Devotion to the immaculate heart of Mary a must?

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godisgood77

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I read the included article in National Catholic Register early today and was saddened…It seems like more and more often, we are seeing erroneous statements like this in Catholic press. In the article, the author advances the position that saying the rosary and devotion is required… stemming from the idea that belief in Fatima is a required belief… Of course, the Church does not teach that any of these things are required.

It is quite evident that many Catholics are misinformed on the Church position and why non-Catholics would get the wrong impression of Church teaching based on these erroneous publications.
 
godisgood77 said:
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jose...ion-to-the-immaculate-heart-of-mary-is-a-must

I read the included article in National Catholic Register early today and was saddened…It seems like more and more often, we are seeing erroneous statements like this in Catholic press. In the article, the author advances the position that saying the rosary and devotion is required… stemming from the idea that belief in Fatima is a required belief… Of course, the Church does not teach that any of these things are required.

It is quite evident that many Catholics are misinformed on the Church position and why non-Catholics would get the wrong impression of Church teaching based on these erroneous publications.
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Why are you so hostile to this ?
 
Techno2000 said:
Why are you so hostile to this ?
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I can’t speak for the godisgood77, but as Catholics we are to be our brother’s keeper. When someone is in error we need to speak up to correct them. Personal devotion to Immaculate Heart of Mary is fine, in line with Church teaching and many practice it. However, it’s not required for people to do this to grow in faith and be with God in heaven. The author of this article, on the other hand, gives off the impression that this devotion is required when it is in fact only recommended.
 
Hostile is not a word that I would use to describe my concern… i’m concerned about the misrepresentation of Church teaching by a credible Catholic news outlet which is spreading error… that’s all.

Where do you get hostility?
 
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The rosary is a personal devotion. Hopefully a devotion of reverence and not one of obligation, but freely offered. The Church encourages the rosary as it is a powerful prayer/recognition/prayer, but it is not an obligation unless you chose to make it your own private obligation or practice. Peace.
 
I read the article and it clearly presents this whole idea of “must” as coming from one nun, Sister Lucia.

If you have any kind of Catholic knowledge at all, then you know that one nun (or one priest, if he isn’t the Pope or your diocesan Bishop) doesn’t dictate “musts” for the Church. An article running in National Catholic Register is presumably going to be reaching an audience of Catholics with enough interest and knowledge of the Church to know/ understand this. (We’ll set aside the fact that a lot of said audience doesn’t have the same hangups about Fatima or the rosary that some of the folks posting in this thread seem to have, and yes it seems like “hostility” to me also.)

There are articles every week where some priest is saying “this or that practice is important to living a Catholic life” and not everybody rushes to do it or even gets excited about its being said. This is no different. In any event, praying the Rosary and having a devotion to the Immaculate Heart are not bad, harmful or controversial things to do. If you don’t want to do it, then feel free to go read some Scripture or do something else, and stop worrying about other people possibly being somehow “influenced” to do something that is not harmful and might even be helpful to them, even if you don’t like it for yourself.
 
Well, I have say i didn’t read anything erroneous nor did i read anywhere in the article a required devotion.
 
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Again, how are my comments hostile?

I simply disagree. Too often words like hostility are thrown around when anyone presents a counter position civilly. Fulton Sheen talked about this phenomenon in an article titled ‘The decline of controversy’ … where he makes the point that people are losing the ability to have a civil argument.

Relative to the article, I disagree that it is positioned as ‘one nuns opinion’. Right out of the gate the author makes that opinion his own and reinforces these devotional practices as musts throughout … which, for those Catholics interested in the truth, should be corrected. As they clearly are not… the rosary, devotion to the Immaculate Heart, Fatima, etc

Also, you make the argument that making these types of statements is fine because everyone’s doing it… I had a discussion with my young teenager last week about why he shouldn’t do something just because everyone else is… truth is important and doing the right thing is not something we should compromise on. That seems counsel seems appropriate for this thread.
 
godisgood77 said:
n the article, the author advances the position that saying the rosary and devotion is required… stemming from the idea that belief in Fatima is a required belief…
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Are we reading the same article? I didn’t see where it said the Catholic Church says that saying the rosary and devotion is REQUIRED of all catholics, or that belief in the Fatima apparitions is a REQUIRED belief. What I did see is an article from the perspective of the nun who had frequent contact with the Blessed Mother expressing an opinion to all catholics to heed the message of Fatima and saying the rosary and devotions, etc. should be considered by all catholics as a “must haves” for their own private devotions, based on her own experiences.

That’s way different than saying the article states the Catholic Church REQUIRES something from all catholics and is the difference for catholics between dogma, doctrine and discipline. Belief in the Immaculate Conception of Mary is dogma (Mary was conceived without sin and remained sinless her whole life); devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (as made present in several Marian apparitions) is not dogma, it is a pious (and recommended) devotion to our mother.
 
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Jaaye said:
Are we reading the same article? I didn’t see where it said the Catholic Church says that saying the rosary and devotion is REQUIRED of all catholics, or that belief in the Fatima apparitions is a REQUIRED belief.
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That’s exactly what godisgood77 pointed out – that the Church does not say they are required.
 
OK, so it’s one famous nun, and one no-name journalist. The author doesn’t dictate Catholic “requirements” either.

This is not exactly an endorsement from the Pope or even some important Cardinal or diocesan bishop.

I see by the other posts that others reading the article are coming away with the same impression I did - that the article is not presenting this practice as a requirement of the Church. On the off chance someone was confused about whether this is required, they could ask their priest or even ask here and be clearly told “not required”.

This is simply not the big problem you make it out to be.
 
So what is the issue? Sr. Lucia, who was in the presence of the Blessed Mother on numerous occasions can not recommend a devotion in a magazine article targeted to a catholic audience of faith unless and until the church REQUIRES it? No. Doing so is considered propigating erroneous teaching? No. Because she urges all catholics to adopt a devotion to the rosary as a “must” for their own prayer life, based on her experience …she’s helping to spread erroneous doctrine? No. I do agree the twisting of the article’s true message is … sad.
 
Jaaye said:
where it said the Catholic Church says that sa
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Let’s take a look at what it does say… I think the headline will suffice:

"Sister Lucia Explains Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Is a ‘Must’
The Fatima seer gives so many clear reasons for us to see why devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is essential

The article then goes on to back up that assertion and put forward the idea that these things are a must…

What you do not see in the article is any evidence that the Church does not teach what the Sister does… Therefore, advancing a position that is not true and doing nothing to refute the erroneous statements.
 
If it is a poorly written article from your point of view, and heaven knows there are a lot of slapdash articles out there, why don’t you write to the newspaper and complain about it rather than start this thread here?

They may take note of your criticism.

Of course, they may also decide that their readership doesn’t care about this issue to the extent that you do, and ignore your concerns, as media does all the time when they are serving a particular “base”. This is the nature of media.
 
Sister Lucia Explains … The Fatima seer gives so many clear reasons for US to SEE….

Her “must” reasons are from the basis of her own personal experience. I agree with previous poster …
Tis_Bearself said:
This is simply not the big problem you make it out to be.
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You are seeking to twist around that which is not intended and make out Sr. Lucia as someone who is promoting false doctrine, false devotions … that’s just wrong.
 
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Jaaye said:
So what is the issue? Sr. Lucia, who was in the presence of the Blessed Mother on numerous occasions can not recommend a devotion in a magazine article targeted to a catholic audience of faith unless and until the church REQUIRES it? No. Doing so is considered propigating erroneous teaching? No. Because she urges all catholics to adopt a devotion to the rosary as a “must” for their own prayer life, based on her experience …she’s helping to spread erroneous doctrine? No. I do agree the twisting of the article’s true message is … sad.
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The issue is truth… that is all.

You’re right … a high profile Sister is being quoted to advance a position not held by the Church.

No, i’m not saying that the one must wait until the Church requires it… that would be silly. All I’m suggesting is that, as Catholics, we take the tiny step of making one comment that talks about the Church recommending these types of devotional practices… just a tiny step.

The Church herself uses much stronger language than I on the subject. “LG(22*) But it exhorts theologians and preachers of the divine word to abstain zealously both from all gross exaggerations as well as from petty narrow-mindedness in considering the singular dignity of the Mother of God.”
,
 
godisgood77 said:
All I’m suggesting is that, as Catholics, we take the tiny step of making one comment that talks about the Church recommending these types of devotional practices… just a tiny step.
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Given that I personally don’t object to the practice, think it provides many spiritual benefits to those who choose to do it, and further think Lucia will likely be a saint someday, then when I start looking for practices to complain about within the Church, the presentation of this article is not even on the radar screen. Especially since this came from some newspaper, not the Pope’s own memo desk.

Good luck enlisting others into your “cause”…I personally think it’s more fruitful and nicer to advocate for Our Lady’s.
 
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The OP has reason for concern. If any of you remember, i posted my anger about this (though in a way that seemed opposite of what i was trying to express.) Its not the that catechumens, such as myself, dont love the Blessed Mother, but rather we are concerned when someones says “Mary is necessary for salvation.” Because number 1: Jesus said he was the only way to the Father and to go through another makes you a thief. And number 2: The Church does not officially teach it. Even priests i have talked to have said be cautious about the Marian devotions i see around me and that some are idolatrous. People have apparently said that She would let people in the back door to heaven.Yes love for Her and asking here intercession is great, but the emotional devotion people give can be quite dangerous, which is something else that priest mentioned. If she was necessary, then Christ is not necessary. Perhaps i havent read through the comments enough, but i would also like clarification on what Lucia was is saying, if its what i think shes saying. I in no way mean offense i am also just trying to learn.
 
godisgood77 said:
You’re right … a high profile Sister is being quoted to advance a position not held by the Church.
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Wrong. “advance a position not held by the church?” … Seriously? The church doesn’t believe devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and praying the rosary is an approved and pious practice that should be encouraged and adopted by all catholics … as Sister Lucia is explaining in this article ?

Sister Lucia who herself prayed the Rosary in the company with the Blessed Mother? No.

It would be useful if you had a point in posting this thread ?? … other than apparently impinging the reputation of (some-day-to-be-canonized) Sister Lucia – who devoted her whole life to advising all to heed the Blessed Mother’s message and serving our Lord — for what? … in order to twist things around to make some obscure point (that apparently makes sense to you) ??? … so have at it. God love you.
 
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