Do Catholic Priests ever say read your Bible?

Sadly, your friend and their priest is representative of many Catholics. Sadly, many Baptists are also fairly illiterate of the Bible as well if they don't make a conscious effort to study it.

However, many of the Catholics I know carry bibles with them and read it daily.

 

Let us not forget that many were persecuted violently and killed by the Catholics for simply printing, distributing or owning a Bible.

 

That's because the bibles are in the pews.

On the contrary, my priest encourages us. He reminds us of the words that catholic bible scholar St. Jerome said "Ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ". I read my bible everyday and I carry them with me everywhere I go. As a matter of fact I carry my RSV-CE and carry the following pocket bibles: NAB, KJV, and the Franklin NIV Electronic bible. I've actually influenced a Baptist co-worker of mine to purchase a pocket bible.

I'm sure that this is not just a Catholic problem. It's prevalent throughout, even those in your congregation. Keep in mind though that the bible was not readily available until after the printing press was invented. For 1500+ years no one carried a personal copy of a bible with them unless they were rich.

Yes, catholics learn about God in church. And yes, some manage to have eyes but not see, have ears and not hear. The door to our hearts must be opened from within.

May the peace of Christ be with you.

 

Pax Christi, matthew1624.

 

There are bibles in the pews at my church too, but usually only visitors use them everyone else carries a bible of their own.
Somesone said many baptists don't read their bibles everyday, and sadly that is true. Some of the same ones who carry one to church each week. It isn't just the RCC's, which is also sad. You'd be surprised, the people on here who do a lot of studying and know their bibles are not average.

 

I've never heard one say don't read the Bible, but every one of them will say read it, and compare it with the church's traditions. Tradition is equal to scripture, even trumping it in a few areas.

 

Hmmm....why did catholic monks work tirelessly throughout the centuries making copies of Sacred Scripture if the church truly wanted them destroyed? You and I owe a tremendous debt to the catholic church for preserving the Sacred Scriptures.

With all due respect, let us not also forget that John Calvin (in 1522) had as many copies of the Servetus Bible burned since he did not approve of it. Later Calvin had Michael Servetus himself burned at the stake for being a Unitarian. In those days it was common practice on both sides to burn unapproved books. Finally it is one matter to destroy the real thing and another to destroy a counterfeit.

Baruch Hashem Adonai

 

I went to a Catholic School from Kindergarden to 8 th grade .And all the Masses I went to from the age of 5 till 30 years old .I never heard anyone tell me to read the Bible .

 

That's because the bibles are in the pews.
</font>[/QUOTE]That's a surprise. They were not in the pews in any of the Catholic churches I have been to. I was never encouraged, but rather discouraged to read the Bible. The catechism was always pushed. What was in the pews were the missals. Be honest.
DHK

 

DKH,
Come on... the missals contain the daily scripture reading in one convenient place. You know that, but with your statement you are misleading people to think that Catholics don't hear the Word of God at Church.

You also know that the Gospels are always the most important reading.

Both CATECHESI TRADENDAE Of Pope John Paul II and EVANGELII NUNTIANDI Of Pope Paul VI
state,

and

 

DKH,
Come on... the missals contain the daily scripture reading in one convenient place. You know that, but with your statement you are misleading people to think that Catholics don't hear the Word of God at Church.

You also know that the Gospels are always the most important reading.</font>[/QUOTE]The statement was: "They (referring to the word "Bibles" of the previous statement) are in the pews." That is an outright lie.
DHK

 

Not necessarily. Our parish uses missalette's.
The Cathedral has Bibles in the pew and a 8x11 card with the creeds, etc.

 

Not necessarily. Our parish uses missalette's.
The Cathedral has Bibles in the pew and a 8x11 card with the creeds, etc. </font>[/QUOTE]If your cathedral has Bibles, its a first. I've never seen them in my travels in all the Catholic churches I have been to. Missals, I have seen plenty of. I think I still have one stashed away somewhere. As far as I am concerned, saying that a missal is the Word of God is wrong. The right illustration here is the missal contains the Word of God in as much as the Koran contains the Word of God. So they both contain verses from the Bible. A farmer uses grain with a little rat poison. Its the poison that contaminates the whole.
DHK

 

The missals are on a three year cycle...meaning every three years the Bible is read completely through. How often does your preacher read every verse in the Bible?

 

Here is the Word of God for tomorrow, June 19, 2005, that all Catholics all over the world who go to Church will hear and can follow in their missalettes:


Jeremiah 20: 10 - 13

10 For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! "Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him." 11 But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. 12 O LORD of hosts, who triest the righteous, who seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance upon them, for to thee have I committed my cause. 13 Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.


Psalms 69: 8 - 10, 14, 17, 33 - 35

8 I have become a stranger to my brethren, an alien to my mother's sons. 9 For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me. 10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. 14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. 17 Hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in distress, make haste to answer me. 33 For the LORD hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds. 34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves therein. 35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and his servants shall dwell there and possess it;


Romans 5: 12 - 15

12 Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned -- 13 sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.


Matthew 10: 26 - 33

26 "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.


Many Catholics read the readings themselves at home before the Mass in their own Bibles. There is no need to bring the Bible, because the Word is presented in the missalette. Every day of the week the Word of God is presented in the daily services. The Word of God is the Word of God whether it is spoken or written.

 

Here is todays readings:

2 Corinthians 12: 1 - 10

1 I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. 8 Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; 9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.


Psalms 34: 8 - 13

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him! 9 O fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want! 10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 11 Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 What man is there who desires life, and covets many days, that he may enjoy good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.


Matthew 6: 24 - 34

24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

 

Luke 8
21. But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Luke 11
28. But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it."

According to God Himself, there is something very special about "hearing" the word of God.

 

If Roman catholics get any Bible these days its more than likely a reaction to the accusation of ex-catholics in Baptist Churches testifying that they never read the Bible as a Catholic. Roman Catholics have left the Catholic Church in droves over the past 30 years of so as a result of a hunger for the Word of God. Hence the sudden interest in the Bible among Catholics.

 

I don't think that's the reason. Let's look at history... Prior to the Second Vatican Council, the masses were in Latin. After V2, the masses were in English-- with Scripture reading (and homily) as a full half of the Mass. So... you're saying that there was an exodus of people out of the RCC once they were hearing Scripture in English during mass? I would agree that many people left the RCC, but I would contend that it's due to poor catechisis about the faith rather than a hunger for the Word. I would venture a guess that most of the people who left the Catholic Church ended up in NO church whatsoever...