A headline in my email caught my attention this week: ‘Dei Verbum’ at 60: the Vatican II doc that revolutionized how Catholics read the Bible. It caught my attention because I have spent the last months digging into the most recent research from our ACST American Beliefs research. The results prompted me to write Faith in Flux: The Evolving Landscape of U.S. Catholic Beliefs in 2025. I became concerned that while more Catholics strongly affirm their core beliefs and their personal relationship with Jesus, many now feel that practicing those beliefs doesn’t require attending Mass.
It seems that we are becoming more comfortable with a personal faith that can be satisfied with prayer and occasional remote Mass attendance. It’s not surprising, given the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, along with our social-media algorithm-driven culture and representation from secular U.S. leadership. I had an engaging conversation (start at 1:13) with Teresa Tomeo on this topic. Our faith requires that we be present in person as part of (parish) community.
Given this context, Dei Verbum is an important part of our understanding of community. Scripture scholar Richard T. Clifford, SJ called it “the most seminal of all conciliar documents.” Over a period of time, from the writings of Pope Pius II (Divine Afflante Spiritu) to St. John Henry Newman, we affirmed the historical-critical method of reading scripture as a sacred text that includes many forms and styles, which should be studied in the original written language. Also, interpretation requires consideration of how church teaching was constituted at that time.
This important consideration reaffirms the role of the homily at Mass and of our pastors and ordained leaders, who have devoted themselves to a deep study of Scripture. Mass attendance, then, is essential not only for receiving the Eucharist but also for entering into the communal, authoritative interpretation of Scripture that the Church provides. We are not meant to navigate the Word of God alone or rely solely on virtual or individual experiences of faith. Of course, Mass is where we experience the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith, but we are also guided and educated on daily and weekly scripture through the homily at Mass and other bible studies. These activities and liturgical celebrations root us in a community that learns, interprets, and lives Scripture together, guided by the Church rather than in isolation.
The Catechism clearly indicates we are meant to be in community: “The human person needs to live in society. Society is not for him an extraneous addition but a requirement of his nature. Through the exchange with others, mutual service and dialog with his brethren, man develops his potential; he thus responds to his vocation.” (CCC1879).
As we become more and more comfortable with virtual meetings and remote interaction, we must remember that this is not a substitute for in-person interaction. And most of us are not schooled in Greek or Aramaic or the culture of ancient times, so we should look to the Magisterium for guidance. We simply cannot go it alone.
Terry Poplava
Terry Poplava serves as General Manager, ACST Catholic. As a cradle Catholic, his faith was lukewarm until he was confronted by the intense challenge and commitment he heard in the message about Stewardship. “What do I own and what owns me?” which led him to executive roles at Our Sunday Visitor and Catholic Leadership Institute before his current focus on serving the Catholic Church at ACS Technologies. Terry has extensive experience working with churches across the U.S., supporting their planning, stewardship, and engagement efforts
