[Desdemona]

And yet the Church did encourage it and so did every Catholic Bible itself. Ever hear of Vatican II?

Vatican II? How about the Imprintur from the Douay-Rheims in 1582 & 1609. There was an encyclical from Pope Leo XIII in the 19th century, too.

So long as people have been literate and properly catechized, it's been encouraged.

[vladimir998]

You wrote: "Vatican II? How about the Imprintur from the Douay-Rheims in 1582 & 1609. There was an encyclical from Pope Leo XIII in the 19th century, too." Right!. About the Bibles: that's why I said, "and so did every Catholic Bible itself." I was referring to the indulgence notice on the inside cover in most old Catholic Bibles in the 19th century and later with modifications until now. Here's the oldest one I could find quickly: "An indulgence of 300 days for reading the Holy Gospels is granted to all the Faithful who read these Holy Scriptures for at least a quarter of an hour, with reverence due to the Divine Word and as spiritual reading…. A Plenary indulgence under the usual conditions is granted once a month for the daily reading." Pope Leo X111. December, 1898, Preces et Pia Opera, 045. (Enchiridion Indulgentiarium, 694). "So long as people have been literate and properly catechized, it's been encouraged." Yep!