Joseph L. Lilly, C.M. (1893–1952), was an American Vincentian priest and

Scriptural Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pract ...

scholar. He was one of the first editors of ''The Vincentian'' in 1923. After his ordination, Lilly pursued Biblical studies. He completed a doctorate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. ''Angelicum'' in Rome. Toward the end of his life, together with

James Kleist James Aloysius Kleist, S.J. (Zabrze, 1873 - St. Louis, 1949) was a German-born American Jesuit scholar of Koine Greek and patristic literature. Kleist attended school in Gleiwitz, then Beuthen, and in 1892 entered the novitiate of the Society of J ...

, S.J., he became involved in a project to provide a more modern translation acceptable for Roman Catholics. This was published in 1956 as the ''Kleist-Lilly'' translation. It never gained widespread acceptance, however, and was later obscured by the translations being produced by

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) is a catechesis program of the Catholic Church, normally for children. It is also the name of an association that traditionally organises Catholic catechesis, which was established in Rome in 1562. Reli ...

, which culminated in the

New American Bible The New American Bible (NAB) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1970. The 1986 Revised NAB is the basis of the revised Lectionary, and it is the only translation approved for use at Mass in the Latin-rite Catholic dioces ...

in 1970. At the same time, Lilly was teaching Scripture to the high school students at St. Thomas Seminary, a

minor seminary A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Catholic priests. They are generally Catholic institutions, and ...

of the

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. In the final years of his life, Lilly was also involved with the Vincentian Motor Missions. This was an ancient practice of the Vincentians, going back to their founder, St.

Vincent de Paul Vincent de Paul, Congregation of the Mission, CM (24 April 1581 – 27 September 1660), commonly known as Saint Vincent de Paul, was a Occitan people, Occitan French Catholic priest who dedicated himself to serving the poverty, poor. In 1622 Vi ...

, in which they would form itinerant preaching teams, through which the Vincentians would work to bring the Catholic faith to rural and remote areas, additionally allowing their

seminarian A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

s to hone their preaching skills.

Works

* J. L. Lilly, "The Appearances of the Risen Christ'' - ''Alleged Discrepancies in the Gospel Accounts of the Resurrection'' 1940 p98-111 * The Psalms: a translation and commentary. Author, Joseph L. Lilly. Publisher, St. Thomas seminary, 1941. *

J. A. Kleist James Aloysius Kleist, S.J. ( Zabrze, 1873 - St. Louis, 1949) was a German-born American Jesuit scholar of Koine Greek and patristic literature. Kleist attended school in Gleiwitz, then Beuthen, and in 1892 entered the novitiate of the Society ...

(Gospels) and J. L. Lilly (Acts and Epistles), The New Testament (Milwaukee, 1956)The American ecclesiastical review p150 Herman Joseph Heuser, Catholic University of America - 1964 "Another version, by James Kleist, SJ, and Joseph Lilly, CM, was admired by some experts. But the general agreement was that these did not eliminate the need for a more representatively American version." * Motor Missions Scripture Questions 1955, posthumous.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lilly, Joseph 1893 births 1952 deaths Vincentians 20th-century American Roman Catholic priests Translators of the Bible into English Roman Catholic biblical scholars 20th-century translators