Question. I am trying to discuss this without offending anyone, but seeing that this is an ecumenical thread would it be better if I stopped and said no more in this thread?
There is no offense taken. As freeper Salvation already noted, 2 Maccabees is part of the Catholic Bible. During the Reformation, primarily for doctrinal reasons, Protestants removed seven books from the Old Testament: 1 and 2 Maccabees, Sirach, Wisdom, Baruch, Tobit, and Judith, and parts of two others, Daniel and Esther. They did so even though these books had been regarded as canonical since the beginning of Church history.
It was the Catholic Church that compiled the Canon of Scripture. For an in depth understanding of 1 & 2 Maccabees, click here.
Thanks for that additional information.