Are you looking for meaning in the scriptures? Do you open the Bible and wonder what God is saying to the world, to you? Do you feel it is time to do something more as a Catholic other than going to Mass? Come to Bible Study! We are a small group who meet weekly for an hour to study the Bible and we WELCOME new members.
Here is a link to the New American Bible which is the translation we use during our liturgies - http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/index.shtml
Here is a brief history of our Monday evening Bible Study:
The group was started by then seminarian Richard Cilano during the first summer he was with us in 2003. He is now a priest in our Diocese. He had two classes at the time, a morning group and evening group. He asked for input and those attending wanted to go book by book starting with Genesis.
When he had to return to the seminary, he asked CArol Mathner to take over when he found out out that she had received a MAT (1997) from Christ the King Seminary. Carol directed the evening group and has ever since!. He encouraged the morning group to join us but only 1 person did (and she is still with us).
The Collegeville Commentary is used as a resource for the classes. Although it was not very good for the Psalms so a Hebrew commentary from the Jewish Center is also used. It works great. It is amazing to see how 1 or 2 words could change a meaning!
We started out with about six members. Five have always stayed. People come and go. Some would join for a year, then illness, a painting class , moving to care for a parent.. what ever life gave people, would stop coming. Some came once or twice, said they enjoined it but didn't come back.
The prologue of The Catechism of the Catholic Church says God "calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him" and the way to hand on faith is through "Catechesis..and education in faith of children,young adults and adults". For four of our members, this is the 2nd -3rd -4th Bible group they belonged to in their lifetime. They thirst for God's love and they know to find it in the scripture. It is this thirst which has them devoted to coming together weekly all these years. As we are in the now [July 2011] in the middle of the New Testament they have expressed concern as to what will come when we finish Revelations.
In the hour we gather (and is exactly an hour) we read a passage. Carol points out historical, sometimes archeological, theological facts on the passage. Since we are in the synoptic gospels, Luke is compared to Matthew and Mark. Anyone can comment, with any background they know of, which may get a conversation going. Conversation also may involve how the passage affects us today. May not always happens and Carol does all the teaching! It all depends upon how the Spirit moves us.
We would love to have you study the Sacred Scriptures with us.
If you are interested, send us an email at Rectory@saintbenedicts.com or call us at 834-1041.
*****
Share this Blog Post - http://bit.ly/ho54DG