On the contrary, Catholics have always been encouraged to study the Bible and Biblical teachings.
Of course, in the early years of the church, there was no written Bible. And for the 1000 years between the first written Bible (the Vulgate of St. Jerome) and the advent of Gutenberg’s Printing Press in the late 15th century, Bibles were RARE. They had to be copied by hand, for one thing. Because they were considered to impart the words of GOD, they were made to be exceedingly beautiful and valuable. Also, in those 1000 years, up til around the year 1500, the majority of the people were illiterate. Priests, clergy, nuns were educated, and they read their Bible, the priests instructed the men (it was mostly men), the nuns worked with women and children, all usually under the aegis of the local monastery and supported by the lord of the manor (which could vary between a duke, earl, knight, count. . .and later smaller fry like squires or even reeves or sheriffs). Around the year 1000, the organ began to be popular and sacred music which could be taught to the people helped make them more aware of some Scripture. Also around 1200 St. Dominick popularized the rosary, or the “little Psalter”. Educated priests read the 150 Psalms; the illiterate serf or peasant recited his Pater, Ave, and Gloria, with 150 Aves standing in for the Psalms. Also at this time, the “mystery plays” were done by skilled actors and troubadors. Some of the earliest extant plays in early and middle English included “The Second Shepherd’s Play” which told the story of the Nativity. There were also “Adam and Eve” and the “Passion Plays” (a very famous play which is still performed at 10 year intervals in Oberamergau in Germany). These helped educate an unlettered society.
In the 1200s there was a resurgence of a heresy, the Albigensian heresy. These heretics were writing their OWN bibles and trying to pass them off as real. At THIS TIME, in THIS area (France and Lorraine), the laity were told not to read these FAKE bibles. This was in order to keep the laity from being exposed to heresy.
When Gutenberg’s press arrived, almost at the start of the Protestant Reformation, those Protestant groups also printed out “THEIR” Bibles. Many faithful people in countries which suffered cruelly during this time experienced great difficulty in obtaining Bibles, and venerated them dearly. They weren’t kept by the CHURCH from obtaining them, though. People in England, Scotland and Ireland could be KILLED if they were caught reading the “Catholic” bible, or hearing Mass, or harboring a priest. In fact, a Catholic did not receive full rights or status as an English person in England until 1829. In many cases, he could not attend a university or inherit property.
Yet, throughout history, from the Irish monks saving not just Bibles, but great works of literature in the 7th century from the Muslim advance. . .through today, when every Tom, Dick, or Dan (Brown) attempts to “rewrite” the Bible. . .the Catholic, be he priest or laity, has honored, read, studied, and loved the Bible.
