How to Properly Dispose of a Catholic Bible
Catholics view the Bible as the living word of God, a sacred object (and often a family heirloom) worthy of the utmost reverence. But what to do when Bibles age or are damaged or are no longer needed for another reason?
Many people are uneasy about disposing of the Bible in any way, and what makes it harder is that there are no official Catholic guidelines for doing so. It is possible to dispose of a Bible with the respect, but the method you choose is purely a matter of personal preference.
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Instructions
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Disposing of the Bible
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Consider donating your Bible. Take it to a local church, used bookstore, public library or to a friend or family member who you think might like to have it.
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Save it. Some Bibles are family heirlooms, so even if it can't be read, it still has much worth. Consider storing it in a protective way (out of the light and sealed from water) or in a decorative way (such as in a glass case.)
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Restore it. Books are valuable antiques, and there are people who specialize in restoring them so they can be re-used or put on display. It is especially appropriate to restore a Bible that contains historical information about you and your family; you may wish to share this with a local historical society as well.
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Recycle it. This is recommended by the American Bible Society.
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Bury it. Some people prefer to seal the Bible in a box or casket and bury it. This is an acceptable practice for both the Bible and other religious articles.
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Burn it. This is also an acceptable method of discarding of sacred articles.
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Ask your priest. Catholics seek guidance from their clergy on any number of things, so this should be no different. If you do not find the methods above acceptable, ask your priest what he would do with the Bible he reads from at Mass. The answer can be reassuring.
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Tips & Warnings
There is no specific prohibition against throwing away a Bible. Many people are uncomfortable with this idea and would prefer one of the methods described above. Furthermore, even if the person throwing away the Bible has no problem doing so, it may cause offense to someone who sees the book lying with common garbage.
