When serving as the coordinator of our RCIA process, Sister Mary Paul Haase found that many people would come to her and ask how they could get involved in a Catholic Bible study. And rightly so, she says — Scripture is God’s Word entrusted to the Church. As more people asked her to point them to a Bible study, Sr. Mary Paul says she recognized a need and decided to coordinate a Bible study herself, using The Great Adventure — Bible Timeline from Ascension Press as her guide. For nearly six years, Sr. Mary Paul continued to coordinate the Adult Bible Study efforts here at All Saints.
“There are multiple lay people who coordinate different Bible studies at this point,” she says. “I have taken to overseeing the effort, and it has been a tremendous blessing.”
Today, Sr. Mary Paul has moved on to her new assignment at another parish, but her efforts over the years have borne great fruit here. Now, under the coordination of Frank Coy, Terri Gorman, Carol Potter, and Sharon Martini, there are many opportunities for us to delve into God’s Word together.
“All of the Bible studies at All Saints use Ascension Press as their guideline,” Sr. Mary Paul says. “They provide some very solid programs aimed at helping us read the Scripture through a proper Catholic lens, which in turn aids in both our gaining a greater understanding of the Scriptures and in our falling deeply in love with the Word of God.”
Terri Gorman has coordinated a morning Bible study at All Saints for three years, and she echoes Sr. Mary Paul’s sentiments, saying that the more she studies Scripture, the more she falls in love with the faith we profess.
“I find that my relationship with Christ and His Church is just like any relationship,” Terri says. “I have to put time into building it. I need to get to know Christ. The more I read God’s Word, the more I study it and reflect upon it, the more I come to know who Christ is as the Word of God — the more I grow in my understanding of Him and, in turn, the more I fall in love with Him.”
Terri became Catholic at the age of 29, and as she reflects on the deepening of her faith throughout the years, she puts tremendous weight on her decision to take time to sit with the Word of God.
“The Scriptures are a gift to us,” she says. “In this day and age, we as Catholics have ample opportunity to study them. There is so much out there for us to read and ponder, and doing it together as a parish community is truly a joy-filled experience.”
Carol Potter, another parishioner who coordinates a regular group study of Scripture and other elements of our faith, feels similarly. For Carol, the community aspect of formation is essential.
“Coming together and going in-depth in our study of the Word is crucial for our formation as Christians,” she says. “Sure, it is important that we spend time in the Scriptures in our personal prayer times. But the community element of the study is also very important. You often come away with insights from others that you wouldn’t otherwise have, and sometimes your insights impact others as well.”
Carol has been coordinating studies for the past nine years, and she encourages all of us to consider participating.
“Spending time reflecting on the Word is important for all Christians,” she says. “It is an integral part in our growing in our faith.”
There are many opportunities for you to study with others here at All Saints. Frank Coy, Carol Potter, Terri Gorman, and Sharon Martini all offer study opportunities and they encourage you to consider participating. The days and times of the different studies vary, so the best way to get involved is to turn in your 2024 Commitment Card, but you can also send an email to all four coordinators — they will then add you to their email lists and keep you informed of the upcoming studies. In addition, be sure to refer to the bulletin and the website for information on upcoming studies.
For more information, email Frank Coy at frankgcoy@msn.com, Terri Gorman at tkgorman@msn.com, Carol Potter at carolpotter@me.com, and Sharon Martini at r_smartini@sbcglobal.net.