Synod: Priest shortages highlight role of Bible
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
So far in the Synod of Bishops on the Bible, all sorts of arguments have been advanced as to why promotion of scripture is important: Because it?s the living Word of God, because it?s a touchstone of Christian identity, because it provides natural common ground within the divided Christian family.
Quietly, however, another argument of a far more practical order has arisen. In many parts of the world, there simply aren?t enough priests to make the Eucharist available on a regular basis, and therefore Liturgies of the Word, focused on the Bible, become the crucible in which day-to-day, week-to-week Catholic life is actually forged.