Evil/Strange 'Catholic' Prayer Book?

[RomanRiteTeen]

In one of my prayer books, “The New St. Joseph’s People’s Prayer Book”, several prayers from other religions are encouraged to be said.
The compliers of this book give entire chapters to Judaism, Islam, Eastern Religions & Native American Religion.

Among these prayers are:

1.) Islamic 99 Names of Allah (Other Mohammedan prayers, including some of Mohammed’s own.)

2.) Chaldean prayers to the Sun.

3.) Hindu prayers for luck.

4.) Native American prayers for good breath, long life, and a good appearance.

I suppose I find this odd, as the book has a Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur.

Father Vincent Serpa seemed to condemn the 99 Names of Allah in his recent AAA Post:

As a Catholic am I allowed to engage in Muslim prayer?

 

[Bill_A]

As Have i and others given quotes from the Quran about how us Infidels should be dealth with…

Saint Joespeh Bibles and Missales are supposed to be Catholic but I just got a GRade A shiit one, excuse my language is what it is. The people that Print this shiit are going to hell where they belong. There heritics.

I got one where Season I and season II are all mixed up and non of the readings are right. This is heresy of the worst kind. To Distort the written word of God. Is forbidden in Both Catholic and Hebrew Teaching. It is the worst form of Hersey.

You may not add too or take away. From what God has Written.

 

[RomanRiteTeen]

Bill_A:

…The people that Print this shiit are going to hell where they belong. There heritics…Written.

While I agree these books are full of er… it. I think this is pretty uncharitable. We should pray for these people.

But, I guess if it has an imprimatur…? This is what confuses me.

 

[Cherub]

It is alarming, the kinds of things cropping up in recent years with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur stamped in the front pages.

 

[Lisa4Catholics]

Cherub:

It is alarming, the kinds of things cropping up in recent years with Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur stamped in the front pages.

With some of the things that have happened where Bishops will go against Church teachings and priests blessing people in the name of the creator,the redeemer and the sanctifier. Some of the Bishops are punishing the faithful priests,taunting them,making them go to crazy retreats the are radical feminists indroctrinated:nope: Pray and pray hard.God Bless

 

[buzzcut]

RomanRiteTeen, I bought the New Saint Joseph’s People’s Prayer Book too, and I was also surprised to find this material in it. The book has many good prayers in it but I felt that the 99 Names of Allah etc had been forced upon me against my will.

 

[solanus]

I wish this post would have been around 3 weeks ago. I discovered a few days after I purchased this book the section in question and it really made me uncomfortable. I agree with the charity and praying for our Islamic friends but I dont think pagan prayers have any place in our Catholic faith. They could have instead made this section of the book filled with prayers “for” them instead of prayers “from” them.

I had Father Hardons prayer book in one hand and this one in the other. I now wish I would have bought Fr Hardons…darn.

 

[Mickey]

Lisa4Catholics:

With some of the things that have happened where Bishops will go against Church teachings and priests blessing people in the name of the creator,the redeemer and the sanctifier. Some of the Bishops are punishing the faithful priests,taunting them,making them go to crazy retreats the are radical feminists indroctrinated:nope: Pray and pray hard.God Bless

Ditto!

smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_124.gif

 

[BasBleu]

I’m not sure if this post is going to be in condemnation or defense of this prayer book, so we’ll see what happens…

You know, I have had this prayer book for about six months and I didn’t notice some of those prayers until today! Initially I was very disconcerted too, especially because I read ON THIS SITE that it was one of the best choices out there.

After I read this thread I ran over to Amazon to see if I could find Father Hardon’s prayer book (there are very few Christian bookstores in my area). There wasn’t much information on it (on a side note, I would appreciate feedback from someone who has used it) so out of curiosity I jumped over to read what was said about the New St. Joseph. Here’s what one reviewer had to say:

“I guess if one takes the view that these prayers were actually addressed to the Trinity “sub specie” the other deities, then I have less of a problem. In other words, because these people did not have the benefit of hearing the message of Christ, then these prayers were making them ready for Christ, similar to the argument of St. Justin on why Socrates and Plato were Christians before Christ.” (Note: the reviewer has a Master’s in Theology and edits this webpage, ancient-future.net)

amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0899429009/qid=1107967657/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-7691809-0420033?v=glance&s=books

Now, my general policy is to first disbelieve EVERYTHING I read posted online, until I can verify it in a reliable source (it’s the librarian in me), but this is similar to the reaction I had with some of these prayers. Many don’t seem out of line to me in view of Catholicism, and I suppose understood in this light I can more easily deal with the prayers. I’m still taken aback by their admission, but maybe they can teach us something. Is it really wrong to give homage to “The Creator at Dawn?” (Though I don’t like the line a few prayers later: O Ruler and Lord of the universe, whether male or female…)

Now, besides being naturally suspicious, I am also a fairly new Catholic and willing to acquiesce to those more knowledgeable and with more experience than I. After reading the post on AAA about Muslim prayers, I’m not sure what to think. Islam isn’t pagan after all, and the 99 names of Allah don’t seem out of line. Don’t we have different titles for the Lord? Redeemer, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, etc.

I would be interested to see others’ REPECTFUL views on this issue.