I agree with you on that. Anyone who is serious about his faith does his own reading, of the Bible and learned authors. Anyone who is serious about his faith prays on his own and in a community. Anyone who is serious about his faith lives it in his daily actions and continues to try to grow spiritually.
Many Catholics, and other Christians, do not put that kind of effort into growing a mature relationship with Christ. As a Catholic, I wish my parish leaders would help cradle Catholics make the transition from babies in the faith to adults in the faith. The sacrament of Confirmation as a teen helps, but there is so much depth, richness and beauty to Catholicism that it takes real study to mine it. Many Catholics stay babies in their faith.
However, it’s a misconception that Catholics don’t read the Bible. Many of us do. Catholics hear the Scripture, at minimum, every Sunday at Mass. It is a mini-Bible study because readings from the Old Testament, psalms, New Testament, and Gospels are read together to facilitate meditation on a theme. The priest then gives a talk on the readings. The prayers we recite all contain Scripture, as well.
Now add in the fact that the entire sacrifice of the Mass is Scriptural. Every Mass is a Bible study, if you know how to look for it. All Catholics are also encouraged to attend additional Bible studies at their parish, and to read the Bible on their own. How many make that effort? I don’t know. I only know that a good Catholic would. A serious Catholic would. My “study Bible” is as marked up as any Protestant’s.
You appear to be serious about accepting a personal salvational relationship with your Lord. With that perspective you’re now asking “OK what’s the big deal here.” You’re saved. Well you do have the 500 ton elephant called your Magisterium. Er, my master (magister in Latin) is Jesus Christ. This looks to we Crazy Evangelicals like an attempt to say God didn’t just guide, He outsourced. That won’t dash your salvation. It will warp your walk....
we Crazy Evangelicals => us Crazy Evangelicals
Maybe in your neck of the woods, but it certainly isn't commonly practiced by the majority of the Catholics I've ever met. Most of them are still operating on the *Catholics don't/shouldn't read the Bible because they are incapable of "properly" understanding or interpreting it.*
If that is changing, that's good, but to portray that as being normal, isn't really going to fly. There are too many former Catholics on this board who know differently from their own real life experience.