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JMJ
Tradiate happened upon some Catholic Bible resources (Held By His Pierced Hands by Meg Hunter-Kilmer) and thought it would be a good topic for a post.
There is a perception that Traditional Catholics don't read the Bible.
Reading a Catholic Bible is important, however, that is a gross generalization that doesn't really address the key point: Who will better understand the Catholic Faith. Someone nurtured by the Tridentine Mass or somone who is 'de-nurtured' by the Novus Ordo Missae?
Let's assume the case of both a non-Trad and Traditional Catholic who don't read the Bible at all.
In the Traditional cycle of the Mass readings, the core truths of the Catholic Church reemphasized and reinforced on an annual cycle.
So a Traditional Catholic who attends the Tridentine Mass would, by the Epistle and Gospel readings, as well as by all the other parts of the Mass, have a solid understanding of the core elements of the Catholic Faith. This would be further reinforced by actions that are completely aligned with the words (Genuflections etc).
So a Traditional Catholic may not know the entire Bible, but they'll know what is core to the Catholic Faith.
How about non-Traditional Catholic?
In the New Mass the cycle of Mass readings has been shifted to a 3 year lectionary that is (I understand) practically devoid of references to sin, hell etc. Basically, anything that would cause a protestant to be repulsed. The liturgy is a 'banal on the spot fabrication' in which core elements of the Catholic Faith are not reinforced or even absent. Again in order to not offend the protestants.
So while a non-Trad Catholic may 'exposed' to a bigger selection of the Bible, but it will be missing some key elements and not be reinforced by the liturgy.
Not to mention that Traditional Catholics will, typically, read materials that clearly expound the Catholic Faith - which will reiterate the Bible in many ways. So in reality, a Traditional Catholic will generally have a better grasp on Catholic Teaching.
What about self-study among non-Trads. My assumption is that their study will be based on Post Vatican 2 materials and tainted thereof. Not to mention that they also probably read more protestant liturature.
The end result, a non-Trad Catholic is at a severe handicap when it comes to understanding and holding onto the Catholic Faith in this time of crisis.
This is why I had a Non-Trad Catholic scream at me:
You want to send everyone to hell.
Oh boy.
So ... what next ???
The point is that it is not how many passages of the Bible that we can quote. It is how well we understand the truths within the Bible and Tradition!
If we don't understand the Truths of the Catholic Church, reading the Bible would probably be dangerous.
That is why Catholics used to be obliged to only read Bibles that had footnotes explaining the authentic meanings. Meanings that had been decided upon by the Teaching Authority of the Catholic Church.
All this to say, that yes we need to read the Bible, but we need to read it and understand it with the Church!
Below are some resources for seeing the structure of the Bible and for reading through the Bible within a year.
P^3
Links to PDF Versions
Held By His Pierced Hands: One Year Bible Chronological Reading List
Held By His Pierced Hands: Bible Timeline
Bible History
Chronological Bible Reading Plan
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