Dear Catholic Exchange:
My Catholic daughter, who is now 19, has been dating her boyfriend for a number of months. Recently, his Baptist family gave her an anti-Catholic pamphlet, which has given her incentive to really find out the truth about her faith and try to explain it to him. Her questions to me are: “Why isn’t the Bible read more often in the Catholic Church, and why do I feel so lost when people start quoting scripture?” Where should she start?
Thanks,
Bill
Dear Bill,
Peace in Christ!
First, it is important to recognize the esteemed place the Scriptures have always held in the Church. The Mass is a prime example of this. There are two readings (one on weekday Masses), the Gospel and the responsorial psalm—all Scripture. The majority of the prayers and responses of the Mass are also from the Bible. The hymns are often based on Scripture passages as well. The prominence of the Bible can be seen not only in our rites, but also in our sacred art. The stained glass windows, paintings, carvings, and engravings, particularly in older churches, depict scenes from the Scriptures. These pictures provided common people access to the Bible long before they had access to books or the education to read them. In addition, most Church documents (encyclicals, papal exhortations, documents from the Vatican Congregations, Council documents, etc.) are filled with Scripture quotations and references. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the same way; the Bible is constantly cited. The writings of the saints also often reflect this focus on Scripture.
Until the invention of the printing press in 1450, books were all handwritten. This made them both rare and expensive. Education, at that time, was also only for the privileged; the vast majority of people were illiterate. It was not until the advent of public educational systems and child labor laws that literacy became widespread. Before that, people learned the Scriptures, as they still can now, by attending Mass.
While many will claim that the Catholic Church forbade the reading of Scripture by the laity, this is absolutely untrue. There has been concern about people teaching erroneous interpretations of Scripture and unfaithful translations of the Bible aimed at discrediting the Church. The Catholic Church, however, has always held that her faithful can and should read the true text of Scripture.
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Especially in the last century, the Church has repeatedly encouraged the faithful to read the Bible. The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, of the Second Vatican Council says:
The sacred synod also earnestly and especially urges all the Christian faithful, especially Religious, to learn by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures the ‘excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ’ (Phil. 3:8). ‘For ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ’ (St. Jerome). Therefore, they should gladly put themselves in touch with the sacred text itself, whether it be through the liturgy, rich in the divine word, or through devotional reading, or through instructions suitable for the purpose and other aids (no. 25).
Unfortunately, many Catholics have not answered this call.
As for your daughter, she can become comfortable with people quoting Scripture by reading her Bible. It might be helpful to start with a structured Bible study. The publishing division of Catholics United for the Faith, Emmaus Road Publishing, has several good studies available. (You can also contact them at 1-800-398-5470). Catholic Exchange also has studies available online or in print form. In addition, CUF recommends the monthly publication Magnificat by Fr. Cameron for daily reflections. These follow the liturgical cycle of readings, so they provide further meditation on the readings you hear at Mass. A free copy can be obtained on their website. It might also be helpful to read Dei Verbum, also available at most Catholic bookstores.
Care should also be taken in choosing a Bible translation, we particularly recommend the New American Bible, the Revised Standard Version-Catholic Edition, and the Jerusalem Bible (note: not the new versions of these translations).
Whether she uses a study aid or just spends time with the Scriptures themselves, it is important that she is consistent with it. She might set out a specific time each day for this (in the morning when she wakes up, before bed, etc.), allot a set block of time (maybe 10 or 15 minutes to start) and stick to it. The focus should be reading and meditating on the Scriptures, not memorizing them or finding “proof texts” for Catholic teaching.
If she is interested in defending her faith, reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church (available at most bookstores) would certainly be a great place to start. She can also contact us at 1-800-MY-FAITH for our FAITH FACTS on various faith questions as well as help with particular biblical apologetics issues. Other resources that may prove helpful in apologetics are the Catholic For a Reason (I and II) by Dr. Scott Hahn and Leon Suprenant (published by Emmaus Road), the Beginning Apologetics series by Fr. Frank Chacon & Jim Burnham, What Catholics Really Believe and other titles by Karl Keating, Surprised by Truth and Pope Fiction by Patrick Madrid, and Catholic Evidence Training Outlines and other titles by Frank Sheed.
I hope this answers your question. If you have further questions on this or would like more information about Catholics United for the Faith, please contact us at 1-800-MY-FAITH (693-2484). Please keep us in your prayers as we endeavor to “support, defend, and advance the efforts of the teaching Church.”
United in the Faith,
Amy Barragree
Information Specialist
Catholics United for the Faith
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, OH 43952
800-MY-FAITH (800-693-2484)