A View From The Pew – March 2026
The Bible Alive (ILMODB)
I have great respect and admiration for those people who have read the bible from cover to cover. It is something I have attempted several times in my younger days but getting beyond Numbers and Chronicles was impossible for me. Now in fairness, given the amount of times I have listened to and proclaimed the Word of God at Mass, and then the prayers that have been recited from the breviary, there is a fair chance that I have achieved this feat without knowing. That said, there is something quite satisfying knowing that the Bible has been read from cover to cover.
Four years ago I discovered a wonderful app called “Hallow” It is a subscription app that provides wonderful prayers and talks about the catholic faith. It also has a comprehensive music selection which I listen to on a regular basis. Included in the app is “The Bible in a Year” by Father Mike Schmizt. He is an American Catholic priest who uses the “Great Adventure Bible Timeline” created by Jeff Calvins, an eminent catholic theologian. This breaks down the Bible into different timelines, so that 12 bible periods are assigned a unique colour to help you remember the narrative. In a Bible timeline chart the 14 Narrative books tell the story of salvation history and the other 59 books are placed in their historical context. It provides a wonderful and dynamic way of reading and understanding the bible, and Fr Mike reads passages from the Bible each day and gives an informative and brief commentary on the passages that have been read.
It means in the space of a year the entire bible is read and listened to. He uses the RSV catholic edition and it is an excellent way of reading and listening to the bible cover to cover. In my first year I used a different bible translation that often varies in its text but is manageable and interesting in seeing how different the translation can be.
This is my third year of doing this exercise, but this year I am using Fr Mike’s own app, which is free. It is called “Ascension” and as well as giving us the “Bible in a Year” gives other interesting talks and catechesis that are well worth listening to.
On the subject of Apps the Jesuits provide another free app called “Pray as you go” and it uses their specific spirituality in praying the scriptures. It is a useful tool and well worth starting your day with, if you are struggling to get into any form of prayer life.
By the time this article is in print the season of Lent will have begun. Given that Ash Wednesday (18th February) is not a holy day of obligation for Catholics (when you are expected to attend Mass), nevertheless, there will have been a large attendance at Mass, when ashes are placed on the forehead with the call to “Repent and return to the Gospel” It is a sure sign of a person’s willingness to begin Lent with the firm intention of growing in the faith and being more disciplined in living the faith and applying the faith in one’s daily life. At the end of the Lenten journey (5 weeks) we enter into what is known as the “Sacred Triduum” (three days) when on Maundy Thursday (April 2nd) we celebrate Mass of the Lord’s Supper. On Good Friday (April 3rd) we commemorate the Passion and death of Our Lord and then on Holy Saturday (April 4th) celebrate the Lord risen from the dead and the first Mass of Easter. The times of each service are below, together with the times of Masses celebrated on Easter Sunday. I hope that you will receive many graces and blessings in the month ahead.
Maundy Thursday- Our Lady & St Michael’s Church Shipston 7.30pm
Good Friday: St Francis of Assisi Church Kineton and Our Lady and St Michaels, Shipston 3.00pm
Holy Saturday: Our Lady & St Michael’s Church, Shipston 8.00pm
Easter Sunday (5th April) Our Lady & St Michael’s 9.00am St Francis of Assisi 11.00am
God Bless, Fr David Tams