TeresaBenedicta Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I suppose I must not be expressing myself in the way that I am thinking... I have no objections to the Rosary. I do not believe it be a prayer of vain reptition, except for in very certain cases. In general, I believe the Rosary to be a wonderful and powerful tool that the Blessed Mother has given to us. BUT, it's not for everyone. For different reasons. For some people, it interfers with their ability to lift their soul to God. For some people, it's just not practical, because they participate in other devotions (such as the LOTH, daily Mass, adoration, DMC, etc). And just because someone doesn't pray the Rosary doesn't mean they are less of a serious Catholic or that they're lacking in their spiritual/prayer life or that they don't have a devotion to the Blessed Mother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friendofJPII Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='TeresaBenedicta' post='1615391' date='Aug 1 2008, 05:19 PM']I suppose I must not be expressing myself in the way that I am thinking... I have no objections to the Rosary. I do not believe it be a prayer of vain reptition, except for in very certain cases. In general, I believe the Rosary to be a wonderful and powerful tool that the Blessed Mother has given to us. BUT, it's not for everyone. For different reasons. For some people, it interfers with their ability to lift their soul to God. For some people, it's just not practical, because they participate in other devotions (such as the LOTH, daily Mass, adoration, DMC, etc). And just because someone doesn't pray the Rosary doesn't mean they are less of a serious Catholic or that they're lacking in their spiritual/prayer life or that they don't have a devotion to the Blessed Mother.[/quote] TB, can you expound on how the Rosary would interfere with someone lifting thier heart to God? I'm not trying to debate, I'm just trying to understand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 [quote name='friendofJPII' post='1615395' date='Aug 1 2008, 07:23 PM']TB, can you expound on how the Rosary would interfere with someone lifting thier heart to God? I'm not trying to debate, I'm just trying to understand.[/quote] Let me first say that it's not the Rosary [i]itself[/i], but rather the disposition of the soul, that can be the cause of friction. But it becomes apparent when one prays the Rosary grudgingly or does so out of a feeling of obligation. When one never finds peace in praying it and one is not growing in virtue. When the time spent praying to Rosary can be given in a different form of prayer that is more effective for the soul. There is a reason that God has given us different forms of prayer and pours out His grace in different ways. Some channels are not the clearest, purest ways, as are others. Now, I'm not trying to say that someone should not have Marian devotion. On the contrary, I think that is imperative that every Christian have some degree of Marian devotion. However, the Rosary is not the only way to channel this devotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I know that this is the debate table, but I'll throw this in anyway. As someone who has read the entire thread so far (and sworn a couple of times to try and stay away for fear of despair), friendofJPII - you've done one heck of a lot to discourage me from the Rosary. I've never had a huge devotion to it and reading what you've said (yes, I promise you, I've read every word of this thread) has made it seem like [i]the[/i] path that everyone has to go down towards their salvation. Because I don't have a huge attraction to this devotion you've done a fine job of suggesting to me that salvation is out of my reach (whether that's to do with you or me though I'm not certain). On the other hand, even though I'm a random internet stranger, I'm really glad that StColette and Raphael got married. Nowhere have I seen so much "my husband and I were talking about this last night...." and learnt so much from such conversations, especially when they come from halfway round the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friendofJPII Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 (edited) [i] I know that this is the debate table, but I'll throw this in anyway. As someone who has read the entire thread so far (and sworn a couple of times to try and stay away for fear of despair), friendofJPII - you've done one heck of a lot to discourage me from the Rosary. I've never had a huge devotion to it and reading what you've said (yes, I promise you, I've read every word of this thread) has made it seem like [i]the[/i] path that everyone has to go down towards their salvation. Because I don't have a huge attraction to this devotion you've done a fine job of suggesting to me that salvation is out of my reach (whether that's to do with you or me though I'm not certain).[/i] I (a complete stranger)should not have an effect on your prayer life. If I do you need to get a stronger backbone. Edited August 2, 2008 by friendofJPII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Oversensitivity is also a possibility. However, it's interesting to note that you expect people to read a thread like this and not be influenced by the things that are said, especially when they came to the situation with no fixed views on the topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friendofJPII Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 [quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1615640' date='Aug 2 2008, 04:11 AM']Oversensitivity is also a possibility. However, it's interesting to note that you expect people to read a thread like this and not be influenced by the things that are said, especially when they came to the situation with no fixed views on the topic.[/quote] I'm sorry as said something as offensive as, "it is a good idea to pray the Rosary like 1X or 2X a month." "Or Mary is the surest way to Jeus (which she is)." From this discussion and from TBs post I realized that some may really not be called to pray the Rosary, at least not at a particular time in thier life....but generally speaking, I think some people give up to easily. My purpose was to discuss more than it was to debate. I learned a great deal from this discussion. Thank you everyone, friendofjpii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnydigit Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 [quote name='friendofJPII' post='1615540' date='Aug 1 2008, 09:05 PM']I (a complete stranger)should not have an effect on your prayer life. If I do you need to get a stronger backbone.[/quote] lol harsh! i bet St. Dominic turned a few people away with his constant preaching on the Rosary during his lifetime, but we hope that some hearts looked past any harshness he may have portrayed to the sincerity of his intentions. =================== [indent]If it is carefully watered and properly attended to every day, it will grow to such a marvellous height, and its branches will have such a wide span that, [b]far from hindering your other devotions, it will maintain and perfect them.[/b] Of course, you understand what I mean, since you are spiritually minded; this mystical rose tree is Jesus and Mary in life, death and eternity. .. The miraculous way in which the devotion to the holy Rosary was established is something of a parallel to the way in which God gave his law to the world on Mount Sinai, and it obviously proves its value and importance. .. The Rosary, which he said every day, was his preparation for every sermon and his little tryst with our Lady immediately after preaching. .. As long as priests followed Saint Dominic's example and preached devotion to the holy Rosary, piety and fervour thrived throughout the Christian world and in those religious orders which were devoted to the Rosary. But since people have neglected this gift from heaven, all kinds of sin and disorder have spread far and wide .. So the complete Rosary is a large crown of roses and each chaplet of five decades is a little wreath of flowers or a little crown of heavenly roses which we place on the heads of Jesus and Mary. [b]The rose is the queen of flowers, and so the Rosary is the rose of devotions and the most important one.[/b] .. It is scarcely possible for me to put into words how our Lady esteems the Rosary and how [b]she prefers it to all other devotions.[/b] Nor can I sufficiently express how wonderfully she rewards those who work to make known the devotion, to establish it and spread it nor, on the other hand, how strictly she punishes those who work against it. [/indent] The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort. p.72, #8 [url="http://www.theholyrosary.org/secret.zip"]http://www.theholyrosary.org/secret.zip[/url] [url="http://www.circleofprayer.com/secret34.html"]http://www.circleofprayer.com/secret34.html[/url] ================ granted these words were written before knowledge of the Divine Mercy and other devotions, it still gives a good impression of it. besides, look at all the quotes from it people are posting, time to go read the book! (i've actually read more of it by just looking for quotes.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnydigit Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 [quote name='dominicansoul' post='1615312' date='Aug 1 2008, 02:33 PM']That he did! Don't you just love him??? "Prayer of life!" Do you mind if I use that? Speaking of St. Dominic, I don't believe there have been any Saints in the Church who "were not called" to pray the Rosary. I do believe there were many who struggled with it. For example, St. Terese of Lisieux found it very difficult...but just her constant perserverance in praying it daily brought her extreme grace... So, although technically it isn't necessary for salvation, it sure doesn't hurt it either! [/quote] i actually didn't even know he was the person behind the Rosary until i looked around for this thread! it was exactly one year ago today (August 2, 2007) that i went on my pilgrimage to Italy with the MI and was at the foot of St. Dominic's tomb. didn't know much about him then, but i do now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilac_angel Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 (edited) [quote name='johnnydigit' post='1615960' date='Aug 2 2008, 02:30 PM']lol harsh! i bet St. Dominic turned a few people away with his constant preaching on the Rosary during his lifetime, but we hope that some hearts looked past any harshness he may have portrayed to the sincerity of his intentions.[/quote] "Witnesses to the Process for his canonization portray St.Dominic as very humble, loving, kind, compassionate, patient, joyful, sober, chaste, zealous for poverty and for the salvation of souls." [url="http://members.tripod.com/Homilies/english/EngSt.Dominic.htm"]http://members.tripod.com/Homilies/english/EngSt.Dominic.htm[/url] He did fight heresy with a stern and even potentially "harsh" demeanor, but there is no heresy going on in this thread. Edited August 2, 2008 by lilac_angel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friendofJPII Posted August 2, 2008 Author Share Posted August 2, 2008 (edited) I apologize if it sounded harsh. I was trying to say that one's prayer life should not be based on what people write on phatmass. We can't blame others when it comes to our own prayer life. I wonder if I would get this much flack if I said, "exercise is the surest way to better health...everyone should exercise at least once or twice a month!" Edited August 2, 2008 by friendofJPII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin86 Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 I think chocolate chip cookies are for everyone. Allergic to chocolate, chips, and/or cookies? No...how could that be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholic3in1 Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 [quote name='friendofJPII' post='1609408' date='Jul 26 2008, 07:03 PM']A call to a vocation and a call to a specific prayer are two different things. I have a devotion to the Divine Mercy also. It's [i]very[/i] powerful, I can tell you stories! There are lots of devotions out there, and we can't pray them all, we may be drawn to one or the other. But given the Rosary's strong history in our Church, considering that we come to Jeus through Mary, I think it should have some place in every mature Catholic's life. I don't pray it every day either. I try to pray it nightly with the nuns on EWTN when I remember. I'm not sure how we can honor Our Lady without having some level of devotion to the Rosary.[/quote] I very much agree with you! but I have such a hard time concentrating with the rosary...but I offer that up to God....and try my hardest.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholic3in1 Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 [quote name='friendofJPII' post='1615994' date='Aug 2 2008, 05:12 PM']I apologize if it sounded harsh. I was trying to say that one's prayer life should not be based on what people write on phatmass. We can't blame others when it comes to our own prayer life. I wonder if I would get this much flack if I said, "exercise is the surest way to better health...everyone should exercise at least once or twice a month!" [/quote] yes....I have to agree with that too....lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnydigit Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 sometimes i turn on EWTN and let mother and the nuns say it for me as i fall asleep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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