My Daily Catholic Bible-RSV: 20-Minute Daily Readings

I bought this Bible to help me keep my New Year's Resolution: to read the entire Bible in one year (a lofty goal!). The readings are short (about 6-10 minutes) and I think the phrase "20 Minute Readings" (on the cover) refers to read-study-meditate time, not just the reading time. I highly recommend this Bible to anyone wanting to read the Bible in a year. I never thought it was possible to read the whole thing but with the help of this wonderful Bible, I am right on track and I am confident that I will reach my goal. After all, it's only 10 minutes a day!

What a wonderful way to journey through the Bible in a year's time! This is a wonderful translation and the daily readings are very "do-able"....about 15-20 minutes per day. I would highly recommend this Bible...Would be an excellent gift for a Confirmation candidate or someone going through RCIA, or would make a fabulous wedding gift!

I purchased this book after having used an early daily Bible put out by Our Sunday Visitor, the _One Year Bible Catholic Edition_ (NRSV), and I much prefer this Bible, _My Daily Catholic Bible_. Since it uses the RSV-CE there's no inclusive language, which means that the meaning of Messianic psalms isn't muddled as it is in the NRSV. This Bible is truly Catholic, as well. Protestant Bible through the Year books use the Protestant Old Testament Canon, not giving all the books found in the Catholic canon, and the _One Year Bible Catholic Edition_ merely adds the deuterocanocal books at the end, but this Bible includes them in their proper place. Furthermore, _My Daily Catholic Bible_ lists the saint of the day, if there is one, and provides a quote from that saint or a from another saint or patristic source which matches the theme of the readings. Thus, each days readings are prefaced with a spiritual saying the reader can ponder on in connection with the Scripture. The Bible's editors estimate it takes 20 minutes to read each day's selections (several chapters from the OT, a smaller section from the NT), but it will take fast readers less time. This Bible goes through the Old Testament books in the expected order, but one surprise for me was that the New Testament selections don't follow the usual order. Rather than beginning with Matthew and ending with Revelations, the editor arranged the New Testament readings so that you begin with Mark, followed by Romans and Hebrews, then Matthew, followed by more epistles, etc. before the next Gospel. My suspicion is that this may have been done so that the Gospels are more evenly distributed throughout the year, or to follow a certain theological logic which would present the reader with the most important aspects of the New Testament message right away, through the Gospel narrative, then Romans and Hebrews, both of which are theologically "weighty" epistles. In any event, I don't find the order disruptive, but I did want to warn possible purchasers so that they wouldn't be suprised by the ordering of the New Testament readings. One drawback of the Bible is that while it includes the textual notes of the RSV, it does not include commentary. Personally, I'd like a daily bible that gave some commentary for each day's readings, but as far as I know, such a Bible does not exist yet for Catholics. In the meantime, this is the best daily Bible I've seen, and I recommend it strongly. Edited to add: since I began using this volume, it has developed some serious binding problems with pages falling out. I hope Our Sunday Visitor improves the binding!

This is a great way to read through the entire Bible in one year. The RSVCE translation is also approved by the Church. I encourage every Catholic Christian to buy this Bible and develop a daily discipline of reading God's Holy Word. It will change your life for the better!