The Catholic American Bible is being approved and prepared for both liturgical and private use. Midwest Theological Forum is here to help you through the transition.
This article will answer seven questions:
- Why is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offering a new Catholic Bible translation?
- Is the Catholic American Bible approved for liturgical use?
- How does the Catholic American Bible differ from existing translations?
- Who translated and reviewed the Catholic American Bible, and what translation principles guided them?
- What makes the Catholic American Bible especially suited to Catholics in the United States?
- What is the Didache Bible, Catholic American Bible Edition?
- Does the Daily Roman Missal include the Catholic American Bible?
1
Why is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offering a new Catholic Bible translation?
Midwest Theological Forum plans several publications that include the forthcoming Catholic American Bible (CAB).
The CAB will give Catholics in the United States a single, unified Scripture text for liturgical worship, public and private prayer, study, catechesis, and personal devotion.
At present, Catholics pray, hear, read, and study different translations of scriptural passages in the Mass, in the administration of the Sacraments, in the Liturgy of the Hours, and in their personal Bibles. The CAB will use one translation for all these settings. Upon publication and implementation, Catholics will be able to hear, pray, read, and study the same approved translation in every setting of their lives.
The CAB will continue the Church’s longstanding work of presenting the written Word of God in language that is faithful to the original texts, suitable for public proclamation, and accessible to contemporary readers.
2
Is the Catholic American Bible approved for liturgical use?
Yes, the CAB is approved, and we are preparing various publications for liturgical and devotional use. The CAB was prepared as the unified Scripture text for Catholic liturgical and devotional use in the United States.
The CAB will appear in:
- Private prayer and study.
- The Mass.
- The Liturgy of the Hours.
- Personal missals for following the Mass.
We will publish the Didache Bible, Catholic American Bible Edition. We are discussing other liturgical and devotional publications with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
3
How does the Catholic American Bible differ from existing translations?
The Catholic American Bible (CAB) builds on the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) tradition while making several significant changes:
- The CAB includes a modified text of the NABRE Old Testament.
- The CAB uses The Abbey Psalms and Canticles as the source for the Book of Psalms.
- The CAB includes a newly revised New Testament.
- The CAB provides updated introductions and translators’ notes.
- The CAB serves as one approved translation of Scripture for liturgical worship, public and private prayer, study, catechesis, and personal devotion.
- The CAB resolves the differences Catholics currently encounter between the Bible used for private study and the scriptural texts heard in liturgical worship.
Most passages will be familiar to Catholics who currently hear the NABRE at Mass.
4
Who translated and reviewed the Catholic American Bible, and what translation principles guided them?
The Catholic American Bible (CAB) was developed under the oversight of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The work was done by Catholic biblical scholars, editors, and reviewers.
The project involved work on:
- The Old Testament based on the New American Bible Revised Edition.
- The Book of Psalms based on The Abbey Psalms and Canticles.
- The newly revised New Testament.
The Catholic American Bible (CAB) balances several important goals:
- Faithfulness to the source texts in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
- Clarity and natural expression in contemporary American English.
- Accuracy in conveying theological meaning.
- Suitability for proclamation in liturgical worship.
- Consistency across the Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, public and private prayer, study, catechesis, and personal devotion.
- Respect for the Catholic tradition of interpreting and praying with the Scriptures.
- Readability for clergy, religious, families, students, and all Catholics.
The completed translation and its supporting material underwent ecclesial review as part of the approval process.
5
What makes the Catholic American Bible especially suited to Catholics in the United States?
The Catholic American Bible (CAB) is being prepared for the Catholic Church in the United States. Its language, editorial presentation, and liturgical application are intended to serve Catholic liturgical worship and pastoral life in the United States.
The CAB’s advantages for Catholics in the United States include:
- One approved Scripture text across all settings: liturgical worship, public and private prayer, study, catechesis, and personal devotion.
- Language suited to contemporary American hearers and readers.
- Integration with the forthcoming editions of the Lectionary and the Liturgy of the Hours.
- Translators’ notes and introductions for study and catechesis.
The CAB represents the Church’s effort to proclaim her one, universal, scriptural faith in language suited to the pastoral needs of Catholics in the United States.
6
What is the Didache Bible, Catholic American Bible Edition?
Midwest Theological Forum plans to continue its popular line, the Didache Bible, with the new Catholic American Bible.
The Didache Bible, Catholic American Bible Edition (DBIB-CAB), is a forthcoming study Bible from Midwest Theological Forum. It will present the text from the Catholic American Bible with our Didache commentaries. It is a Catholic American Bible (CAB) edition of our popular Didache Bible, New American Bible Revised Edition (available in hardcover), and Didache Bible, Ignatius Bible Edition (available in leather and hardcover; now in its thirteenth printing).
The DBIB-CAB will help readers understand Scripture in connection with the teachings of the Church. The DBIB-CAB will include:
- The scriptural text, cross references, translator’s notes, and introductions from the CAB.
- Our Didache commentaries, which are explanatory and apologetical, based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
- Our introductions that present the authorship, dating, audience, and main themes of each book.
- An introduction on how to read the Bible.
- A brief summary of Scripture.
- A chronology of the Old Testament.
- A chronology of the New Testament.
- A list of scripture passages for personal meditation.
- More than 100 apologetical explanations that help to answer common questions about the faith.
- Twenty-seven full-color biblical maps, including the journeys of Jesus Christ.
- An extensive biblical glossary.
- An index of subjects, including biblical names.
- The DBIB-CAB is for readers who want a Bible for more than reading alone. It is suited for personal prayer, Scripture study, catechesis, adult faith formation, parish groups, and classroom use.
The DBIB-CAB will be available in hardcover and flexible cover. They will be published in 2027.
7
Does the Daily Roman Missal include the Catholic American Bible?
The introduction of the Catholic American Bible (CAB) will not make the current edition of the Daily Roman Missal (DRM) unusable. Current DRMs continue to provide the approved prayers and readings for the whole Church year for a few more years (the exact year and date has not yet been decided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).
When the new edition of the Lectionary for Mass, which will use the CAB, will be made available to publishers, we will request permission to publish a new edition of the Daily Roman Missal. We plan to publish this new edition of DRM before the new edition of the Lectionary will begin to be read at Mass.
This transition will take place in stages:
- Existing editions of the Daily Roman Missal are current and will remain current for a few more years.
- The Catholic American Bible will become available for private prayer, study, catechesis, and personal devotion.
- The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will approve a new edition of the Lectionary using the CAB, making it available for publication.
- A new edition of DRM will incorporate the readings from the CAB.
- We will publish the new edition of DRM with the readings from the CAB.
- The new edition of the Lectionary using the CAB will begin to be read at Mass.
The timing of this transition depends on the publication and implementation of the new Lectionary and how soon we might be granted permission to publish a new edition of the Daily Roman Missal.
