“We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we
have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched
with our hands, concerning the word of life.” 1 John 1:1
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has designated 2020 as
the ‘The God Who Speaks: The Year of the Word’ to celebrate the 10th
anniversary of Verbum Domini – Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic
Exhortation on ‘The Word of the Lord’. And the 1600th anniversary of the
death of Saint Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin.
Therefore, 2020 will be a year of celebrating, living and sharing God’s
word through a range of events, activities and resources, available across the
dioceses of England and Wales.
Scripture is at the centre of everything the church does. The Word of God
shapes our prayer and worship. The Bible shows us how to understand the world,
how we are called to live and relate to each other.
This dedicated
section of the website will be developed over the coming months.
Official Prayer for the Year of the Word
Living God,
you walk alongside us
and speak to us throughout the Scriptures.
Your Son, Jesus Christ,
listens to our hopes and fears
and shows us how to live for one another.
Send us the Holy Spirit
to open our hearts and minds
so that we may be your witnesses throughout the world.
Amen
V. Your word is our path and your truth is our light.
R. This day and every day.
What is the Bible?
How do we make sense of something as big as the Bible? With 73 books it’s no small read, let alone trying to remember even a fraction of some of all the characters.
https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/events/the-god-who-speaks/scripture-seekers/
Exploring the Bible
The book that has had the biggest influence on the history of the world is almost certainly the Christian bible. It has touched individuals and societies in so many different ways.
Information, articles and inspiration to help you simply and clearly understand and explore sacred scripture:
https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/events/the-god-who-speaks/bible-basics/
Celebrating, Living and Sharing God’s Word
To help achieve transformation in our hearts and parish community there are three themes for ‘The God Who Speaks’ – Celebrating, Living and Sharing God’s word. https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/events/the-god-who-speaks/word-360/
Easter
through Art: The Painter’s Path (from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference website)
Fleur
Dorrell takes us on a visual journey from Palm Sunday to the Second Sunday
after the Resurrection.
Miscellaneous Resources
Lectio Divina is Latin for “Divine Reading” and is the practice of
scriptural reading, meditation and prayer to deepen knowledge of God’s Living
Word.
There’s no strict method to Lectio Divina, but the steps given
here may help you pray with the Scriptures on your own or as a family.
Word on the Go
A resource for busy Catholics. The Bible is a collection of practical wisdom
and of stories about God’s presence in the daily lives of many people. As a
result, you might be surprised how easily Scripture applies to your own life.
https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/explore-the-bible/word-on-the-go/
