1966 as found in the Current JB edition of the Lectionary

1 John 5:1-6 (no changes to Biblical text in Lectionary)

¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ

has been begotten by God;

and whoever loves the Father that begot him

loves the child whom he begets.

² We can be sure that we love God’s children

if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us;

³ this is what loving God is –

keeping his commandments;

and his commandments are not difficult,

⁴ because anyone who has been begotten by God

has already overcome the world;

this is the victory over the world –

our faith.

⁵ Who can overcome the world?

Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God:

⁶ Jesus Christ who came by water and blood,

not with water only,

but with water and blood;

with the Spirit as another witness –

since the Spirit is the truth.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

1 John 5:1-6

¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ

is a child of God;

and whoever loves the Father

loves the son.

² In this we know that we love God’s children,

Whenever we love God and keep his commandments,

³ for this is what the love of God is:

keeping his commandments;

and his commandments are not burdensome,

⁴ because whatever is born of God

conquers the world,

and this is the victory that has overcome the world –

our faith.

⁵ Who can overcome the world

But the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

⁶ He it is who came by water and blood,

Jesus Christ,

not with water alone,

but with water and blood,

And it is the Spirit that bears witness

since the Spirit is Truth.

In V.1 the RNJB replaces “is begotten by” with “is a child of.” In this case the original JB might actually be more literal (Gk: gegennetai). But the new translation is easier to understand. The removal of the “begottens” in the next sentence is, perhaps, less faithful to the Greek, but it is easier to understand (particular in a proclaimed text). V. 3 the “Burdensome” of the RNJB is probably a more literal translation than the “difficult” of the JB.  In v.5 “the one” of the RNJB is perhaps a better translation than “the man” of the JB (plus it is more sensitive to Gender-inclusivity).

Gospel

Original Jerusalem Bible 1966 as found in the Current JB edition of the Lectionary

John 20:19-31 (no changes to Biblical text in Lectionary)

¹⁹ In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, ²⁰ and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, ²¹ and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

²² After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.’

²⁴ Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ ²⁶ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. ²⁷ Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹ Jesus said to him:

‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

³⁰ There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. ³¹ These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

Revised New Jerusalem Bible 2018

John 20:19-31

¹⁹ In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, ²⁰ and after this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord, ²¹ and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

²² After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins,

they are forgiven;

If you retain anyone’s sins,

they are retained.’

²⁴ Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord,’ but he answered, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and put my finger in the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’ ²⁶ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were closed, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ ²⁹ Jesus said to him:

‘Do you believe because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’

³⁰ Jesus did many other signs in the sight of the disciples, which are are not written in this book. ³¹ These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

In v.20 the RNJB is more literal when it qualifies “and after this.”  In v.25 the RNJB is more faithful to the Greek when it translates typon (as in “type”) as “marks” rather than “holes.” V.27 has “doubt no longer but believe” in the JB, this is a translation that is very familiar from prayer, however, it must be admitted the RNJB is more literal when it translates the phrase “Do no doubt but believe.” In v.30 and v.31 “written” is a more literal translation than “recorded.”

Looking at the three readings together I would say that overall the new translation of the RNJB is more exact than the JB.  I think it is more than fair to say that that the translation has been improved to be true to the promise on the back cover of the RNJB NT to have a ‘Clear read style,’ formal equivalence and gender inclusion.  My Greek is far from perfect, but time and again, to my poor Greek, the new edition seems to be a more faithful and clearer translation.

One final thought that comes to mind is that no translation is perfect. It is very dangerous to build a serious theology on a translation. Every translation is imperfect. This is why it is important to have Scripture scholars who can explain the Word of God to us in a particular academic manner. However, more importantly, when Scripture is proclaimed in the liturgical assembly it becomes “alive” in this privileged place. It is proclaimed to bring us to meet the person of Christ. Therefore it is important to interpret Scripture within the tradition of the Church (see Catechism of the Catholic Church 115-119). Nonetheless as a liturgist, looking at these two translations, I consider the RNJB to be superior and more suited to liturgical use than the JB.

Please feel free to add any thoughts you might have in the comments.  I am particularly interested to hear from anyone living in a region where the JB is the current Lectionary, as I personally think the aspect of continuity (which is better judged by those who have been listening to this translation in the liturgy since Vatican II) is an important element in the argument for the desirability of replacing the JB with the RNJB in the Lectionary in these countries.

New Resource from the École biblique

On April 1, the École biblique in Jerusalem launched PRIXM, its weekly newsletter in English.

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NT Textual Basis Question to Consider

Looking ahead to more information about the Revised New Jerusalem Bible many readers are curious about the base texts used. If it uses the Nestle Aland 28th edition of the Greek New Testament (NA28), it would be the first Catholic translation to do so. (Note: In her recent responses to reader questions, the USCCB's Mary Sperry indicated that the NABRE NT revision team is working from NA28, but that text won't be ready for several more years. We can assume that the SPL's planned revision to the NRSVwill likewise be based on NA28 for the New Testament).

Currently the only major Bible translation to base the NT on NA28 is the new Christian Standard Bible (CSB), the successor to the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). This is important, because unlike the past several incremental revisions, for the NA28 "In the Catholic Epistles, the text has been edited in line with the Editio Critica Maior and its use of the Coherence-Based Genealogical Method (CBGM). The result is a change in just over 30 places." 

Arguably that's the most concentrated set of changes introduced to the main text of the Greek NT since the 26th edition in 1979. That's when roughly 700 differences made their way by scholarly consensus out of the margins and into the main text of the New Testament. And this time, they're all concentrated in the Catholic Epistles.

SInce the Catholic epistles contain many of the books in the NT that have often proven problematic for Reformation Protestants - even to the point of being disputed - I'd love to know more about what those 30 changes mean for future translations.

Are there any Greek New Testament scholars who could survey the 30 changes in the Catholic Epistles of NA28, and help readers understand them? Ideally, we might compare how those changes played out in a Protestant translation (the CSB) and a Catholic one (presumably the RNJB).

Any takers?

Thanks to Chris for submitting this question for consideration.

Easter Sunday : Liturgy of the Word Comparison (w/ Fr. Neil)

Is the RNJB a Viable Option for the New Lectionary?

I would like to thank Fr. Neil Xavier O’Donoghue for providing this essay on the RNJB and the Roman Lectionary.  Fr. Neil will be a regular guest contributor, focusing on issues related to the lectionary and other translation issues.  Please welcome him to the Catholic Bibles Blog.  A full bio is below.

Lectionary translation is a tricky business. Initially after Vatican II a number of English lectionaries were prepared and in many areas parishes were free to pick the translation that best suited them.  In the United States three translations were approved: The Jerusalem Bible, The Revised Standard Version and the New American Bible. Of these the New American Bible was the most widely used.

In 2001 the Congregation of Divine Worship in Rome published an instruction called Liturgiam Authenticam that regulates liturgical translation in Catholic liturgy.  Liturgiam Authenticam 36 deals with the use of scripture in the liturgy:

In order that the faithful may be able to commit to memory at least the more important texts of the Sacred Scriptures and be formed by them even in their private prayer, it is of the greatest importance that the translation of the Sacred Scriptures intended for liturgical use be characterized by a certain uniformity and stability, such that in every territory there should exist only one approved translation, which will be employed in all parts of the various liturgical books. This stability is especially to be desired in the translation of the Sacred Books of more frequent use, such as the Psalter, which is the fundamental prayer book of the Christian people. The Conferences of Bishops are strongly encouraged to provide for the commissioning and publication in their territories of an integral translation of the Sacred Scriptures intended for the private study and reading of the faithful, which corresponds in every part to the text that is used in the Sacred Liturgy.

This preference for a single translation of Scripture was implemented in the United States and (even before Liturgiam Authenticam) when the current Lectionary edition was adopted permission to use the three earlier translations was withdrawn. Although it is worth noting that the current US Lectionary is not actually from any published edition of the New American Bible. John Allen, the veteran Vatican reporter, analyzed the process used to produce the current US Lectionary in a 1998 article.

Canada also has a fairly new edition of the Lectionary using an adapted edition of the New Revised Standard Version.  Ignatius Press prepared a new edition of the Lectionary using their own Second Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version that was approved for use in the Antilles. Some had hoped that US parishes might adopt this as an alternative to the New American Bible, but this was not possible due to the restrictions of Liturgiam Authenticam and this edition of the Lectionary was eventually adopted by the Ordinariates for their liturgy. Surprisingly an edition of this Lectionary was also adopted by English Africa (with the Revised Grail Psalms), even though this seems to be in contravention of Liturigam Authenticam as they had recently published a new edition of the Liturgy of the Hours uses the New American Bible (also with the Revised Grail Psalms). 

However, in many English speaking countries the Jerusalem Bible Lectionary has remained in use as basically the only Lectionary version, and these regions are still using the initial edition of the Lectionary prepared in the aftermath of the Council (with minor revisions made in 1981). This is the case in Ireland, England and Wales, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand.  

Today this Lectionary is clearly in need of revision.  Over the years there have been attempts by the bishops of these regions to prepare a new Lectionary using the New Revised Standard Version, the English Standard Version, and, most lately, the Revised Standard Version.  For one reason or another (usually to do with copyright) all of these projects have failed to produce a new Lectionary and some have suggested that there is now a certain fatigue on the part of the bishops regarding the prospect of starting another process to produce a new Lectioanry.

The Jerusalem Bible has served the Church well and is now over 50 years old. In 1985 a new edition (the New Jerusalem Bible) was prepared by the Benedictine Dom Henry Wansbrough. This was based on the newer French edition and contains updated scholarship and has corrected some of the translation inaccuracies of the original English translation.  However, to my knowledge, this newer edition was never used in any approve liturgical book.

Readers of this blog will be aware that Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd have recently published the New Testament of the Revised New Jerusalem Bible. This edition was also prepared by Benedictine Henry Wansbrough and is a thoroughly reworked translation that is more faithful to the original text, has been prepared with an eye to proclamation and has a moderate use of inclusive language.

The New Testament has been published before the full Bible to allow the public to have an appreciation of the full project while the final touches are being put to the Old Testament which will be published before the end of this year (and is in the process of receiving an imprimatur).

Personally I have been impressed by the quality of the translation and have been wondering if it could provide a relatively painless solution to the Lectionary problem in those countries that use the Jerusalem Bible Lectionary. In particular, given that it is the direct successor of the original Jerusalem Bible, the translation already sounds familiar to Catholics in these countries. I believe that there is a great value in continuity in translation. Also given that there are new translation guidelines governing the process of liturgical translation, it should now be easier to officially prepare a new Lectionary edition.

During the Easter season a peculiarity of the Lectionary is that it uses only New Testament readings. Therefore I propose that the readers of this blog help me to compare the current Jerusalem Bible version of the Sunday Lectionary readings with the same passages in the Revised New Jerusalem Bible.  

Each week I will post a comparative table of the two translations of the selection of readings for that Sunday’s Mass accompanied with a short analysis of any differences that I note. I invite readers to chime in with their comments. The goal of this exercise is to help answer the question if it would be wise to propose this new translation of the Bible as the basis for a new Lectionary in those regions that already use the Jerusalem Bible in their Lectionary.

This week we are posting the first comparative version for the Mass of the Day of Easter Sunday. Due to the length of this introduction I have not prepared any comments on the translations, but I invite the readers to do so in the comments section.

Neil Xavier O'Donoghue is a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. He currently ministers in the Archdiocese of Armagh, Ireland, where he serves as vice rector at Redemptoris Mater Seminary. He has studied at Seton Hall University, the University of Notre Dame, and St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He holds a Doctorate in Theology from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

He is Risen!

ca. 1860s, Academic school

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, that coming, they might anoint Jesus.  And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they come to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen.  And they said one to another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre?  And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. For it was very great.  And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: and they were astonished.  Who saith to them: Be not affrighted; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee; there you shall see him, as he told you.  But they going out, fled from the sepulchre. For a trembling and fear had seized them: and they said nothing to any man; for they were afraid.

-Mark 16:1-8 (Douay-Rheims)