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"So yes, Church authorities objected to certain Bibles being circulated — because they were such badly-translated Bibles that they could injure people’s faith.”

I would say if being burned at the stake counts as an objection then it’s a pretty BIG one. :O)

A bit of revisionist history but if it encourages Catholics (or anybody for that matter) to read their Bibles then that’s fine. Just a note:

"When you look at Catholic liturgical celebrations, you’ll find one or more readings from Scripture preceding the sacramental rite. “

Reading lots of scripture during services is an indication of NOTHING. Please consider:

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:5-6

I think the message is clear. You need to spend time alone with God to study His word.

One more thing:

"My favorite translation, by the way, is an ecumenical one — the original Revised Standard Version”

I used the Revised Standard for 30 years (and, here a secret, it's built off of the King James Version). I finally gave it up because it contains numerous errors. Many Bible search programs and search engines don’t even include the Revised Standard. There are many good software tools to help you go back to the original text to see what exactly is written. One can only hope they’re Vatican approved.

Reading lots of scripture during services is an indication of NOTHING.

Attend Mass sometime and see if it truly means nothing. People receive at Mass as much as they give. I cannot speak for anyone else, but the more you are open at Mass the more the readings mean.

I think the message is clear. You need to spend time alone with God to study His word.

In that passage, Christ was talking about prayer moreso than reading the bible, since most people were illiterate at the time. In my own experience, actually hearing God is best done in solitude, that's for sure, usually at Eucharistic Adoration, but from time to time in the shower. Reading the bible can get in the way of discerning what GOd has meant for an individual.

When I do read the bible, which is fairly often, I prefer the Douhay-Rhiems. It's an approved translation and has no commentary to confuse matters. Everyone has their favorites.

**When you look at Catholic liturgical celebrations, you'll find one or more readings from Scripture preceding the sacramental rite.**

Reading lots of scripture during services is an indication of NOTHING. Please consider:    " When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."  Matthew 6:5-6

I disagree with the parallel you've drawn here HarleyD.  With a broad brush you'd be condemning anyone who publicly recites, proclaims, testifies from the Bible as a hypocrite.  The Bible is a building block for our relationship with God.  Those who wish to help others to build that relationship will primarily, or on occassion, use it as a tool in doing God's work.

The inner room referred to by Jesus is our heart.  Without a doubt hypocrites will do what they do, as they have always done; but to imply that Mass, and the Liturgy of the Word "indicates nothing" you could not know that, for you are not God.