You wrote:
“Ah, no. As I said, the school NEVER encouraged us to open and read a Bible.”
But that’s irrelevant. The Catholic Church DOES encourage you to read a Bible. How could you be a Christian and have no curiosity about the Bible at all? Public schools don’t encourage people to read the Bible. Does that mean that the kids never open one on their own?
“But those prayers, that take up most of the mass, just become words after you have recited them a million times. it’s not really a prayer from the heart.”
It’s only that way if you want it to be. Besides that still does not make the readings vanish - especially when they’re printed in missals and are right there in front of you.
“There were readings, but as a grade school kid, I was looking at my watch, or the ceiling or something else to kill the time. Again, the only thing from my school that was emphasized was to just show up.”
But clearly the lack of curiosity was all your own. If you were looking at your watch then you were not looking in the missal. So, something placed their for your encouragement was ignored - voluntarily - by you.
“I don’t remember the sermons being really in depth on any topic of scripture. The sermons were fairly short anyway, because of the repetitive prayers.”
Repetition of prayers has nothing to do with the length of the sermon.
“But If they were preaching from the Bible, you wouldn’t need a missal book.”
Sure you would. How else would people know the liturgy? Worship is not about reading alone. It is about praying first.
“The church and the school !! From 1st grade through 8th, we NEVER were encouraged to read a Bible. I would expect a religious school to require some scripture reading.”
So no one read at Mass? No one ever read any Bible stories in class? Are you sure you really went to Catholic school? How can there be a Mass with no readings from the Bible? How can it be that you could be at Mass and a Catholci school and have no natural curiosity?
“Wouldn’t you rather hear the Word of God ?’
Yes, but without Church tradition there would be no way to do it. After all, it was the Church that put together the Bible, wrote the Bible (under the guidance of the Holy Spirit) and copied it for us. No tradition would mean no Bible. Period. You wouldn’t even know what books belong in the Bible if it were not for Church tradition. Ever wonder why people believe Matthew’s gospel was written by him? Look in it and tell me where it says he wrote it. See it? Nope. Church TRADITION says he wrote it. And Church tradition alone.
“Your comments aren’t revealing much either. I was just pointing out the lack of Biblical instruction, but I’m saved now !”
So you say, but that of course is merely your opinion. I hope it is true nonetheless.
Well done, friend.
You wrote:
“The Catholic Church DOES encourage you to read a Bible.”
That may be true elswhere and in general in other areas, but as I have been trying to point out, the school I went to DID NOT encourage us to read the Bible !!
“But clearly the lack of curiosity was all your own.” If you were looking at your watch then you were not looking in the missal. So, something placed their for your encouragement was ignored”
It may have been there for my encouragement, but I was not encouraged to read it, by anyone. Example: Kids don’t do homework unless you require them to. I was not required, or encouraged to read it. I COULD have read it, but to a kid, the mass just seemed like a carbon copy of last weeks mass. Except for a few different readings and the sermon, the mass, they’re all pretty much the same.
“Repetition of prayers has nothing to do with the length of the sermon.”
Most of the mass IS the scripted prayers, every week.
“So no one read at Mass?”
Yes, they did at mass, and at school here and there, but that was it.
“Are you sure you really went to Catholic school?”
Yes!
“How can it be that you could be at Mass and a Catholci school and have no natural curiosity?”
Maybe cause I didn’t like going to church when I was younger and disliked the nuns who hit us.
“So you say, but that of course is merely your opinion. I hope it is true nonetheless.”
Well thanks, but I’m confident I’m saved. The Bible tells us how we can be confident of our salvation.