Read the Bible and Catechism this year!
If you want to be an informed Catholic (and why would you not?), then there are two books that must be read and understood: the Bible and the Catechism. However, neither of these books is an “easy read” – both total hundreds of pages and touch on difficult and complex subjects. Because of this intimidation factor, many people don’t know where to start and so don’t start.
Fortunately, the Coming Home Network has devised a plan to read both the Bible and the Catechism in a year. It can be found here:
Read the Bible and the Catechism in a Year
As the Plan states:
The Catholic Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures, and teaches that “Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.” She also, “forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ’ (Phil. 3.8) by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures. ‘Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.’” (From the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, nos. 9, 21, and 25)
Many of us today do not know our faith well. But thanks to the loving initiative of Pope John Paul II and the Bishops of our Church, we now have a universal Catechism which explains what Catholics are to believe in a format that is easy to read and addresses current issues.
By making a commitment of only twenty to thirty minutes a day, you can prayerfully read through the entire Bible and/or Catechism in one year! Use whatever Bible translation you like that contains the entire Canon of Scripture. This guide is divided by month, but you can start at any time.
H/t: Charles
[...] Read the Bible and Catechism this year!. [...]
Pingback by Read the Bible and Catechism this year! | cesarsalad — January 3, 2011 @ 1:51 pmWow, Eric, thanks so much for the links to this plan to read Holy Scripture and the Catechism. Talk about a New Year’s resolution!
Peace and all good to you and your family,
Skip
You’re spot on about the intimidation factor. However, I recently heard Fr. Corapi’s talk in which he says we must read the Catechism. And to “just do it!” Hmmm, the Catechism and the Bible in 1 year? I’m in! Thanks so much!
“If you want to be an informed Catholic (and why would you not?), then there are two books that must be read and understood: the Bible and the Catechism.”
My response to this is simply that to be an informed Catholic it is not a must to read the entire Bible and Catechism whether in one year or in a lifetime. I know of many well-informed Catholics, past and present who did not do this. I am not saying that it isn’t a good thing to read the entire Bible or the entire CCC or both. Rather, I mean to say that there are many avenues to becoming an informed Catholic.
That’s a great PDF. I have been using it and am about 60% of the way through.
Another great way to follow scripture is to go to US Conference of Catholic Bishops website (nccbuscc.org) and click on the “Readings” tab. Bookmark it and simply click on the day of the month and read. God Bless you all!
“to be an informed Catholic it is not a must to read the entire Bible and Catechism whether in one year or in a lifetime.”
I’d have to agree. I’ve been reading the Bible regularly and intently for the last 12 years, and let’s just say that some parts are very important and deserve repeated study and reflection, while other parts may be scanned briefly, if that. Time being in short supply, to treat every page of the Bible as equally deserving of being read is not Bible time well spent in my opinion.
However, whatever way you use, whatever reason you have for reading the Bible are good ways and reasons. If this schedule of reading will get you to read the Bible, then go for it.