Antique Catholic Douay Rheims Bible

How many of you have looked for items on ebay and found to your dismay that they were not listed correctly.  Have you ever purchased an item and then found it wasn't what you thought it was.  This guide is written for Catholics who want to find an antique Catholic Douay Rheims Latin Vulgate Holy Bible and are not sure how to find it.  We will give you some pointers so you'll search and find what you are looking for.

When we mention the word antique, we mean between the 19th Century and up until 1955 of the 20th Century.  But the really old Bibles, dating back to 1900 and before, are the ones which seem to get listed as Catholic and truly are not.

First, if the Catholic Bible listing does not mention that the Bible is a Douay Rheims, or a Latin Vulgate, email the seller and ask them if this terminology is stated on the title page.  If it is not, then most definitely it is NOT a Catholic Bible.  Secondly, there should be approbation by a number of Catholic Bishops and Archbishops, and definitely should have what is termed as an Imprimatur, or a Nihil Obstat. There should also be an approbation or picture of one of the Sovereign Pontiffs of old, whether it be Leo XIII, or Pope St. Pius X, Pope Pius IX, or Pope Pius XI, or XII, or Benedcit XV.  These are true marks of a Catholic Bible. 

Many of the oldest Catholic Bibles will have the commentary of Most Rev. George Leo Haydock, who wrote extensive commentary for the Douay Rheims Latin Vulgate Catholic Bible, which is a complete explanation of certain discreet passages in all books of the Holy Catholic Bible.  Bishop Haydock's commentary is priceless, and a Bible with this commentary is worth far more than those without. 

Some Catholic Bibles will have extensive wood cut pictures or color plates, or just pictures done by the great Masters which are present throughout different parts of the Catholic Bible.  Many will have a Catholic Bible Dictionary in the front end pages or in the back of the Bible, as well as definitions of many Catholic ceremonies and articles which are used in the celebration of Holy Mass, and illustrations of each article used in the Holy Mass and Catholic Ceremonies.  This is very useful information for Traditional minded Catholics. They can make comparisions of the New Rite Novus Ordo Missae with the Latin Tridentine Rite, Immemorial Rite of the Roman Catholic Church.

The newer editions of Catholic Bibles, printed from about 1942 until 1955 will be the Confraternity Edition, which is the Douay Rheims Bible which was simplified by the Catholic Bishops of the United States of America, with the approbation of the Sovereign Pontiff, who was, at that time,  Pope Pius XII.  These will state "Confraternity Edition of the Holy Catholic Bible", and will give you the name of the books which were revised, such as:  "from Genesis to Ruth, Job, to Sirach and the prophetical books.  Before 1955, there will be the Douay Rheims in the Old Testament with the Confraternity Edition in the New Testament.  Read your listing carefully or email the seller for information on the Confraternity Edition, and whether or not it is part Confraternity and part Douay Rheims.  If you want a Douay Rheims Latin Vulgate Bible without the Confraternity changes, then look for Bibles from approximately 1940 or before that date!

What you really want to know: "is it a Latin Vulgate, Douay Rheims Bible".  Don't let a seller tell you it is Catholic without asking this question.  You will be duped if they only state that it has the apocrypha.  The apocrypha does not denote it is Catholic, so stay on your guard and watch for these simple explanations, and you will be on your way to finding a true Antique Catholic Bible.  Words like self-pronouncing, King James Version, or Concordance mean it is NOT CATHOLIC!  Also, the truly Catholic Bibles were generally published by those companies who were printers to the Holy Apostolic See namely:  P.J. Kenedy and Sons, John Murphy Company and Benziger Brothers, as well as Catholic Truth Society of England and Ireland, or Burns, Oates and Washbourne, etc.  These are just a few. 

With the above explanations in your minds eye, do your searches on ebay with the following words:  "Antique Catholic Bible", "Antique Bible", "Douay Rheims Bible", "Latin Vulgate Bible", "Catholic Bible", or just "Bible" (without the quotes).  You'll have to sift out the ones which look like they "might" be Catholic if you just search the word Bible, but then again, you may find a real treasure with just that word "Bible".  Remember, ask your seller these pertinent questions which I have mentioned in the beginning of this guide, and you'll have nothing to fear about finding your Antique Catholic Bible.

Be patient with the seller, though, as many don't know A from Z about Bibles, let alone a Catholic Bible.  Many are just finding items at garage sales and putting them up in hopes to find a worthy buyer and a worthy price.  Tell the seller where to look and what to look for!

PLEASE MARK IF YOU FOUND THIS GUIDE HELPFUL!