Colorado School bans rosary beads

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maryjk said:
Offensive picture??? There is nothing offensive about.

It is in a catalog from a Catholic supplier. They sell only Catholic goods, crucifixes, medals, rosaries and the like.

It is one thing to not want to wear a rosary yourself, but it is another to claim it is crazy for someone else to want to wear one.
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I didn’t find the picture or comment offensive either. The picture was beautiful and your comments were your own opinion and completely neutral. There certainly is no Church teaching banning wearing rosaries, and as a few have posted, many saints are pictured wearing their rosaries. People are free to wear them or not wear them as they choose, unless in school 😃

I have to say, this usually doesn’t happen, but the posts on CAF are quite amusing tonight. Seriously, I seldom :rotfl: while I’m here. But tonight takes the cake.
 
Just because gangmembers wear rosaries, it doesn’t mean that someone who wears a rosary is ergo a gangmember.

Gangmembers wear rings and baseball caps and T-Shirts and blue jeans (and I think expensive sneakers); does that mean they should be banned too?

An outright ban seems unreasonable.

The reason given for the ban (i.e., gangmembers wear them) may be even being used as an excuse to ban a Catholic religious symbol from being worn in public.

I have a problem with a public school bureaucrat trying to dress my kid; and so should you.🙂
 
barb_finnegan said:
I always carry a Rosary in my pocket, not around my neck. I make it a point to have clothes with pockets.

I can sort of see the reason why the schools ban the wearing of Rosary beads, what with gangs and all. And especially in Colorado, what with the memories of the Columbine High School massacre and all.

I wonder if these kids KNOW what a Rosary is-that it’s NOT A PIECE OF JEWELRY, BUT A HOLY SACRAMENTAL!
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i don’t believe it is sacramental unless it has been been blessed by a priest .
 
Wearing the Rosary as a Necklace
ROME, JUNE 14, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
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Q: I have seen people wear the rosary as a necklace and, in fact, I had a fifth-grader ask me during CCD if that was a sin. I told her that I didn’t believe it was a sin per se, but that as it is a wonderful prayer and most favored by the Blessed Mother, that I thought it disrespectful, not very reverent (regardless if the rosary is blessed or not). The student promptly asked about my decade rosary bracelet, “What about wearing it like a bracelet?” It’s a good question, in light of the cross and rosary “look-alikes” that seem to be ubiquitous these days in fashion jewelry. What do we tell young girls? – J.M., Leavenworth, Kansas
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A: The closest resemblance to a norm on this topic is found in Canon 1171 of the Code of Canon Law. To wit: “Sacred objects, set aside for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated with reverence. They are not to be made over to secular or inappropriate use, even though they may belong to private persons.”
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It is probable that this law does not fully apply to our case, since it refers primarily to sacred objects for liturgical worship such as chalices and vestments rather than to rosaries. At the same time, the intimation to treat sacred objects with reverence and respect can logically be extended to rosaries, crosses, medals and similar items.
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Also, wearing a sacred object is not the same as using it in a secular or inappropriate manner. In fact, many religious congregations wear the rosary as part of their habit, usually hanging from a belt. There are also several historical cases of laypeople wearing the rosary for devotional purposes. For example, in his book “The Secret of the Rosary,” St. Louis de Montfort illustrates the positive results of this practice in an episode from the life of King Alfonso VI of Galicia and Leon.
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I think that the key to answering this question can be found in St. Paul: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). In other words, there should be no indifferent or irrelevant actions in the life of a Christian.
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If the reason for wearing a rosary is as a statement of faith, as a reminder to pray it, or some similar reason “to the glory of God,” then there is nothing to object to. It would not be respectful to wear it merely as jewelry.
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This latter point is something to bear in mind in the case of wearing a rosary around the neck. In the first place, while not unknown, it is not common Catholic practice.
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Second, in relatively recent times, certain controversial public figures have popularized the fashion of wearing the rosary as a necklace, and not precisely in order to “do all to the glory of God.” It would also appear that in some parts of the United States and elsewhere, wearing rosary beads around the neck has become a gang-related badge of identification.
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Hence, while a Catholic may wear a rosary around the neck for a good purpose, he or she should consider if the practice will be positively understood in the cultural context in which the person moves. If any misunderstanding is likely, then it would be better to avoid the practice.
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At the same time, as Catholics we should presume the good intentions of the person wearing a rosary unless other external elements clearly indicate otherwise.
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Similar reasoning is observed in dealing with rosary bracelets and rings, although in this case there is far less danger of confusion as to meaning. They are never mere jewelry but are worn as a sign of faith.
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According to some sources, small single-decade rosaries or chaplets were developed in times of persecution, as they were easily hidden and could be used without attracting undesired attention. They also became popular among Catholic soldiers on the frontline especially during World War I.
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Far more important than the visible wearing of a rosary is actually using the rosary, including publicly, for prayer. Then it is truly done “to the glory of God.”
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From EWTN.com
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At the same time, as Catholics we should presume the good intentions of the person wearing a rosary unless other external elements clearly indicate otherwise.
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This.
 
From the article I linked.

*schools “are the primary recruiting areas.” *
 
Why do they not just go to uniforms?

It’s impossible to ban every item of clothing or jewelry that could show gang affiliation.
 
It is better to be praying the rosary than wearing it as a neckless. Even if one has the most pure devotion and desires, wearing a rosary publicly as a neckless can be very much be misunderstood by anyone seeing you wear it and it does imply whether you mean it or not, improper use to those who don’t understand or knowledge about the rosary. There are enough anti-Catholics out there that could interpret wearing a rosary as superstition and we are accuse of that enough. While there are Catholic catalogs selling rosary necklaces, I wouldn’t want to buy one for my daughter, implying to her it is just another piece of jewelry. It is better to teach the powerful prayer and do it. I guess this is just my opinion but I would not want to in any way imply improper use or understanding of the rosary to others by wearing it as a neckless than wear a rosary as a neckless to show the world “my devotion” or assert my religious rights.
 
FromTheAshes777 said:
Why do they not just go to uniforms?

It’s impossible to ban every item of clothing or jewelry that could show gang affiliation.
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some public schools in the bigger inner cities are trying to do that do to this issues.
Charter schools which are public schools do require uniforms.
 
twopekinguys said:
How about in San Antonio.
“The use of colored rosary beads and other religious articles have also
been noted.”

It has more to do with the color of the object, than what the object is.

Things like shoe laces, hair ribbons, barrettes, tennis shoes, jackets, hats, rubber bands, etc. can all show gang affiliation, no matter how innocent the item may be.
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San ANtonio is well aware of gangs,plus you also have the mexican mafia here. It really started with the mexican gangs.The rosary is connected to Mary,and many gang members have tatoos of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They wear it as a protection ,hoping it will protect them from being shot,etc.and there maybe many who say the rosary. However, it was taken up by other kids as well,so now you have a lot of kids wearing it, even if aren’t gang members. Never heard of any of the old italian or irish mobsters wearing for a necklace.Some might have carried one, but in their pockets.
 
HollyDolly said:
San ANtonio is well aware of gangs,plus you also have the mexican mafia here. It really started with the mexican gangs.The rosary is connected to Mary,and many gang members have tatoos of Our Lady of Guadalupe. They wear it as a protection ,hoping it will protect them from being shot,etc.and there maybe many who say the rosary. However, it was taken up by other kids as well,so now you have a lot of kids wearing it, even if aren’t gang members. Never heard of any of the old italian or irish mobsters wearing for a necklace.Some might have carried one, but in their pockets.
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I wouldn’t be surprised if Hispanic gang members wore Rosaries, as they come from a Catholic culture that expresses the Faith in different ways than the Irish, Italian, or Polish cultures we’re used to seeing. Likewise, I’m sure Hispanic gang members speak to each other in Spanish (or English with Spanish accents). Does this mean schools should also attempt to solve the problem of Hispanic gangs by barring students from speaking Spanish or with Spanish accents?
 
Here’s a picture of a baby wearing red Rosary Beads. Red is the color of the Blood’s gang. Infants are called Blood Drops.
 
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