A major new teaching document from the Bishops of England, Wales and Scotland was presented in Rome this week to delegates attending the Congress celebrating forty years of Dei Verbum, the statement about the Bible issued by the Second Vatican Council.
Bishop Daniel Mullins, who guided the production of the document, and Archbishop Mario Conti of Glasgow invited the four hundred delegates gathered from across the world to use the document in their own work of biblical formation. Entitled The Gift of Scripture, the document was due to be presented to Pope Benedict later in the week.
The Gift of Scripture provides an explanation of Catholic teaching on the Bible. The 60-page booklet explains the basic principles and gives guidance on some difficult questions which arise. The bishops encourage a deeper appreciation of Scripture through catechesis, liturgy and prayer. They warmly acknowledge the contribution of Jewish and other Christian scholars to the work of biblical understanding.
Father Adrian Graffy, who assisted the bishops in their work, commented: “Our bishops must be commended on what is a significant and timely document. It will be a major help in fostering the familiarity and love of the Bible which have grown so strongly since Vatican II.”
The Gift of Scripture is available from the CTS at £3.95.
For more information, or to arrange an interview with Father Adrian, please contact Greg Watts on 020 7901-4803/4804
