Are rosaries only for Catholics?

[amontoya]

I think rosaries are beautiful and would like to own one, although I would not use it to pray. I have been told that It would be “wrong” for me to have a rosary, since I see them only as beautiful art. Does the Catholic Church have a stance on this, or is it just personal opinion? I do not want to offend anyone. Nor do I want to lessen the status of something that may (or may not) be sacred.

Also, I have heard of Catholics going to rosaries for people who have died. Could you tell me what is meant by this?

Thank you and God bless you!

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

amontoya:

I think rosaries are beautiful and would like to own one, although I would not use it to pray. I have been told that It would be “wrong” for me to have a rosary, since I see them only as beautiful art. Does the Catholic Church have a stance on this, or is it just personal opinion? I do not want to offend anyone. Nor do I want to lessen the status of something that may (or may not) be sacred.

There is nothing wrong with buying a rosary because you consider it a beautiful art form. Many people collect examples of artifacts of religions of which they are not a member. So long as the artifact is treated with dignity, most reasonable religious people would be flattered rather than offended that you considered their religious emblems lovely enough to wish to display in your home.

amontoya:

Also, I have heard of Catholics going to rosaries for people who have died. Could you tell me what is meant by this?

When a Catholic dies, his friends and family often gather together to pray the rosary for the repose of his soul. Saying that one is “going to a rosary” is a shorthand way of saying that someone is gathering with other people in order to pray a rosary together.