By Amy White
The Texas Catholic
September marks the Month of the Bible, a time that the Church has set aside for the reading, reflection, and meditation of Holy Scripture. In recognition of this special observance, The Texas Catholic is highlighting the fruitful efforts of three Bible study groups from Diocese of Dallas parishes — St. Pius X Catholic Parish, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish, and St. Rita Catholic Community — as they endeavor to open the hearts and minds of their communities to the abiding Word of God.
St. Pius X
Scripture is always relevant and always true; but to contemporary readers, its meaning can be elusive, even baffling at times. That is where a Scripture study group can help bridge the gap between the written Word and the modern mind, St. Pius X Catholic Parish’s Anita St. Clair said.
For the past few years, St. Clair has led two of the four Bible studies at her parish: a “Six Weeks with the Bible” group that she co-leads with Virginia Sosa and a Scripture Reflection Bible Study. The latter dives into the upcoming Sunday readings each week to connect Old Testament foreshadowing with New Testament fulfillment — and with the mission of Catholics today.
“We do go to the Gospel and then we go to the Old Testament to see where some of these phrases came from, to help explain why Jesus says some of the things he says,” St. Clair said, “because to us, they make no sense, but to the Hebrew people, they do.”
She cited a difficult passage from Luke as an example: Jesus’ command for his disciples to “hate” their fathers and mothers and follow him.
“That’s shocking to us, but the Semitic phrasing of that is ‘you must love less than,’” she explained. “The Gospels were written for particular audiences. We are now the current audience, and it doesn’t always make sense unless we can make that connection as to where is he coming from, right?”
Ultimately, St. Clair said, pulling from the culture and traditions of Jesus’ time during scriptural study is not just about understanding the words as Christ spoke them then; it is about bringing those words into the present, so that they can touch the minds and hearts of humanity today.
“It’s about trying to live the Gospel in 2025,” she said. “Our times are different, our culture is different than it was 2000 years ago, but the truth and the reality and the morals are the same.”
St. Thomas Aquinas
Holy Scripture always has something new to communicate, according to Ralph Duesing, leader of another parish Bible group in Dallas: the St. Thomas Aquinas Scripture Study. His sentiment stems, perhaps, from the central role of Scripture in his own conversion story: a repeated reading of the Psalms that changed his life.
“All of a sudden, my lightbulb goes off, and I turn around the other way,” he said, describing his experience with the holy text. “It started me into a prayer life every morning… It also started me reading Scripture.”
Since then, Duesing has sought to bring the Bible, which he calls “one complete love story from the Father,” into the hands of STA parishioners. He helps lead the STA Scripture Study group, which approaches the contents of Scripture through videos that cover big topics, such as the early Church fathers, before drawing from the Word of God during group conversations.
“You always see people say, ‘I’ve never heard that before. I never knew that,” Duesing said. “It is a living word. It’s not ‘there are old books that are interesting to read,’ but they actually are living words that are very fruitful.”
By fostering an environment of sharing, the Bible study allows participants to unlock the depth of the Word in a new and exciting way, Duesing added — so parishioners can have their own lightbulb moments, like he did years ago.
“So many people bring so much to the table,” he said. “You always walk away with something good.”
St. Rita
St. Rita Catholic Community parishioner Sarah Merino knew the Bible stories; she could recognize the parables and familiarize herself with the Mass readings; but it was not until she had the opportunity to really sit with the Word that she learned something eye-opening: God is present now, speaking through Scripture.
Merino has been involved with her St. Rita Young Adult Bible Study group since 2021, when the group first formed on the parish campus. She was fresh from college at the time and, like many other young adults in the group, seeking community.
“I wanted to connect with peers who are also wanting to grow in their faith and wanting to live out their faith,” she said. Through the Bible study — one of several young adult studies at the parish — she and others have found that community.
Group meetings consist of community building — opening with conversation and the sharing of “highs and lows” of the week — before diving into the study of anything from a specific book of the Bible to a topic of interest, such as Theology of the Body or virtues and vices.
More than a social club, the group is an opportunity for those seeking sanctity to find peers that can actively walk alongside them through the uncertainties and transitions of young adulthood and towards heaven, Merino said.
“The goal, I think, is to learn and grow in our Catholic faith and community,” she shared, “not just to learn about the faith but to be encouraged in the faith by others who want to strive and live out their faith as well.”
Through Scripture, God speaks to his people, bringing comfort, strength, and encouragement, Merino said. It is how he shares who he is.
“He’s already spoken to me through scripture… bringing me closer to him,” she added. “It’s been really beautiful.”
Cutline for featured image: Members of a St. Rita Catholic Community Young Adult Bible Study pose for a picture. Back row, from left: Gaby Medina, Jami Musshafen, Elizabeth Lopez, Bernadette Pennell, and Bella Adams. Middle row, from left: Sarah Merino, Denise Ramirez, Madeline Trapp, Brianna Cocuzzo, and Rachel Merino. Front row, from left: Amanda Hernandez, Annalise Hastings, Bethany Merino, and Maielah Davis. (St. Rita Catholic Community photo)
