An Overview of the Contents of the First and Second Editions of the Lectionary for Mass
with
Synoptic Comparison Charts of Lectionary Numbers and Section Titles

The second edition of the Lectionary for Mass (Latin 1981, USA 1998-2002) is substantially the same but also larger than the first edition (Latin 1969, USA 1970). The sections containing the readings for Sunday Masses and Weekday Masses during the liturgical seasons are nearly identical in both editions, except for the addition of some optional readings and the relocation of the Chrism Mass (from #39 to #260, as explained below).

The other sections of the Lectionary, however, are significantly longer in the second edition, with many new reading options added for certain Masses already found in the first edition, and new Masses added to several sections. The Propers of the Saints now recommend specific readings for almost all saints, rather than simply cross-referencing to the Commons. Many additions and some rearrangements have also been made in the sections containing Ritual Masses, Masses for Various Needs and Occasions, and Votive Masses. Finally, the readings proposed for the Masses for the Dead have been placed in a separate section at the end of the revised Lectionary.

As a result of all these shifts and additions, the numbers assigned to each set of readings are frequently different in the revised Lectionary than in the first edition. However, the numbers in the USA editions are always identical to those of the corresponding Latin edition. The following pages provide detailed overviews of the changes in each section of the Lectionary. For an explanation of the abbreviations used here, see the page summarizing the Various Editions of the Lectionary for Mass.

OVERVIEW TABLE:

PROPRIUM DE TEMPORE / Proper of Seasons (##1-509 in both OLM69 & OLM81)

The structure of the first part of the Lectionary for Mass is substantially unchanged in the revised edition, with one major exception: the Chrism Mass (traditionally held on the morning of Holy Thursday, but liturgically no longer considered part of the Easter Triduum) was moved from #39 in OLM69 (the beginning of the subsection for the Easter Triduum) to #260 in OLM81 (the end of the subsection for the Weekdays of Lent).

This change caused a shift in the Lectionary numbers for all the other readings in between; that is, the numbers for all the readings between #40 and #260 in OLM69 are one less in OLM81.

The Latin names of the liturgical seasons are identical in OLM69 and OLM81, but the English equivalents were changed in some cases, with slightly longer and more literal translations in USL98-02 than in USL70.

PROPRIUM DE SANCTIS / Proper of Saints (##510-700 in both OLM69 & OLM81)

In all editions of the Lectionary, this section is subdivided according to the twelve months of the calendar year.

For most saints already on the liturgical calendar before 1969, the old Lectionary simply gave cross-references to the appropriate sections of the "Commons"; very few saints had their own "Proper" readings.

The revised Lectionary, however, proposes specific readings for most saints, in addition to providing cross-references to the Commons. For saints added to the liturgical calendar since 1969, the readings for their celebrations have a letter added to the number in appropriate chronological order, so that the numbering of the rest of the Lectionary remains unchanged.

For example, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Jan. 4), St. John Neumann (Jan. 5), and Bl. André Bessette (Jan. 6) are assigned ##510A, 510B, and 510C, respectively, so that St. Raymond of Peñafort (Jan. 7) remains #511. Similarly, St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe (August 14) was added as #620A, between the saints of August 13 (#620) and August 15 (#621).

COMMUNIA / Commons (##701-742 in both OLM69 & OLM81)

OLM81 retains the same categories for the Commons as in OLM69, although in many cases more choices have been added to the reading selections proposed for the various Masses.

MISSAE RITUALES / Ritual Masses (##743-799 in OLM69, and ##743-826 in OLM81)

OLM81 adds readings for several more Ritual Masses, slightly changes the names of a few others, and newly subdivides this part of the Lectionary into nine sections, several of which now also have numbered subsections.

Only the English translations of the names and titles are included in the table here, to provide a better overview of the new subsections.

MISSAE AD DIVERSA / Masses for Various Occasions (##800-895 in OLM69 & USL70)
renamed
MISSAE PRO VARIIS NECESSITATIBUS / Masses for Various Needs and Occasions (##827-967 in OLM81 & USL02)

OLM81 adds readings for several new Masses and changes the order and the titles of a few others. The four main sections of OLM69 are retained, but OLM81 also numbers the subsections sequentially (from 1 to 31) and adds cross-references to the corresponding Masses in the Missale Romanum (called the Sacramentary in English).

Again, only the English translations of the names and titles are included in the table here, to provide a better overview of the subsections.

MISSAE VOTIVAE / Votive Masses (##896-929 in OLM69, and ##968-1010 in OLM81)

OLM81 adds several new Votive Masses, changes the order and the titles of a few others, and again adds cross-references to the corresponding Masses in the Missale Romanum (the Sacramentary). The Latin names are identical in OLM69 and OLM81, but the English equivalents were changed in some cases, with slightly longer and more literal translations in USL98-02 than in USL70.

MISSAE DEFUNCTORUM / Masses for the Dead (## 789-799 in OLM69, and ##1011-1026 in OLM81)

OLM81 places these Masses in a separate section at the very end of the Lectionary, adds many more choices for the various readings, and again provides cross-references to the corresponding Masses in the Missale Romanum (the Sacramentary). The Latin names and English translations are slightly different for a few of these.

View or download a Color-Highlighted Version of This Page (in PDF format), to see more easily all the differences explained above.

See also an Analysis of the Detailed Differences between the 1970 and 1998 United States editions of the Lectionary.