Do Catholics read the Bible?

Yes. Sacred Scripture stands at the heart of Catholic worship, teaching, and personal prayer, and the Church strongly urges every Catholic to read it regularly.

Scripture in Catholic worship. Every Mass includes readings from the Bible. On Sundays, Catholics ordinarily hear an Old Testament reading, a Psalm, a New Testament reading, and a Gospel passage. The prayers of the Mass are also filled with biblical language. The Church venerates the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord's Body, receiving spiritual nourishment from both the table of God's Word and the table of the Eucharist (CCC 103). The Liturgy of the Hours extends this scriptural prayer throughout each day.

What the Church asks of Catholics. Vatican II urged all Christians to acquire frequent reading of Scripture, because ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. The Catechism repeats this appeal and teaches that prayer should accompany Bible reading so that a real conversation takes place between God and the reader (CCC 131-133). St. Paul says that Scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, correction, and formation in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16-17).

Why some people think Catholics do not read it. In some periods and places, Catholic biblical education was weak, and many families did not practice personal Bible reading. That was a pastoral failure, not Catholic doctrine. Before widespread literacy and affordable printing, most Christians encountered Scripture primarily through the liturgy, preaching, sacred art, and memorized prayer. Even today, hearing the Bible proclaimed at Mass is genuine biblical worship, though it should lead Catholics toward deeper personal reading.

How Catholics read Scripture. Catholics do not treat the Bible as isolated from the Church that received, preserved, and recognized its books. Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition together transmit the one deposit of God's Word, authentically interpreted by the Church's Magisterium (CCC 80-85). This does not prevent personal reading. It protects personal reading from becoming detached from the apostolic faith. Scripture must be read in context, according to its literary forms, the unity of the whole Bible, and the living Tradition of the Church (CCC 109-114).

A simple beginning is enough. Read one chapter from a Gospel each day, ask what it reveals about Christ, and end by speaking to God about what you read.