Thank you for your input to this discussion thread. As a cradle catholic, educated pre-Vatican Council II, acclimated to the changes introduced post VCII and now attending an Eastern Rite Catholic Church, I do not recall anyone ever telling me NOT to read the Bible. The emphasis was not placed on us having to read it because we heard it each week at Mass. In fact, catholics who attend Mass each week are exposed to more of the Bible than their protestant brethren. This is the Truth! You hear and, hopefully, learn more about Holy Scripture at a Catholic Mass than if you were to attend a Baptist Revival Meeting.
I would be interested in understanding what you mean by "having a personal relationship with Christ".
Personal relationship, you understand what that is?? one-on-one relationship and I explained that further in that statement
"nor were we ever allowed to have a personal relationship with God or Jesus Christ, as we were required to go through the Priests of whatever Parish one belonged to (I've belonged to six in my lifetime, both in Illinois and in California)and that the Priest would act as a liaison between myself and God."
I thought it was perfectly self-explanitory.And technically, one doesn't always learn more about the Bible during Catholic mass since there are basically only three readings done during the mass, the first and second readings, then the Gospel, the Gospel being the only one actually discussed. Just so you know I was going to church every day, during Catholic school and no one found it important enough to want to discuss with me why I found certain fallicies in certain doctrine. You weren't allowed to question anything...ever. And I'm not Baptist. More I study the Bible itself and do not partake with any religions doctrine. I hope that makes things a bit more clear.