I was at Barnes and Noble earlier today when I saw something interesting, it was a small little volume that could fit into the palm of my hand and on the spine it said 'New Testament', so I took it off the shelf and looked at it, and it said that it is the 'New Catholic Version.;'

Apparently, this is a new translation published last year, with an imprimatur from a bishop in the Philippines, and published in a 'Saint Joseph Edition' by Catholic Publishing Corp, which is one of the three main publishers of the NAB (the other two being Harper Collins and Oxford University Press).

Looking it up, they also published a translation of the Psalms in 2012. It is likely that a translation the complete Old Testament is probably coming soon.

It has an imprimatur and it is printed by a major Catholic publisher, this is not some niche product, and yet before today, I had never heard of it.

I didn't buy it, but I did look through it, and despite its small size, I was able to read the text, and if you're wondering, the answer is 'yes', it does translate the angel's greeting to Mary as 'Hail, full of grace.'

Is anyone familiar with this text?

That story sounds vaguely familiar, but I know nothing of it.

That's just it, no one knows anything about it. Why would anyone commission and publish a major new translation of the New Testament, and I do consider it a major new translation given its publisher and its imprimatur, and print it secretly, with no fanfare, no publicity, no social media presence, nothing?

Whoever is behind this new translation is apparently aware that there is a demand out there for a modern Catholic translation which would be an alternative to the NAB (too liberal), the Jerusalem Bible (not a literal translation), the New Jerusalem (uses inclusive language), the Douay-Rheims(too old, uses too much archaic language and not translated from the original languages) and the RSV and NRSV (neither of which is really a Catholic translation, but merely an adaptation of a Protestant one), and yet they publish is without any attempt to promote it?

It makes no sense.

"Why all the secrecy?" seems to have been the $64K question for quite some time: http://www.catholicbiblesblog.com/2015/07/new-catholic-version-new-testament.html. There still really isn't a valid answer.

From the little samples on that blog, I am not terribly impressed. Looks to be somewhat paraphrastic.

"Blessed are those who weep now, for they will LAUGH."

That's the correct translation.

.....they will be comforted?

There are two sets of beatitudes in the Gospels and they aren't identical.

Thank you

I ordered the NCV New Testament and Psalms from Amazon, I used the 'free shipping' offer, so it could take a couple weeks for them to arrive, but when they do arrive, I will be able to review them and tell you whether or not I recommend the translation.

I do wonder if they are ever going to produce a full Bible in this translation. It's hard to tell if they are working on an OT text because it is impossible to find any information about this translation.