Is it common for Catholics to memorize the Bible or the catechism?

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Oh I don’t know if all do it. I just knew there’s Ned Flanders protestants out there who do
 
That’s about the limit of my appreciation of what fundamentalist Protestants do too.
 
Curious , I can’t speak for others, but I know prayers and passages or stories , mainly my favs.

We don’t memorise like people used to memorise their times tables in maths
 
That’s good. People of the word. You bring light into the world, the light of he who takes away the sin of the world
 
Yes, great distinction, I wish I could claim credit.
I memorised it from the 1985 Catechism 🙂.
 
As a former Baptist, I’m grateful that scripture memorization was a large part of my learning. Scripture is read three times during Mass, so it’s obviously important. Scripture is also used in Lecto Divino prayer. Why not memorize? Psalm 119:11, Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. I love memorization, it is the Word of God.
 
We have 7 more books than most protestants, so that would be a lot more work for us. And with so many different translations, which would one choose?

I can’t remember five minutes ago, so I doubt I could accomplish such a feat.
 
Catholics don’t tend to have classes where they are trained to memorize Scripture or catechism. Back in the day, Catholic school students would probably have to memorize certain parts of the Baltimore Catechism (a catechism designed for teaching and written with simpler answers to a student level).

In practice, if we are real strong Catholics or had strong Catholic parents, there are parts we will end up memorizing without working towards doing so. For example, I can quote a few parts of the Baltimore Catechism because my mom harped on it, and quote certain Bible verses without being able to cite chapter and verse. I think it would be good if Catholic studies programs emphasized more of the Bible verse learning like the Protestants do, but on the other hand, good Catholics memorize many rote prayers that Protestants don’t tend to make, so we probably are memorizing the same amount, just different stuff.

At this point in my life I tend to direct my efforts towards memorizing certain prayers so that I can say them without having to read them, for example when I am driving in the car for several hours.
 
Catholics don’t memorize scripture as a general rule. The Word of God for Catholics is not entirely expressed by scripture. It is known very deeply but not a memorized sort of thing. If it were all we had as authentic teaching, maybe more would
 
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a parrot can “memorize” biblical passages if the passages are repeated often enough to it

i’d rather live by the catechism/magesterium rather than “memorized” bible quotes

 
Better to know and understand them. I’ve known people who could quote chapter and verse of Scripture but had no clue as to what it really meant.
 
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I have memorized a lot of verses from the Psalm’s and both the canticle Zechariah and Mary, along with numerous prayers other Scripture and Gospels etc, I didn’t plan to do so it just happened through constant repetition especially with the liturgy of the hours and daily mass.

I can rarely say this is such and such chapter and verse, that’s not important in my opinion.

I feel blessed that these readings etc so through my mind constantly.
 
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Having prayed the whole Office daily for 20 years I learnt the majority of the Psalms off by heart.
Great at weekday mass if I forgot to collect the Psalm book on the way in.

Now it is a source of pain at mass - there are so many variant translations in use now at different Churches I have given up trying to join in the response after the Reading. I just keep quiet and pray from the heart without words concentrating on the pictures painted. Sometimes no picture, just Him.

Which I believe is the destination for all Divine journey’s that start with the visible or spoken.
 
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The Book you reference is the Word of God. Memorization starts as a young child and builds as you grow. It’s not a requirement, but a desire to hide God’s word in our hearts. It’s not random, either. I can remember memorizing verses from Psalms and the Gospels at home during the week, and yes, we understood what the verse meant. Think of the times in life when maybe the words of a song, the Golden Rule, etc. come to mind. It’s like that, something occurs in everyday life and a particular verse of encouragement pops into your mind - “be not afraid, and know that I am God.” It’s interesting that as a former Baptist, I had so many errors in what I thought Catholics believed, and now see how Catholics have misconceptions of protestants.
 
We go to school so we can study by reading and learning…we memorize…and that’s how we progress in life to a career in what ever…if we don’t study then how can we understand…so why is it so different with studying the word of God…isn’t that why God inspired our early church leaders to gather together the canon of the Bible…so that we could have his written word…why…to sit on the bedside table gathering dust…or to read it…memorize it…study it with proper guidance from our church so we do what Protestants do so well…we can evangelize them not only with our knowledge of scripture but with the whole fullness of the truth of the Catholic faith
 
Dlee said:
The Book you reference is the Word of God.
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I think you might have missed my point after this.

Catholics do not believe “the Book” is the Word of God.
We believe the proclamation of such is the “Word” of God.

In other words the Word cannot be written down because it is living.
It can only be “written” in human hearts.

We have a fundamentalist convert in our Church - he still carries his little Bible around wherever he goes, especially when leading or speaking, though he rarely ever opens it.
Its an admirable but curious sentiment for us Catholics.

That sort of “physicalism” we reserve for the “Bread” of God but not the “Word” of God.

Its hard to explain if you are not born a Catholic perhaps.
 
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Curious11 said:
Do you guys often memorize them?
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To be honest, I never read a bible until I fell in with my separated Baptist brethren. That is when I began memorizing it. I thank God they taught me to do this, as it has been a great benefit to me over the years. Once it is in there, the Holy Spirit can bring it to my mind much more readily at the time of need.

Truthfully, I never paid much attention to the Catechism until I came to this site, and since then, have memorized partes of the CCC just by frequency of use.
 
Spyridon said:
The way Protestants remember exact verbatim quotes by chapter and verse is not the Apostolical Practice.
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This is a good point. Most Protestants don’t realize that there were not chapters and verses in the manuscripts. They were inserted by Catholics along with the punctuation!
 
So your point is that the Word of God is living, In the beginning as the Word and the Word was God and the Word was with God. End quote. I can see this. It is all so interesting, my heart was open to the leading of the HS and He led me to the Catholic Church at age of 62. I feel blessed that I am a unique blend, fully Catholic. Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.
 
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