Am I a "bad" Catholic if...?

[Diaconia]

Actually, many Ukrainians and Ruthenians (both Byzantine) DO pray the Rosary, usually with a slightly different version of the Hail Mary, here are the two most common renderings of it:

Fuller, more formal:

• Rejoice, Mother of God [Theotokos], Virgin Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb; for you have borne Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of our souls.

Common:

• Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb; for you have borne Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of our souls.

At my Ukrainian Catholic parish we do pray it regularly in common, as well as other devotions to the Mother of God, Moleben and Akathist, for example.

Fr. Deacon Christopher

 

[Annie]

However, it is a borrowing from the Western Church, not an Eastern practice, and as I understand it, there is a certain amount of tension regarding this sort of Latinization.

How many members of Eastern Churches outside the US pray the Rosary?

as well as other devotions to the Mother of God, Moleben and Akathist, for example.

But they are not the Rosary.

 

[Vico]

WillC:

Am I a bad Catholic for feeling this way?

I feel the same way. I never felt a connection to Mary no matter how hard I try. As for the saints, I’m ashamed to admit that I only pray to St Anthony whenever I lose something.

But it’s not a requirement to pray to Mary or the saints.

Council of Trent, Session XXII, Chap. 3

And though the Church has been accustomed to celebrate some Masses now and then in honor and in memory of the saints, yet she does not teach that the sacrifice is offered to them, but to God alone, who has crowned them [can. 5]. Thence the priest is not accustomed to say: "I offer sacrifice to you, Peter and Paul,’’ * but giving thanks to God for their victories, he implores their patronage, so that “they themselves may deign to intercede for us in heaven, whose memory we celebrate on earth”

Can. 5. If anyone says that it is a deception for Masses to be celebrated in honor of the saints and to obtain their intercession with God, as the Church intends: let him be anathema

 

[Diaconia]

I don’t think it’s a cut-and-dried Latinization, to be honest. The last three priests we have had all came from Ukraine, and were all devoted prayers of the Rosary.

All of the members of our little Temple that are from Ukraine (many of them recent immigrants) also are devoted to it; and whenever we talk of Latinizations, the Rosary is not perceived as being one.

The geographic distribution of Catholics in Ukraine, are weighted to the western side, adjacent to Poland, so that may account for some of it.

In any regard, a few years ago I would have agreed that the Rosary is a Latinization; but exposure to Ukrainian clergy and laity, for several years, in both in the US and in Ukraine, have changed my view on it.

Fr. Deacon Christopher

 

[Lea101]

I don’t see how that’s a contradiction to what we’re saying.

 

[Annie]

I guess my main point is that many if not most Eastern Catholics do not and/or have not pray/ed the Rosary and yet they are good Catholics.

 

[Diaconia]

Yes, that is absolutely true. I just thought you (and others) might be surprised to know that it is very common among Ukrainians, Ruthenians, and not necessarily thought of as a Latinization, etc.

No one needs to pray the Rosary to be a good Catholic (Western or Eastern).

Deacon Christopher

 

[lwest]

Praying the rosary IS going to God. Meditating on the Mysteries IS going to God. I don’t see the confusion.

 

[Vico]

I don’t see how that’s a contradiction to what we’re saying.

You wrote: “But it’s not a requirement to pray to Mary or the saints.”

However in the Catechism we read that we pray together in the Mass, so we all do pray to the saints, and are obligated to participate in the Eucharist.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1354 … In the intercessions, the Church indicates that the Eucharist is celebrated in communion with the whole Church in heaven and on earth, the living and the dead, and in communion with the pastors of the Church, the Pope, the diocesan bishop, his presbyterium and his deacons, and all the bishops of the whole world together with their Churches.

Also, see that in the Mass of the Roman Rite is the Penitential Act (Confiteor)

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, [Pray while striking the breast three times.] through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

 

[Lea101]

You wrote: “But it’s not a requirement to pray to Mary or the saints.”

However in the Catechism we read that we pray together in the Mass, so we all do pray to the saints, and are obligated to participate in the Eucharist

OP was talking about the Rosary and people calling upon the Saints on a daily basis.

With this context in mind, it’s clear that I’m replying to this (additional prayers outside the Mass), and not a general statement.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

You wrote: “But it’s not a requirement to pray to Mary or the saints.”

However in the Catechism we read that we pray together in the Mass, so we all do pray to the saints, and are obligated to participate in the Eucharist

OP was talking about the Rosary and people calling upon the Saints on a daily basis.

With this context in mind, it’s clear that I’m replying to this (additional prayers outside the Mass), and not a general statement.

OK …

 

[TK421]

Now, growing up I was always told (in simple terms) that Catholics ask for the intercession of Saints and Mary. That we ask them to intercede on our behalf as we are all one Church, the Communion of Saints. But their main goal was to point to Jesus. I have no issue with this at all.

Is it wrong if, when I go to pray the Rosary, (specifically the Hail Mary’s) that I feel as if the Blessed Mother is telling me, “Go to God. He will not forsake your prayer. Take this time of prayer to open your heart to the Lord.”

Idk… I’ve wrestled with this because I know that the greatest of Catholics call upon the Saints and the Blessed Mother on a daily basis. Am I a bad Catholic for feeling this way?

I’ve grown into the habit of praying a formulaic set of prayers when I wake up and that’s something a person has to be intentional about or else the habit will never take, and then I also pray spontaneously and sometimes I pray directly to God and sometimes I’m talking to somebody else, but ultimately, it all goes to God, and I don’t think it’s good to worry too much about it as long as your prayers are sincere.

 

[annad347]

This is a different reaction than the ones I would get when I say praying to Mary and saints isn’t a requirement to be a Catholic… I’m glad you are getting more positive replies.

 

[TK421]

This is a different reaction than the ones I would get when I say praying to Mary and saints isn’t a requirement to be a Catholic… I’m glad you are getting more positive replies.

Well, there are the Holy Days of Obligation, and the Liturgy includes prayers to the saints So a Catholic does participate in the Communion of Saints on a regular basis even if they were to do zero intercessionary prayers outside of Mass.

 

[BarbTh]

I was incorrect in stating that St Therese wrote that it was in community recitation that she had difficulty. It was when she prayed it alone.
EWTN https://www.ewtn.com/therese/readings/readng6.htm
" I feel then that the fervor of my Sisters makes up for my lack of fervor; but when alone (I am ashamed to admit it) the recitation of the rosary is more difficult for me than the wearing of an instrument of penance. I feel I have said this so poorly! I force myself in vain to meditate on the mysteries of the rosary; I don’t succeed in fixing my mind on them. For a long time I was desolate about this lack of devotion which astonished me, for I love the Blessed Virgin so much that it should be easy for me to recite in her honor prayers which are so pleasing to her. Now I am less desolate; I think that the Queen of heaven, since she is my MOTHER, must see my good will and she is satisfied with it. Sometimes when my mind is in such aridity that it is impossible to draw forth one single thought to unite me with God, I very slowly recite an “Our Father” and then the angelic salutation [“Hail Mary, full of grace, etc.]; then these prayers give me great delight; they nourish my soul much more than if I had recited them precipitately a hundred times.”

Autobiography of St Therese of Lisieux - Amazon and also on Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Story-Soul-A...ion-Manuscripts/dp/0935216588/ref=as_li_ss_tl?