BIBILICAL APOSTOLATE
I. INTRODUCTION
The Vatican Council II set forth an unprecedented movement for the renewal of Christian life in the Church. The Bible is at the centre of this renewal.
Although the Church has always venerated the Divine Scriptures just as she venerates the Body of the Lord and offered unceasingly to the faithful the bread of life, both from the table of God’s word and of Christ’s Body (cfr. DV 21), the Bible has become once again the centre and source of inspiration of Christian life and activity, especially after Vatican Council II.
The Mother Church, therefore, earnestly and especially urges all her children to acquire the “surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3,8) by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures and desires that, in this way, through the reading and study of the sacred books, “the Word of God may spread rapidly and be glorified” (2 Thes. 3,1) and the treasure of revelation entrusted to the Church may more and more fill the hearts of the men and women of today (cfr. DV 25).
II. VISION
To create in the Christian community the awareness that it is a prophetic community, capable of transforming the world into a society of justice, love and peace, led by the Spirit of the Risen Lord and guided by the Word of God (cfr. SDS 151, 152).
III. OBJECTIVES
(cfr. DV 2).
To help the faithful to pray with the Bible, for we speak to God when we pray and we hear God when we read the Scripture ( DV 25).To help the faithful discover the liberating power of the Word of God by listening and responding to it.To help the members of the Church become a prophetic community.IV. TASKS
In order to promote effectively the Biblical Apostolate and achieve its objectives, the following tasks are to be undertaken:
To organize short and long term seminars at various levels in order to impart biblical teaching to all sections of the People of God, particularly to lay people – parents, children, youth, teachers, catechists ( SDS 155.4).To ensure, through various programmes, that the Biblical Movement reaches the grassroots, so that it becomes a mass movement.To set up Bible Cells/Units in the parishes ( SDS 155.4).To provide aids for Bible reading and for praying with the Bible, meant for the sharing in Small Christian Communities and other mall prayer groups.To organize a correspondence course on the Bible, in English and in Konkani ( SDS 155.6).To organize, meaningfully and efficiently, the Bible Week (Sunday) at the parish level as well as in schools and colleges ( SDS 155.7).To foster Bible Study Groups and even organise occasionally “Bible (Faith) Sharing Days”, rallies / festivals, etc., so that the Biblical message may be made more and more accessible to people of different walks of life.To make the Biblical Apostolate a “mass movement” through the mass media of communication, such as the print and the electronic media as well as dramas and other art forms ( SDS 155.8).To promote the unity of the Churches by a greater ecumenical collaboration, joint ventures of Catholics with the Bible Society of India or other United Bible Societies ( SDS 155.9).To promote a living and fruitful dialogue with our non-Christian brethren through the Bible and the sacred books of other religions.
V. STRUCTURE and FUNCTIONS
A proper organizational set-up is indeed necessary for an effective Biblical Apostolate.
Since various forms of the apostolate pursuing a pastoral aim and all apostolic works in a diocese should be fostered under the direction of the Bishop (CD 17), it is the Bishop’s role to guide and moderate all the activities of the Biblical Apostolate.
VI. The Diocesan Centre for Biblical Apostolate will have:
