What is the cause of poor catechesis?

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If you want to see the Church’s love of scripture, read the Church Fathers and how they strenuously teach and defend and recommend its study. Plus there is the magisterial teaching of the Church. Just in the last century and change, we have Leo XIII’s Providentissimus Deus, Pius XII’s Divino Afflante Spiritu, the Apostolic Constitution Dei Verbum of the Second Vatican Council, and Pope Benedict XVI’s Verbum Domini, all teaching us how to read and engage and benefit from the study of scripture.
 
I want to avoid the arrogance that is implied when I say I understand what you’re feeling, but I think I do in part. One thing that I’ve realized in my journey through many churches and then back to the Catholic Church, is that I am in a sense solely responsible for my own spiritual growth, and my church is there to help me as I seek more of God. In any church populated by mere human beings, there will always be shortcomings, always disappointments. I just grew tired of drifting through churches that have been founded by human beings no smarter and no more faithful than me. Human failings abound in every church, but only the Catholic Church has that sense of divine authority to be led unfailingly in true belief - even though we all get it wrong to some degree.
 
That’s historical. You cannot honestly say the Catholic hierarchy values and treasures the word of God in scripture when millions of former Catholics only discover a love of scripture outside the Catholic Church. Hearing it in the Mass is not enough! It is not enough to simply hear scripture in the Mass.
 
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Also, just thought of this, but the majority of the curriculum for seminary studies for men in formation for the priesthood is scripture. At my seminary, we had to take the following:

Intro to Scripture (a class on the interpretation of scripture in the Church)
Pentateuch
Prophets
Wisdom Literature
Matthew and Mark
Luke and Acts
Johannine Corpus
Pauline Corpus
Catholic Epistles and Revelation

And in addition to that, those of us doing a further degree in scripture took about eight other classes in it as well, and classes in Biblical Languages.
 
glencor63 said:
You cannot honestly say the Catholic hierarchy values and treasures the word of God in scripture when millions of former Catholics only discover a love of scripture outside the Catholic Church.
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Yes you can. A Catholic who only “discovers” scripture outside the Catholic Church must have been comatose while they were IN the Church.
glencor63 said:
Hearing it in the Mass is not enough! It is not enough to simply hear scripture in the Mass.
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I don’t believe anyone has suggested that it is.
 
I just showed you how the hierarchy values scripture.

I didn’t say anything about only hearing it at Mass.

I said that the Church has always taught, and especially in the past century and a half, that the study of scripture is very important.

It sounds to me like you have an idea in your head about the way things are, and no matter what evidence to the contrary you are presented with, you will argue your idea. Please, with an open heart, read what I have said and what others have said. We’ve made it fairly clear.
 
Thank you! I feel my concerns are largely dismissed. Telling me that the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Catholic faith and that I just need to be obedient and accept this does not help me. For me, the Eucharist is what I consume for grace. Scripture is what I need to live. Scripture on a regular basis and not just in the Mass. The Eucharist could disappear, but if I have the word I am at peace. Corrie Ten Boom miraculously smuggled a bible into Ravensbrück concentration camp. It sustained and helped her endure
 
It is not generally “left up to the laity” to start Bible studies. At most of my parishes, a priest is either running a Bible Study or there is an authorized Bible Study program of some sort approved by the pastor and brought in by the parish, which may be led by a layperson or a deacon, but it’s not a case of the laity just decided to start a Bible Study or not.

Parishes vary depending on interests and the availability of resources. You’re making a lot of generalizations about the Church as a whole based on your experiences.
 
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Well, I can think of three priest-led Bible Studies off the top of my head within 15 miles of here, and several more Bible Studies brought in via an outside program which may be lay-led or deacon led. Several Catholic parishes around here are also using the ROAR program, which is Scripture-based, for vacation Bible school. Sunday School is not really a Catholic tradition as the kids are expected to be in Mass.

Your experiences may vary; again, please stop generalizing whatever your personal experience is to the entire Church. It’s a really big church and I’m guessing you’ve seen a relatively small part because you have not been a member long.

You also seem to be coming at this from the biased perspective that you’ve decided Scripture is more important than the Sacraments and whatever we answer is not going to satisfy you.
 
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glencor63 said:
That’s historical.
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A continuous history and message that continues down to today. Vatican II’s Dei Verbum is hardly ancient history.

The Pope just spoke at the International Biblical-Pastoral Congress on the importance of the Bible in the faith life of Catholics in April of this year.

Honestly, you have some very skewed notions about the “hierarchy” and their thoughts and words on Scripture. It is certainly easy to find and read oodles of Church documents on scripture, and to hear what the Pope and bishops are saying about it. You’d have to deliberately have your head in the sand to miss all things biblical in the Catholic Church.

Not to mention all the different association such as the Catholic Biblical Federation, the Marian Catechists, Our Sunday Visitor and on and on who promote and teach the faith — including the Bible — through classes, scholarships, publications, etc.
 
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I’ve been Roman Catholic for nearly 2 decades, but I shouldn’t have converted. A happy medium is Anglo-Catholicism. Peace!
 
glencor63 said:
That’s historical. You cannot honestly say the Catholic hierarchy values and treasures the word of God in scripture when millions of former Catholics only discover a love of scripture outside the Catholic Church. Hearing it in the Mass is not enough! It is not enough to simply hear scripture in the Mass.
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Ok, if there is a problem where you are, YOU START A BIBLE STUDY GROUP. You do it… instead of complaining.

And to echo FREdward there is no dichotomy between the Eucharist and the scriptures.
Christ is the summation of everything.
 
As a Protestant, we went to church AFTER Sunday School. Just an FYI.
 
Well, Catholics are unlikely to start any “Sunday School” other than for children who need to be in CCD on that day before or after Mass.
That’s just the way it is and if you want a Sunday School then you’d have to be the one to start one, which I’m guessing from your comments is probably not going to happen.

Peace out, leaving the thread as I don’t see this as productive, and it’s verging on Catholic-bashing to be honest.
 
Why should the 🐑 do what Christ left as the role of the shepherds? Feed my sheep, not give them the tools to gather their own grass.
 
Well, I’ll study scripture with you. Send me a private message.
 
I’ve decided to visit an Anglo-Catholic parish. I may have to combine visiting many churches to fill my spiritual needs.
 
Growing up Catholic, I learned something. Sometimes our parish had amazing priests that you couldn’t get enough of. Wonderful personalities, great sermons. And then there were other times, even years, when the priest wasn’t particularly warm and friendly, and his sermons were dull and dry. So there were times when we basked in the light of a wonderful priest and gladly received. At those other more dry and empty times, I realized that it was up to me to step up and share what little light I had. Those dry times were the times to give. I hope you stay. We need people like you who long for God.
 
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glencor63 said:
As a Protestant, we went to church AFTER Sunday School. Just an FYI.
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Two parishes in our area have religious education on Sunday mornings. The rest have it on Wednesday evening .

Adult education and bible study vary, and is usually on weekday evenings. My husband went to religious Ed on Saturday mornings when he was a kid.

It doesn’t matter if it is on Sunday or another day.
 
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