Bible in a Catholic Home

How will you know if the home you visit is Catholic? Usually, a Catholic home has an altar with the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary or of Infant Jesus or pictures depicting the Sacred Heart or Jesus as King or a Crucifix. However, seldom does one see the presence of a Bible, and if ever there is a Bible, it is usually not a Catholic edition.

Is the Bible not part of the Catholic faith? THE BIBLE IS FOREMOST PART OF OUR CATHOLIC FAITH. In fact, it is one of the pillars of the Catholic faith. We use it in our private and public worship, Church documents, and in pastoral formation and programs.

What is not common is a Catholic faithful walking the street with a Bible in hand and preaching from house to house or participating in the liturgy with the Bible.

Hence, the Catholic Church urges and encourages her faithful to learn by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures the “excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:8). “For ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ” (DV #25).

Therefore, the Catholic faithful is presumed to individually own a Bible and that it is enthroned on our altar to remind us of our devotional reading.