Listen up: I’m going to impart a helpful suggestion that has never been conveyed throughout the 132-year history of The Catholic Register.

You ready? Here it goes…We must strive to read The Holy Bible every day.

Of course, I am making an (admittedly lame) attempt at humour. November 30, 2025, marks the 6,612th print edition of this publication, dating back to January 1893. I reckon there have been many hundreds of columns contained within its pages over time devoted to championing scriptural devotion and study.   

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Nevertheless, I choose to write about this topic because I believe a revitalized zeal towards The Word is essential in ushering in a dynamic and lasting New Evangelization.

Substantial evidence has been unveiled over the past two years, largely courtesy of the Christian think tank Cardus, suggesting we Christians – perhaps particularly Catholics – need yet another reminder to read the Testaments, both Old and New.

I’ll confess that it was quite troubling to report on the findings from their 2024 research study, conducted in collaboration with the Angus Reid Institute polling firm, titled Still Christian(?): What Canadian Christians Actually Believe.

Here is a sampling of the disquieting revelations:

·    Only 48 per cent of 493 surveyed Roman Catholics believe the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the ultimate foundational belief of Christianity, is a historical event. This figure trails the 55 per cent of mainline Protestants (266 respondents) and 81 per cent of Evangelicals (204) who answered affirmatively.

·    Fifty-four per cent of Catholics and 57 per cent of Mainline Protestants agreed that “all religions are equally true” – only 20 per cent of Evangelicals feel the same – sentiment that clashes with Jesus’ declaration in John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

·    Seventy-two per cent of Catholics and 61 per cent of Protestants attested “Christian moral teachings should evolve with changes in society’s attitudes,” a conviction contrasting with 65 per cent of Evangelicals. These figures suggest that too many professed Catholics and Protestants are being seduced by the secular ideologies seeking to subvert and distort belief systems and traditions blessed with permanency.

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I can state with certainty that reading the Bible would go a long way in mitigating this lamentable data. God’s Word is downright miraculous.

It first emerged over two millennia ago, but seemingly every single chapter – save the genealogies and some instructional missives about sacrificial rituals – pulsates with wisdom that cuts deep.

And the temptations and fears confronting the people in The Bible ring true to what we contend with in the world, that reading Scripture is a comforting balm. We gain tranquility and fortitude from learning how God uplifted and shielded those who sought to follow Him with all their heart, mind and soul.  

We must cherish the wisdom St. Paul expressed in Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Reading the Bible is the best avenue to renew the mind. It is the spiritual activity that demands the most intellectual and spiritual engagement in order to achieve enrichment.

In addition to neuroscience studies highlighting how the Bible activates various regions of the brain, therefore enhancing neuroplasticity, reading the Word summons forth nurturing feelings of joy, wonder and gratitude – all of which build emotional resilience.

It is also important to note that one of the great gifts of The Bible is that any given passage speaks differently to you, me and (insert name here). We all have different experiences, contexts that undoubtedly influence the way we respond to certain figures, stories, psalms, etc.

John 1 proclaimed that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and “The Word became flesh.”

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Considering this universal truth, it is downright sad and mystifying that too many Catholics deny themselves the fruit of going directly to the source. Sermons from a priest, bishop, cardinal or Pope are oftentimes terrific, but meditating upon and being reborn by the Word directly trumps the messages of our earthly clerical leaders each and every time.

As Hebrews 4:12 states: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”