-- St. Jerome
(Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], 133)
Hosted by KURT HERTRICH
In this summary of the OT, take a closer look at the golden thread
that holds the Bible and all of Salvation History together: the covenant.
You will learn the different important aspects of a covenant and about oath-swearing, which is the means by which one enters into and renews the covenant.
This covenant theology is related to what Scripture says and how an Israelite saw religion. This lesson will help you interpret Scripture not as a 21st century American, but as an ancient Israelite with a covenantal, Hebrew worldview.
An overview of the Old Testament is given along with a discussion of the all-important concept of Biblical typology.
While the link below begins with Chapter 2 ("The Old Testament"), , there are a total of 31 lessons/chapters in this podcast, including the "introduction".
All are of interest and beneficial in our fundamental understanding of Salvation History and covenants. However, if you're only able to listen to a few, I suggest at the very minimum Chapters 2-6.
Chapter 6, "The Patriarchs", is a particularly "exciting episode full of captivating details that bring the Biblical narrrative to life." -CC
* NB: Altho references are made to the textbook, Understanding the Scriptures, this study can be done with just your Bible. Much can also be learned from just listening to the lecture material in the podcast. -CC
OT OVERVIEW/Salvation Hx Podcast
Podcast available on
Apple | Spotify | Google Play
__________________________
Learn how to read and interpret Scripture
faithfully by examining paragrapghs 109 through 119 of the Catechism of thr Catholic Church.
First, we must determine the literal sense of the passage at hand by taking into account (1) the conditions of their time and culture, (2) the literary genres in use at that time, and (3) the modes of feeling, speaking, and narrating then current. Inseparable from and built upon the literal sense of Scripture, there are three additional spiritual senses that we may draw from the sacred page: (1) the allegorical, (2) the moral, and (3) the anagogical.
Due to the fact that Sacred Scripture is not a purely natural creation of man and is inspired by the Holy Spirit, there are three criteria that the Church provide us with to interpret the Bible. First, we must be attentive to the content and unity of the whole Scripture. This is necessary because of God's plan borne out in Salvation History. This unifying plan unites the different passages and books of Scripture. Second, we must read the Scripture within the living Tradition of the whole Church... because Scripture was written in the heart of God's covenant family, the Church, which lives and moves through time, ever retaining the Apostolic Tradition in her memory. Finally, we must be attentive to the analogy of faith, which is the coherence of the truths of divine revelation. God does not reveal mutually contradictory truths. This final criterion is taken from a piece of advice relayed by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans 12:6.
[This episode is the same as Chapter 30 in the lesson above. -CC ]
HOW TO READ THE BIBLE
Podcast
Podcast available on
Apple | Spotify | Google Play
__________________
To purchase books online: rather than to provide innumerable links for books featured on this page, please conduct your own search using Title, Author, and/or Publisher for your preferred online retailer's website.
If you require assistance please contact us.
by Fr. Robert Nixon, OSB
TAN Books Publishing
This publication is the first translation into English of a Latin work, entitled Libellus de Corona Virginis, or “The Little Book on the Crown of the Virgin.” Traditionally, it has been ascribed to St. Ildephonsus of Toledo, a great monk, abbot and bishop of the 7th century. St. Ildephonsus contributed powerfully to the dissemination of the doctrine of the Perpetual Virginity of Our Lady in Western Europe, and to the popularization of fervent Marian devotion in Spain. In this beautiful, moving and ornate literary portrait, the author imaginatively and lyrically fashions a magnificent crown for the Blessed Virgin Mary, decorated with twelve radiant jewels, six brilliant stars and six fragrant flower blossoms. Each of these is interpreted as representing a particular aspect of the beauty, beneficence, virtue or sanctity of the Blessed Virgin.
A perfect companion for guiding daily devotion to the Mother of Mercy and the Queen of Heaven, each chapter reveals a new and scintillating glimpse into the glories of Mary, sure to inspire the heart of the reader with ever more ardent devotion to the Mother of God, the vessel of all graces and the paradigm and perfection of every virtue. As a guide to meditation and a catalyst for prayer, the Crown of the Virgin is an illuminating mirror of the beauty and splendor of the one who is herself the refulgent and immaculate image of her Divine Son.
________________
SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS
}}}}}}}}]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]][[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[{{{{
In these pages, Fr. Horgan unveils the surprising role
of the angels in our lives — and what you must do to gain their help. You’ll learn how to imitate the angels
in prayer and how they offer you the enlightenment
and the encouragement God so desperately wants to give you. By praying with the angels, you will be strengthened for what lies ahead, better able to
discern and do the Lord’s will in all your actions.
You’ll also learn:
Watch an interview
with Sr. Aletheia here:
-- refers to the practice of prayer and meditation on one's inevitable death and the afterlife.
⍟ A prayer book to help you to meditate on your death and all the Last Things in order to live for heaven.
""A good death depends on a good life."
-- St. Robert Bellarmine
ENCOURAGED BY SCRIPTURE and the SAINTS, this ancient tradition can help you to manage the chaos of this world, grow closer to GOD, and focus on HEAVEN.
Memento mori--Latin for "remember you will die"--refers to the practice of meditation on one's inevitable death and the afterlife. Encouraged by Scripture and the saints, this ancient tradition can help you to manage the chaos of this world, grow closer to God, and focus on heaven.
Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP is a religious sister at the forefront of the movement to revive this practice in the Church. She has written several resources to help people to incorporate memento mori into their daily lives.
Her Memento Mori: A Lenten Devotional and the Memnto Mori Journal have
touched thousands of lives.
Now she has compiled and written a beautiful year-round, general prayer book to help people to meditate on death and the afterlife, traditionally called "the Last Things," in order to prepare for heaven.
Meditation on the Last Things is not a dark, depressing practice..."
Meditation on the Last Things--death, judgment, hell, and heaven--is not a dark and depressing practice. Rather, the practice is hopeful and lifechanging. It helps people to take stock of their lives, grow closer to God, and to live with renewed purpose and fervor.
May this practice open your heart to the work God wants to do in you and through you before your last day on earth, whenever that day might be.
May God find us prepared!
☆*:..。. ☠ .。.:*☆
Features & Benefits::
* Prayer book written and compiled by a trusted religious sister
* Includes the section Death: Prayers to Live and Die Well with prayers to Jesus, the Way of the Cross, prayers to live each day well, prayers for a good death, prayers for the dying, Marian prayers for assistance in life and death
* Includes the section Judgment: Prayers to Prepare to Meet Jesus with penitential prayers, guide to the sacrament of penance and reconciliation, the Memento Mori Daily Examen, prayers for the dead
* Includes the section Hell: Prayers to Combat the Powers of Darkness with formula for renewal of baptismal promises, Eucharistic prayers, the Rosary, spiritual warfare prayers
* Includes the section Heaven: Prayers for Union with God with prayers of longing for heaven, prayers of praise to God, Marian prayers
* Includes a selection of prayers in both Latin and English
* Contains an explanation of indulgences
⍟ Prayer book has a nihil obstat and imprimatur
The practice of memento mori
is "hopeful and lifechanging.
It helps people to take stock of their lives, grow closer to God, and to live with renewed purpose and fervor."
☆*:..。. ☠ .。.:*☆
Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble, FSP
has a skull on her desk as a memento mori, a reminder of her inevitable death. The ancient tradition of remembering death--encouraged by Scripture, early Church Fathers, and many saints--has changed her life and led to greater union with God.
You can learn more about her
and get free
memento mori wallpapers
for your phone and computers at
https://pursuedbytruth.com/
☆*:..。. ☠ .。.:*☆
Learn more
about
Memento Mori: Prayers
On The Last Things
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
—Psalm 90:12
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The perennial favourite
Jimmy Akin | Ignatius Press
We are the original "Bible Christians"
In The Bible Is a Catholic Book, Jimmy shows how the Bible cannot exist apart from the Church. In its origins and its formulation, in the truths it contains, in its careful preservation over the centuries and in the prayerful study and elucidation of its mysteries.
"Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism".
Scripture is inseparable from Catholicism. This is fitting, since both come from God for our salvation.
If you’re a Catholic who sometimes gets intimidated by the Bible (especially scriptural challenges from Protestants), The Bible Is a Catholic Book will help you better understand and take pride in this gift that God gave the world through the Church.
We are the original “Bible Christians”!
And even non-Catholics will appreciate the clear and charitable way that Jimmy explains how the early Church gave us the Bible—and how the Church to this day reveres and obeys it.
* Publisher: Ignatius Press :
* Publication Date: September 2019
* Binding: Trade Paperback
* Length: 181 pp.
CATHOLIC BIBLE PRESS
NRSV
------- +++ -------
Experience the Scriptures in an exciting way with this gorgeous, one-of-a-kind
printed in the elegant and exclusive Catholic Comfort Print® this volume will freshly inspire you and inform your faith.
Each art rendering in this devotional Bible is linked to a passage of Scripture to guide your reflection.
Printed in the popular and trusted New Revised Standard Version, this Bible contains the complete Catholic canon printed on single-column pages for easy reading.
About the NRSV: Renowned for its balance of scholarship and readability, the NRSV is a trustworthy translation appropriate for personal spiritual formation and in the academy. This Catholic Edition of the NRSV bears the imprimatur of the Roman Catholic Church and is approved for private use and study by the Catholic faithful.
— St. John Paul II
Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland
⁜
The Divine Mercy Catholic Bible clearly shows
the astounding revelation of
Divine Mercy amidst the
timeless truths of Sacred Scripture.
175 Mercy Moment callouts to show God’s mercy through the Bible
19 Divine Mercy articles to dive deeper into understanding Divine Mercy
Words of Jesus in red to distinguish the words of our Savior
16 full-color maps to explore the ancient lands of the Bible
Alpha Cowhide cover for durability and long-time protection
2 ribbon markers to keep your place
Reading this Bible will help transform your mind, heart, and soul as you discover the overwhelming love God has for you.
____________
Learn more in this video review:
The Divine Mercy Bible
IGNATIUS PRESS ESV-CE
Printed in Italy
The Augustine Bible features a beautiful foil-stamped slipcase and a durable matte cover to ensure that you can use and treasure this Bible for years to come.
Printed in Italy, The Augustine Bible features the English Standard Version® Catholic Edition (ESV-CE) translation, which some consider to be the best available English translation of the Bible.
------- +++ -------
How is the ESV-CE
translation different?
Augustine Institute professor,
Dr. Mark Giszczak explains:
"If you have ever read the King James Bible
or its twentieth century update,
the Revised Standard Version,
the ESV will sound familiar.
As an intentional update of the RSV,
the ESV removes the archaic-sounding words and phrases, while trying to improve on the translation and changing
about 60,000 words in all."
It is close enough to the RSV
to sound familiar,
but different enough to feel fresh.
Product Description:
• Dimen.:9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4"
• Pages: 1232
• Maps: 8ppFull colour
• Pub. Date: Dec 20, 2019
Special Features:
◊ Smyth sewn with foil stamping under anti-scuff matte lamination.
◊ Encased in a rigid Wibalin® slipcase with foil stamping.
Augustine Institute RSV-2CE
One Year. 20 Minutes a Day.
Encounter the Power and Wonder of God’s Word.
The simple format of this version of Bible in a Year will keep you engaged as you make your way through all 73 books of the Bible.
Commentaries are written by renowned Catholic biblical scholars and theologians, including Dr. Tim Gray,
Dr. Mark Giszczak, Dr. John Sehorn,
Dr. Scott Powell, Dr. Michael Morris,
Dr. Elizabeth Klein, and Deborah Holiday.
• Each day features three readings, one each from the Old Testament, Wisdom Literature, and the New Testament
Insightful daily reflections are written by leading theologians to facilitate deeper meditation and encounter with God through his Word
Revised Standard Version of the Bible – Second Catholic Edition
Premium, flexible, leather-bound
or Trade Paperback
Bible in a Year is the entire Bible (including the deuterocanonical books), divided into 365 days, with a reflection of approximately 200 words for each day.
#1 selling Catholic Bible
on Amazon
⁜ The Great Adventure Catholic Bible ⁜
Ascension Press RSV-2CE
From Jeff Cavins, author of the
Great Adventure Bible series.
Very recently published and currently the #1-Best-selling Catholic Bible.
------------------------
Featured in the
BIBLE IN A YEAR
podcast
--------------------------
Don't just read the words of the Bible ... understand them.
The Great Adventure Catholic Bible makes the complexity of reading the Bible simple.
The narrative approach in this Bible gives the big picture of salvation history and shows how everything ties together. This is the only Bible that incorporates The Great Adventure's color-coded Bible Timeline learning system, a system that has made The Great Adventure Bible study resources the most popular and influential in the English speaking world. The color-coded tools make it easy to read and easy to remember.
Color-coding for easy reference. Uses the popular Bible Timeline system that's used by hundreds of thousands of Catholics to learn the Bible
Articles to help you understand the overarching story and important covenants that tie the entire Bible together
Key event callouts to help you quickly identify important points in the Bible that ordinarily take readers a long time to find and categorize in their head
Detailed charts giving a visual overview of important characters, key events, maps, major covenants, and historical context
Newly Designed Full-Color Maps to help visualize Bible story locations
Two satin ribbon markers
Words of Christ in red letter.
Product Description:
• Dark Blue Vegan Leather
• Dimen.: 6.9 x 2 x 9.9"
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
________________________
The Bible In a Year
podcast is based on this Bible
--- and it is the Bible Fr. Mike will be reading from for the podcast each day!
(This is also the Bible I’ll be using for the forthcoming AFF Study of "Salvation History".) -CC
----- • -----
Ascension recently developed a Bible with the Bible Timeline system built in: The Great Adventure Catholic Bible.This Bible has been so helpful to Catholics hoping to learn to understand Scripture that it is the best-selling, and top-rated, Catholic Bible on Amazon.
More Information at
Ascension Press
____________________________________
____________________________________
L Liturgical Press. *NABRE
Open the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible and feel at home with the Word of God. Through accessibly written information and engaging visuals that highlight and clarify significant areas of Scripture, readers will easily gain an understanding of these ancient texts that can be carried into today's world. Using the authorized translation in the New American Bible Revised Edition, this lasting volume is ideal for both personal use and group Bible study.
The valuable information in the Little Rock Catholic Study Bible is offered in small notes and inserts that accompany the Bible texts as well as in expanded essays, articles, and graphics. Key symbols help readers quickly identify the type of information they need, such as explanations, definitions, dates, character and author profiles, archaeological insights, personal prayer starters, and insights connecting Scripture and its use in today's church. Colorful maps, timelines, photographs, and charts further enhance the study experience. Longer articles are dedicated to explaining study Bible fundamentals, the Catholic Church's use of the Bible, and the people and places of the biblical world.
General Editor: Catherine Upchurch (retired 2018) serves as the director of Little Rock Scripture Study. Her work in adult faith formation involves writing, editing, lecturing, leading retreats and days of reflection. She is the editor of A Year of Sundays and an associate editor of The Bible Today, a journal of biblical spirituality.
*NABRE, the official translation of The Church, the version read during Mass.
Product Description:
•Binding: Paper, Hardcover/Clothbound, or Deluxe Vegan Leather w/gold gilt edges.
•Pages: 2668
•Dimen.: 6.6x2.5x9.2"
•Weight: 3.2 lbs.
________________________
Review by CC:
This is the most comprehensive complete Catholic Study Bible I’ve seen currently in-print.
Vast footnotes, articles, individual book introductions, historical and biographical studies, Vatican documents, numerous charts, tables, maps, and so much more. Purchase the sturdy hardcover or deluxe bound versions, and you’ll have a true study Bible for life. -CC
_______________________________
For more information
and to view more sample pages
visit
LITURGICAL PRESS
____________________________________
____________________________________
OUR SUNDAY VISITOR
NABRE
(New American Bible Revised Edition)
"Perfect for Scripture Study
Note-taking"
-CC
About this Bible
The Church “forcefully and specifically exhorts all the Christian faithful … to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,’ by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures.”
—Catechism of the Catholic Church, 133
Dive into the Word of God with this stunning Bible. The wide margins give you room to take notes, journal, record prayers, or even doodle, allowing you to dig deeply into the meaning of passages and their impact on your faith. This Bible will become a cherished keepsake as you revisit your notes and highlights from previous years, seeing how Scripture continues to shape you as you invite the Word to take root more firmly in your heart.
Product Details:
Cover: Dark Grey Vegan Leather
Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor
Pages: 2096
______________________
Also by OUR SUNDAY VISITOR
& Blessed Is She
The first of its kind
for Catholic women interested in
BIBLE JOURNALING-ILLUMINATION
Discover a beautiful, personal way to engage with Scripture through journaling, taking notes, recording prayers, doodling, drawing, creative expression.
The first ever, full Catholic Journaling Bible (NABRE) includes wide margins with lines.
It's elegant design includes hand-lettered quotes and space for personal reflection.
Hardcover-Clothbound
Pages: 1669
Dimensions: 6.9" x 1.9" x 9"
DISCLAIMER: Please note that all products, instructional materials, and data links presented here are for informational purposes only.
No endorsements are given or implied by the webpage author, the parish of St. Richard (Columbia Falls. MT), or the Diocese of Helena.
Please utilize these resources wisely and accept all responsibility for their use.
- (The New Directory of Catechesis. 2020. para.4).
.
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"My child, do not forget my teachings,
and let your heart keep my commandments.
For they shall add to thee length of days, and years of life, and peace."
-Proverbs 3;1-2
“The altar rail is still a marker of the place where heaven and earth meet…”
“The Altar Rail is still a marker of the place where
Heaven and earth meet…”
Altar rails have recently seen a resurgence in popularity.
It is increasingly common as of late to see the installation of rails as an integral
component of church architecture and liturgical reform.
All over the country, in a diversity of dioceses, the rail has returned.
--------------------------------------
It should be noted that there has never been a decree requiring the removal of altar rails
(also known as communion rails) following the Second Vatican Council.
However, in the post-Vatican II years, many in the Church aggressively sought to
remove that which was considered “traditional” and sacred; facilitating the hasty removal
of the ornate high altars, exquisite Catholic statuary, and of course, altar rails.
“There is nothing in Vatican II or post-conciliar documents which mandate their removal,”
said Denis McNamara, author of Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy (Hillenbrand Books, 2009) and assistant director and professor at the Liturgical Institute of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill.
McNamara has addressed the theological significance of rails in this July 2011 interview with the National Catholic Register:
“The Church of Rome never said to remove the altar rails.”, adds Cardinal Francis Arinze, former prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Z
༶༶༶༶༶༶༶
The occasional person may see the rails as ‘fences’ which may set up division between
priest and people. But this is not the case, nor their intended purpose.
Theologically there is a significant meaning in the distinction between nave and sanctuary. Just as there is a distinct difference in the roles of ordained and laity.
The altar rail may be seen as the architectural manifestation defining the distinction of these roles, just as they serve to give a clear designation as to what the sanctuary* is.
*The word ‘sanctuary’ comes from the word ‘holy,’ which means ‘set apart’, ‘sanctified’.
• The sanctuary is set apart from the rest of the church because it reinforces our understanding of what holiness is.
• The sanctuary is symbolically the head of the church and represents Christ as the head.
Here at St. Richard church, also the seat of the Kalispell Deanery, the altar rail installation was originally intended to accommodate the Extraordinary Form Mass, but it’s use will include all masses, including the Novus Ordo (Ordinary) form.
༶༶༶༶༶༶༶
It’s part of our tradition as Catholics for centuries to receive Holy Communion on the knees.
Kneeling is also a beautiful form of devotion to our blessed Lord and encourages adoration.
While Communicants are given the option to kneel or stand, and to receive on the tongue or in the hand, many may choose to kneel to receive Communion. For the Roman Catholic to receive the Eucharist while standing and in the hand is an indult, a special permission
granted by the Holy See, because the ordinary way by Church law is still to receive while kneeling and on the tongue.
(The indult was granted at the request of the American bishops.)
༶༶༶༶༶༶༶
“When we gather at the altar rails,
we symbolically gather at the altar.”
༶༶༶༶༶༶༶
Listen and Read the ENTIRE Bible
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• How to identify the root cause of sins you find yourself confessing over and over again
• What to do if you don't feel sorry for your sins
• What to do if you can't think of anything to say
• What do to if you are afraid to confess a particular sin
This book includes an examination of conscience and the text of the Act of Contrition.
Its small size, page-holding ribbon, and durable Alpha Cowhide cover
make it perfect to bring with you every time you go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation!
Drawing from the wisdom of the Church and the writings from spiritual masters like St. Teresa of Avila and Fulton Sheen, Fr. Josh Johnson has produced an evergreen resource that Catholics will want to take
with them every time they go to Adoration.
This pocket guide includes:
Its small size makes it easy to carry, fit into a purse or handbag, or hand out at your parish.
It has a beautiful Alpha Cowhide cover that will last for years.
Catholics who struggle to stay focused in prayer, who struggle to be consistent in their relationship with Jesus, who don’t know what to do in Adoration, or who simply need encouragement and inspiration to get there,
will deeply appreciate this tiny but mighty book.
Drawing from the writings of the saints, the Bible, and Catholic tradition,
Matt Fradd has produced a book that every Catholic should read.
Its small size makes it easy to carry to adoration,
keep around for family Rosary night, or hand out at your parish.
Catholics who find it difficult to enter into the mysteries of the Rosary, or who need some encouragement and inspiration to pray this essential Catholic prayer, will deeply appreciate this small but powerful book.
This guide covers all twenty of the Joyful, Sorrowful,
Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries.
While kneeling is the most devout and appropriate posture during Adoration,
periodic changes of our position is preferable -- it helps us to keep our focus
on God, not on ourselves. View this video to learn precisely why.
Download your complimentary copy
Excerpted from Chapter 7 of Fr. Josh Johnson’s new book--
Spiritual meditation is the surest way to grow in holiness, and Our Lady is truly an example of perfection.
This combination makes Meditations on Mary a spiritual powerhouse that will lift your soul to God and help you
along the path to heaven.
Meditations on Mary features twenty-four of the most powerful and moving meditations written by 17th Century Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet —considered to be one of the best homilists in the history of the Church. Author of Meditations for Lent and Meditations for Advent, Bishop Bossuet has been admired for his piety and eloquence for over three hundred years.
Now his meditations on Our Lady are available to you in English — for the very first time!
In these pages, Bishop Bossuet takes you on a stunning pilgrimage through the principal mysteries of Our Lady’s life. He masterfully blends what he’s learned from Sacred Scripture with the spiritual traditions rooted in the heart of the Church, and illuminates it with his own theological reflections.
He’ll bring you to a deeper understanding of Our Lady's compassion,
her suffering during Christ’s Passion, and the loneliness she felt after his Ascension to heaven.
Mary teaches us how to let God direct our steps, how to remain humble in commanding and obeying, and how to seek holiness through our daily work. She shows us how to pray with humility and perseverance, to advance in perfection, and, by doing all
these things, to conform ourselves to the holy will of God. Each short meditation is worthy of your contemplation, because
each contains a lesson directly from the Blessed Mother to sinners like you and me.
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet (1627-1704) was a French bishop and theologian,
renowned for his sermons and other addresses. He has been considered by many to be one of the most
brilliant orators of all time and a masterly French stylist.
[Click on the pictured icons to take the Quiz]
___________________________
#1 The BIBLE
#2 The Imitation of Christ
by Thomas à Kempis, CRSA
The Imitation of Christ, which first appeared in the late fifteenth century, has without exaggeration been called the most widely read work of devotion ever written. It encourages us to live a life devoid of worldly vanities and, in the words of St. Paul, to put on Christ, that is, to imitate Christ, in order to find peace and fulfillment.
Written by a German monk for his fellow clergy CRSA (Canonici Regulares Ordinis or Canon Regulars), The Imitation of Christ has appeared in nearly two thousand editions and translations since it was first set in then-newly-invented movable type. Making its message out of hundreds of passages from Scripture, it succeeds in creating a powerful and attractive picture of the spiritual life for readers of any age or era.
The Imitation Of Christ
PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE BOOKS
with
Questions and Topics for Discussion
"
" Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;
let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. "- St. Paul
ROMANS 13:12-14 (RSV)
Learn more about Thomas à Kempis
Does one unceremoniously toss them into the recycling bin? NO!
So how are we to properly, respectfully do away with books and other items that have a sacramental* nature?
*As Catholics we respect sacramentals, understanding that their distinction is from the grace of God, and from the sacraments themselves.
Canon law states, “Sacred objects, set aside for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated with reverence. They are not to be made over to secular or inappropriate use, even though they may belong to private persons” (Can. 1171).
Customarily, when a sacramental object is intentionally destroyed — technically it is returned to it's basic element(s), such as earth, air, water etc. — and is no longer recognizable in it's constructed form as a book, rosary, etc., it can then be disposed of as you would other groups of basic elements.
Burning and/or burying have been the preferred methods of disposal of old Bibles. "
This method entails simply burning the book(s) —separately, not with other common materials— then gathering and burying the remaining ashes.
The Sacristy Manual, states the following about traditional methods of disposal of sacramentals: "The longtime tradition of burning and burial respects the sacred role once played by the items, and prevents them from being used for trivial purposes. Other methods are open to us, but whatever method is used, it must be respectful, sensitive and discreet” (p. 168).
Disposal Customs
Other possibilities include this Irish custom of collecting old sacramentals — including Bibles, missals, prayer books — during the year, then burning them in a bonfire on June 23, the vigil of the birth of St. John the Baptist, followed by the burial of the ashes.
Another tradition is to gather and save broken, damaged, no longer wanted rosaries, Bibles and other sacred books -- then tucking them in a casket alongside a loved one-- thereby returning the sacramentals to the earth.
It is well to remember that these objects once held sacred significance-- the devotion and faith of the person using them, in conjunction with the ongoing prayer of the church.
Therefore simply throwing away a worn-out sacramental may be seen as an act of desecration (de-sacredness).
Transfinalization
Whichever method you choose, it should serve to render the constructed form of the sacramental unrecognizable.
Known technically as “transfinalization,” or altering the
object’s purpose, when completed, the remains — such as ashes — can then be disposed of.
For items such as statues or rosaries-- these may be wrapped in a towel, slipped into a bag and then buried.
When the disposal of no longer serviceable sacramentals is done with good intention and care, there is no irreverence.
Sources: The Catholic Encyclopedia; The Sacristy Manual; Code of Canon Law (1983ed.)
In a series of 5-minute video segments, get the Bible's big picture, along with
a uniquely Catholic approach to the Scriptures.
There is a complimentary User’s Guide for those individuals using Our Story at home.
click to access Our Story 9-part series
1983 - Present
The 1983 Code of Canon Law entrusts to the Apostolic See and the episcopal conferences the authority to approve translations of the Sacred Scriptures in the Latin Catholic Church (c. 825, §1). Prior to 1983, Scriptural translations could be approved by the Apostolic See or by a local ordinary within a diocese.
What follows is a complete list of the translations of the Sacred Scriptures that have received the approval of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops since 1983.
• Books of the New Testament, Alba House
• Contemporary English Version - New Testament, First Edition, American Bible Society
• Contemporary English Version - Book of Psalms, American Bible Society
• Contemporary English Version - Book of Proverbs, American Bible Society
• The Grail Psalter (Inclusive Language Version), G.I.A. Publications
• New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
• New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition, National Council of Churches
• The Psalms, Alba House
• The Psalms (New International Version) - St. Joseph Catholic Edition, Catholic Book Publishing Company
• The Psalms - St. Joseph New Catholic Version, Catholic Book Publishing Company
• Revised Psalms of the New American Bible (1991)
• So You May Believe, A Translation of the Four Gospels, Alba House
• Translation for Early Youth, A Translation of the New Testament for Children, Contemporary English Version, American Bible Society
Don't see your particular Bible listed?
In addition to the translations listed above, any translation of the Sacred Scriptures that has received proper ecclesiastical approval ‒ namely, by the Apostolic See, a local ordinary prior to 1983, or an episcopal conference following 1983 ‒ may be used by the Catholic faithful for private prayer and study.
A few examples of the most popular, widely-used translations:
** Inclusive Language: A simplified definition of gender-inclusive language is that of a translation which seeks to avoid masculine-specific terminology when the original authour referred to members of both sexes.
** Inclusive Language
Learn more about the topic of language-inclusivity, the practical principles, and the canonical responsibility involved in approving translations, in the following document from
Pastoral Letters and Statements of the United States Catholic Bishops, volume vi: 1989-1997 (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1998), pp. 207-214. [Approved by the NCCB]
Criteria for the Evaluation of Inclusive Language Translations of Scriptural Texts Proposed for Liturgical Use.
Bible translations developed for use by Catholics are "complete" Bibles.
In other words, these Bibles contain the entire canonical text as identified by Pope Damasus I, the Synod of Rome (382), the local Councils of Hippo (393), and Carthage (397). It is the complete canon contained in St. Jerome's Latin Vulgate translation (420), and as decreed infallibly by the Ecumenical Council of Trent (1570).
This canonical text contains the same 27 New Testament books which Protestant versions contain, but Catholic Bibles have 46 Old Testament books, instead of only the 39 found in Protestant versions. (See OT Books Comparison Chart below)
These 7 books, and parts of 2 others, are called Deuterocanonical (2nd canon) by Catholics,
and The Apocrypha (false writings) by Protestants. These books were eliminated from Protestant versions at the time of the Reformation (16th century).
The Deuterocanonical Scriptures are Tobias (Tobit), Judith, Baruch,
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), Wisdom, 1st and 2nd Maccabees, portions of Esther and of Daniel.
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It is preferable that any Bible you choose have an imprimatur notice on the back of the title page. The imprimatur/nihil obstat indicates that the book is free from errors in Catholic doctrine.
Source: USCCB.
from Catholic Answers on
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--St.Augustine