Vatican II and the Bible

We had a fascinating evening yesterday. Mgr Kieran Heskin gave the men's discernment group a talk on how the Second Vatican Council helped us to understand the bible. He provided an overview of the history of biblical criticism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Then he showed how the original draft of Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum) was rewritten in order to take account of the new Catholic understanding of the importance of scripture consequent upon studies of the early Church and the writings of the Fathers. He also showed how our awareness of God's speaking to us is rooted in Jewish worship. Three insights struck me especially. Firstly, God does not reveal things about himself; he reveals himself, indeed all of himself. Secondly, the New Testament is "hidden" in the Old Testament. Thirdly, Christ is fully present to us in his word, as he is in the Eucharist. The talk followed a holy hour during which lots of the lads went to confession, thanks to Fr Pasquino Panato, the Comboni Missionary whose community house is opposite the College. Afterwards we went for a bite to eat at Cafe Marinetti in Hosforth and I had Saltimboca alla romana. Not all the lads are ready to appear on a photograph, but here are some members of the group, which also happily comprises Middlesbrough men. Mgr Heskin is second from the left and my friend Fr William Massie, Vocations Director for Middlesbrough Diocese, is just behind him. The group meets every month at Leeds Trinity and we're always glad to receive new members.