Catholic Youth Bible Warning

I received my copy of the Adoremus Bulletin yesterday or so was shocked, but not really surprised to read about the “Catholic Youth Bible”, an edition of the New Revised Standard Version with additions and comments aimed at high-schoolers and which is, as Adoremus states, a resources which has been "intensely promoted for use in Catholic schools."

It's a shame, really, that the "Index" is no longer used. At least, I would think, Catholics ought to be able to check and see what books would constitute a danger to one's faith. There is a reason the Holy See delared the the NRSV was not to be used in the Liturgy. Yet this "bble" with its added comments, goes far and beyond that and it presumes to be be labeled as Catholic...Here is a small sample of what your children may be exposed to if they have this "bible":

“God, loving father and mother” prayer - page 1049

Sweat Lodge “Great Spirit” ceremony advocated - p 1005

The Gospel of Matthew is presented as fictionalizing Jesus: “The author of Matthew wanted to show how Jesus broke with certain Jewish beliefs.... So in the Sermon on the Mount, the Gospel has Jesus giving new interpretation to Jewish laws.... Such incidents probably reflect the experience of the author’s community with Jewish leaders as much as Jesus’ own conflicts”. - p 1120

A Native American sun worship prayer is included. There is no warrant for including such material from a completely pagan source. - p 1258

The explanation of Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist is seriously defective, and undermines Catholic teaching on transubstantiation:

“... [Jesus’ disciples] share the loaf of bread that he identified as his body given for us and the cup of wine that he identified with the New Covenant sealed by his blood”. - p 1237 (emphasis added)

God as Father avoided: “The God whom Jesus called Abba is the parent of all nations...” - p 940

Is it any wonder that there are so many confused Catholics? This poison, this heresy apparently goes on unchecked. If I had or my children ever had one of these books, I would go so far as to return to the store from which it was purchased and demand a refund - most especially if it came from a so-called Catholic bookstore. I would also hope and pray that irreparable damage had not been inflicted to the faith of one who may have been unfortunate enough to hold such a book in his hands.

The complete article from Adoremus is here.