Our Sunday Visitor recently published a new edition of the
Saints Devotional Bible, this time with the NABRE text. At this time, it is only available in a paperback edition, although like some of their Bibles in the past that came out in paperback first, like the
Catholic Answer Bible, other editions soon followed.
The Saints Devotional Bible comes with the following features:
Over 200 readings from the saints, including their own reflections, prayers, letters, and more
The saints' reflections broaden appreciation and understanding of old testament and new testament texts
A twenty-part lesson on studying, praying, and living the Scriptures, with longer selections from the writings of the saints
An easy-to-search list of themes that allow you to study topics of interest to you
A calendar of saints and a list of patron saints
Mini-biographies of all the saints whose selections are quoted
This edition from OSV is a very nicely produced volume. The text of the NABRE is very clear and readable, with a generous amount of space on the margins for notes. In particular, I like how they kept the cross-references in a shaded box, distinct from the rest of the information on each page. This may be one of the most pleasant NABRE’s to read, perhaps only edged out by the HarperOne NABRE. The paper used is very thin, so one needs to be careful when flipping through.
Of course, the most unique element of this Bible is the readings and information about the Saints. All of the readings are placed at the beginning of text, before the Scriptures. They do contain some very helpful, and sizable, readings from the Saints, ranging from saints from the 2
nd to 20
th centuries. Each selection comes with a suggested passage from the Bible that compliments the writings of that particular saint. (A verse or two of that Scriptural passage is quoted at the top as well.) In the middle of this Bible is a twenty-part glossary paper insert concerning what the Saints said about reading the Scriptures. (This being a glued paperback, I worry that this section may fall out at some point.)
In the appendix there is a brief biographical sketch of each saint who is quoted, a calendar of saints, a listing of patron saints, an index of themes presented in the selections from the saints, and a list of sources for the material. This is all very good and helpful material. I would have liked to have seen a modest selection of Bible maps, and perhaps a list of readings which are used on some of the saints feast days. (Also, the Sunday Mass readings would have been helpful as well!)
Overall, my thoughts on this edition are mixed to be honest. The
Saint Devotional Bible may serve well for a new Catholic or one who has a particular devotion to the Saints. The presentation is very clean and orderly, with an attractive cover and over two hundred selections from the saints. I also like that it utilizes the NABRE. I hope it comes out in a hardcover, or imitation leather, edition at some point in the future.
In comparing this edition with the
NJB: Saints Devotional Bible, of which much of the material comes from, my major complaint is that I wish the writings of the saints were integrated into the Biblical text. The NJB edition was a beauty to read from with little need to flip around from saint’s reading to scriptural text. It was all on the same page. I am also not a fan of glossy inserts placed in a Bible. While the included material from the saints is quite good, similar to the quality that is found in the
New Catholic Answer Bible or even the
CSSI Bible from Saint Benedict Press, I just wish Catholic Bible publishers would integrate this material into the text. In conclusion, I prefer the NABRE to the NJB, but the overall presentation of the
NJB Saints Devotional Bible is superior to its NABRE counterpart.
