The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-03-23
CATHOLICS USE BIBLE.

CA HOElIS OSE DtDEE.
Discussing the calumny that the
middle ages were ignorant of the
Bible, DR.. Maitland, the non-Cathol1c
English historian, writes in his THE
Dark Ages;
"The fact to which I have repeated
ly alluded is this-the writings OF the
Dark Ages are, if I may use the ex-
preston, made of Scriptures. l do
not merely mean that the writer's con-
stantly quoted the Scriptures and
appealed to them as authority on all
occasions, as other writer's have done
since their day-though they did this,
and it is a strong proof of their FAM
iliarity with them-but I mean that
they thought, and spoke, and wrote
the thoughts and words and phrases
of the Bible, and that they did this
constantly and habitually as the natur-
al mode of expressing themselves.
They did it, too, not exclusively in
theological or ecclesiastical matters,
but in histories, biographies, familiar
letters, legal instruments, and in docu-
ments of every description Today,
says Rev. C. A. Martin in Catholic
Religion Catholic book stores are we'll
stocked with Bibles; which is the
business mans answer to the absurd
charge that Catholics are not allowed
to read the Bible Catholics are urged
to read the sacred text. Leo XIII.
granted an indulgence of 800 days, to
be gained once day and plenary in
diligence once a month,-under the
usual conditions,-to those who de-
voutly read the Bible for quarter OF
an hour each day. s
Catholics, 1t is true, will not accept
any and every volume calling itself
the Holy Bible. They want only the
real Bible. 1t must be a true trans
lation and genuine copy of Gods
word. If a version can stand the test
of the Church's inspection and merit
her appreciation, Catholics know it is
the Bible. When the inspired text is
altered and corrupted by men, it is no
longer Gods message. The wisdom
of the Chuch's vigilant supervision
of the publication of the Bible, is
shown in the fact that the revised
version recently (1S72-18S1) made by
Protestant scholars corrects several
thousand passages of the King James
Bible-the authorized version of the
Church of England. If the Catholic
Church has made rules regulating the
publication and reading of the inspired
books entrusted by God to her care.
it will be found that they were made
in the truest interests of the Bible and
the people.
The mind of the Church is seen in
her practice. The prayers of the
Mass, and other services are redolent
with Scripture. The Breviary or di'
vine office recited daily by the priest
and occupying about an hour, is
mostly Scripture. Passages from the
inspired books are read in the yer.
nacular and explained at the Sunday
Mass. Leo XIII. and Plus x. by their
writings and by the creation of the
Biblical Commission and the Institute
of Sacred Scriptures, took practical
means to defend the Bible by afford.
ing Christian scholars the. oppor'
tunities to more than match the erudi-
ton of the nationalist critics.
Pope Leo XIII. in 1893, wrote of the
Bible: This grand source of Catholic
revelation should be made safely and
abundantly accessible to the flock oil
Jesus Christ"
Pope Plus vi. wrote in ITS: "The
faithful should be excited to the read.
ing of the Holy Scriptures: for these
are the most abundant sources which
ought to be left open to every one to
draw from them purity of morals and
doctrine"
ST. Odo of Clumy Cd. 941) expressed
the thought of the middle ages: ITO
neglect the reading of the Bible, is as
if WEI were to refuse light in dark
ness"
Pope Gregory / Cd. 604) wrote:
tsThe Bible changes the hearn of him
who reads, drawing him from worldly
desires to embrace the things OF
God"
st. Jerome Cd. 420l says: ITO be
ignorant of the Bible is to be ignorant
of Christ"