Spreading the Word: ‘Sister Debbie’ discusses importance of Scripture

In a recent appearance on Altos, Deborah de Rosia, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Caribbean Coordinator, spoke passionately about the vital importance of Scripture in Catholic life. Last Sunday marked the annual Sunday of the Word of God, established in 2019 by Pope Francis to encourage greater scriptural literacy and engagement among all Catholics worldwide.

As de Rosia, commonly known as ‘Sister Debbie’ explained, “In 2019, Pope Francis invited the entire global Catholic Church to reexamine and refocus on the critical role of Sacred Scripture in our faith. Because it’s obvious from Church teachings that Scripture forms a fundamental part of Catholic life, the Bible should act as a guide for all that we as Catholics do and teach others.”

She noted that the roots of this initiative actually stretch back decades, to the progressive reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.

“The Vatican II documents clearly state that everything in our Church sacraments and rituals should actively incorporate Scripture readings and references,” said Sister Debbie.

“When we study the Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, we realised that since 1968, the Church hierarchy has been asking all clergy and laypeople to make Scripture a vital, central part of our faith practices.”

Now, with his designation of a dedicated Sunday every year to focus specifically on the Bible and its messages, Pope Francis has renewed and re-energised that call for all Catholics worldwide to integrate Scripture thoroughly into their daily spiritual lives.

Bridging biblical literacy gaps

Sister Debbie openly acknowledged that some criticisms levelled at Catholicism over the centuries regarding scriptural knowledge have valid grounding: “I would say some Catholics, both clergy and laypeople, are comparatively lacking or ignorant when it comes to direct biblical familiarity and literacy. Myself included at times! We can always enrich and deepen our understanding. But the reality is wherever we are at in our journey, we need to keep growing.” However, she rightfully pointed out that Scripture readings and passages are deeply incorporated into the Catholic Mass, the Divine Office prayers recited by religious orders, and devotions like the Rosary.

“But we absolutely need to keep highlighting Scripture, studying it, praying with it, and allowing it to surface ever more in our lives to transform us,” she said.

When asked how ordinary Catholics should approach reading and praying with the Bible in this modern digital age, she responded enthusiastically, “There are so many excellent methods now, thanks be to God! If you want to start by following the rich three-year cycle of Scripture readings the Church uses in the liturgical calendar and Sunday Mass, that is fantastic. If you feel drawn to begin in the Gospels, John is incredibly profound. Pray with the Psalms! Or explore Genesis. Honestly, there is no one perfect way—the Holy Spirit may lead each person differently in their Scripture journey.”

She especially advocated all Catholics taking full advantage of the plethora of digital tools and resources now available to make reading and listening to the Bible a more consistent, enriching fixture in daily spiritual life.

“There are online courses, podcasts like Fr Mike’s phenomenally popular ‘Bible in a Year,’ smartphone apps, and so much more. If you fall off in consistency at times, no worries—simply begin again! Scripture is the Living Word that never fades or fails.”

She stressed that truly learning, embracing, and spreading the Word of God found in Sacred Scripture can profoundly transform both individual Catholics and the wider Church, helping revive and expand the faith even amid current societal challenges.

There is an urgent need for Catholics to move from passive hearing of the Bible to actively praying with Scripture daily, sharing its stories and lessons with others, and letting it shape whole lives more completely.

“If our families can be grounded more deeply in the Word, if our own lives keep being exposed to the person of Jesus Christ through the Bible,” she concluded, “then He and the Holy Spirit have the power to bring about the real changes needed in our Church, our families, our communities, our culture.”