Since participating in the bible study at his parish, St. Therese in the Succasunna neighborhood of Roxbury Township, N.J., Matthew Cornine has found that his understanding of the Scriptures has improved from “night to day.”
“It really helped me grow as a Catholic,” said Cornine, who has facilitated St. Therese’s bible study for four years. This past year, Father Vic Leviste, the parish’s parochial vicar, has joined the group, which has increased interest in the program from about 10 members to sometimes more than 70. “Father Vic is very knowledgeable and a great speaker,” said Cornine, who is also grand knight of the Knights of Columbus of the St. Therese Council 6320.
The group at St. Therese meets weekly to preview the upcoming Sunday’s readings and engages monthly in Lectio Divina, prayerfully reflecting on Scripture. Previously, the group explored resources from Ascension Press and Formed, covering topics such as the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, the Eucharist, and studies like “The Bible and the Virgin Mary” and “Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls.”
Many parishes in the Paterson Diocese in New Jersey offer bible study. These programs can range in group size and number. These groups enable participants to share in community, discussing how the Scriptures strengthen their faith life, relate to their daily journeys, and help the readings at Mass come alive. Some groups use programs from Catholic ministries and publishers, along with modern communication tools, to streamline implementation.
Christine Farner has been coordinating the bible study at St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, N.J., for 20 years. The program runs in the fall, spring, and winter for six to eight weeks each. The sessions, offered in parishioners’ homes and at the parish center, have focused on topics including the Mass, the four Gospels, and the historical TV drama series “The Chosen.”
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
“Jesus is the Word, and the Word is in the Bible. It’s medicine for the soul,” said Farner, calling the bible study “incredibly important because everyone learns from one another. It brings you closer to Jesus and Mary.”
The “most aha’ moments” have come when the St. Vincent’s participants studied the Parables, Farina said. Now they are dedicating a series to the Holy Spirit, as requested by parishioners. Since Madison is a “three-college town,” said Farina, the program also invites college students.
Bible study initiatives are also vibrant at St. Matthew the Apostle in Randolph, N.J., where Donna Kobza and Beth McNeilly lead sessions for their parish community.
“Learning about the Bible has been for me and the others really a way to live with Jesus. Seeing that bigger picture and knowing where we come from really makes you live a more meaningful life,” said Kobza, who runs a Saturday morning Bible study group.
In 2013, Kobza’s group started with the Ascension Press Bible Timeline, and over the years, they have completed 20 bible studies. Currently, they are studying with Ascension’s updated Bible Timeline of “Story of Salvation.” Kobza is grateful that Deacon Richard Brady of St. Matthew’s attends, too. “To have him explain the history and other meanings has been such a blessing,” she said.
McNeilly polls her group members, who form a Bible study, for their interest in topics. This past winter, the group used Augustine Institute’s “Evangelization and the Acts of the Apostles.” In the past, they have participated in other Bible study programs, including Ascension Press’s “Ephesians: Discover Your Inheritance,” “A Biblical Walk through the Mass,” and “Jesus the Way, the Truth and the Life,” as well as Word on Fire’s “The Creed” and “Priest, Prophet and King.”
“I think most people are hungry for bible study,” said McNeilly, adding that they see the connections to their lives and how the Lord is speaking to them through the Word. She said she looks back and reflects on how things have happened in her life that are relatable to the Scriptures, noting, “There was suffering [in the bible]. Jesus suffered too.” Bible study“can only make you appreciate more how God loves us, because he has constantly been pouring love on us,” McNeilly said.
To join a bible study: Email Matthew Corrine (mcornine62@gmail.com) for St. Therese Parish in Roxbury, Christine Farina (christinefarner@yahoo.com) for St. Vincent Martyr in Madison, or Donna Kobza (dkobza91@gmail.com). Contact Beth McNeilly (bnaples490@gmail.com) to join the bible study at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in Randolph. Check your local parish websites or bulletins for other bible study groups.
