Catholic website called unhealthy devotions

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DustinQuick

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This website has some great stuff about new age and occult practices to be on the lookout for. However, I was shocked to find out what it had to say about consecration vows, especially St Louis de Montfort.

consecrationvows.org/catholic_books/books.html

Has anyone seen this before? Something definitely seems off here.
 
+JMJ+

I skimmed the book, and in one part it says (copy and paste):

So what happens when Catholics pray the
Rosary without any desire to be more fully con​

formed and united to Jesus Christ, as Saint Louis
proposed?

The author totally missed what St. Louis de Montfort said.

The author, to be fair, made good discussion on the dangers of unhealthy devotion. Any devotion can be practiced in an unhealthy way. But disparaging and ignorant words on St. Louis de Montfort and St. John Paul II? Best to stay away from this book.
 
I browsed the website and the examples. I think he has a good point about concerns with the practice of Marian devotions. I think his quote of de Montfort, though used by de Montfort as a sort of criticism of those who think Marian devotion goes too far, reflects accurately the concern of those who hold it:

"The Scrupulous devotees are those who fear to dishonour the Son by honouring the Mother, to abase the one in elevating the other. They are unwilling that we should speak so often of our Lady, and address ourselves so frequently to her. These are the favourite sentences constantly in their mouths: ‘To what end are so many chaplets, so many confraternities, and so many external devotions to the Blessed Virgin? There is much of ignorance in all this. It makes a mummery of our religion. Speak to us of those who are devout to Jesus Christ. We must have recourse to Jesus Christ; He is our only Mediator. We must preach Jesus Christ; this is the solid devotion.’"

I thought the fervency towards Marian devotion was a more recent phenomenon, but I guess it has been around a while.

And please understand, I am not denouncing Marian devotion, but mentioning the concern (which is reflected in the linked website) over how it is sometimes practiced, where it crosses the line from devotion to something more.

Pax
 
I would stay away from that site. Yes, there are good suggestions on there, but some not-so-good because the person/persons who wrote about “unhealthy devotions” does not appear to have a right understanding in all of the comments, just in some of them.
 
Right. I mean, he says invoking Mary as queen of heaven is demonic and it’s really a familiar spirit, and the consecration is making a pact with satan to sell your soul. I know some are a bit put off by consecration language, but attributing something the church practices and approves to satan? I dunno. It seems like something someone posing as a catholic to attack the church and confuse Catholics would do. But this is more subtle.

Another thing if you look at what he says about praying to saints, they should not be invoked directly to do things only pray for us. This is something I struggle with myself. I have a handbook of prayers and it asks Mary and St. Joseph to protect to guide to teach etc, not just intercede in prayer. I have tried to find official magisterial teaching on how to understand this type of language when it’s used in this context, but I get two opinions.

When saints are asked to do things directly, it’s almost Catholic speak for, pray to God that he would teach me to… The saint is not actually influencing your heart or mind - even though it would be by God’s power and will - this would be idolatry.

The second opinion is a both and. Saints both intercede and intervene on your behalf - both only by God’s grace of course. For example saint Anthony would help me find keys by praying to God for me that I would find them AND being allowed by God to guide me somehow to the place they are.

The second opinion seems to square more with what I see in traditional prayers vs the standard apologetic argument that the saints pray for us and nothing more.

Can anyone help me understand? This site has hit me in areas I’m really sensitive to because of my past. I’m a new Catholic and I feel like Satan’s using this to attack me big time.

Thanks so much for your time guys.
 
I think I should make a separate thread on prayer to the saints. Thanks guys. Bless you.
 
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