Garcin

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garcin

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I am Religious Services Coordinator at Mount Olive Correctional Complex and I have some Inmates who are waring their Rosary around their neck. Those who come to our Catholic Mass provided by an outside Priest do not practice this habit. Not being a Catholic, I would like to know if waring the Rosary (they say to protect them from evil spirits) is a normal practice or should that be discouraged.
Thank you for your help
 
Since you are not Catholic, I suggest you consult with the Catholic priest who holds Mass for the inmates. There are Catholic devotions that may seem strange and even superstitious to non-Catholics, because the sacramental nature of the Church involves a lot more ritual and tangible things than protestants are used to having as a part of their spirituality. Still, many Catholics go too far and the practices they do are superstitions- not legitimate practices (I suspect what you are describing is this sort of thing but as it is a spiritual matter and not particularly a disciplinary one, I suggest you mention it to the priest who says Mass for them and ask that he address it).
 
As far as I know it’s a purely personal decision. Most Catholics do not wear rosary beads as a necklace, but some do, and for them it is acceptable (so long as it is worn with reverence and not just as a piece of jewelry). I have heard that it is more common in some cultures than others and I am guessing from your post that prison inmates are one of those cultures. Somehow, I kind of like that 🙂
 
Thank you for your help. I will speak with Father John when he comes in.
 
m134e5 said:
Since you are not Catholic, I suggest you consult with the Catholic priest who holds Mass for the inmates. There are Catholic devotions that may seem strange and even superstitious to non-Catholics, because the sacramental nature of the Church involves a lot more ritual and tangible things than protestants are used to having as a part of their spirituality. Still, many Catholics go too far and the practices they do are superstitions- not legitimate practices (I suspect what you are describing is this sort of thing but as it is a spiritual matter and not particularly a disciplinary one, I suggest you mention it to the priest who says Mass for them and ask that he address it).
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There are any number of religious orders who wear the rosary around the waist.
All sorts of scapulars and medals are worn around the neck.
Rosaries specifically are made to be worn around the neck.
Rosaries are made for the wrist, and one for the finger.

CCC #1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. “For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God.”

This is a good thing.
 
Technically a Rosary should never be worn around the neck. However, the abundance of this practice shows that many people including Catholics are ignorant of that fact. Also, in recent years there is a confusing symbolism because it has become trendy for some gangs to wear rosaries, crucifixes or crosses around the neck, or for women to wear as fashion items. That degradation of the rosary is precisely why it should not be worn around the neck.

However! That is not the most important point. The salient idea for your folks to grasp is that THE ROSARY IS NOT A MAGICAL CHARM TO PROTECT THEM FROM EVIL SPIRITS. It is a reminder of God and of the Blessed Mother, it is to help us think of God’s protection and love and sacrifice for us, each time we touch it. Power comes from God, not the rosary itself. This is probably what you want to have the priest convey to them.
 
Margie9 said:
**Technically a Rosary should never be worn around the neck. However, the abundance of this practice shows that many people including Catholics are ignorant of that fact. **Also, in recent years there is a confusing symbolism because it has become trendy for some gangs to wear rosaries, crucifixes or crosses around the neck, or for women to wear as fashion items. That degradation of the rosary is precisely why it should not be worn around the neck.

However! That is not the most important point. The salient idea for your folks to grasp is that THE ROSARY IS NOT A MAGICAL CHARM TO PROTECT THEM FROM EVIL SPIRITS. It is a reminder of God and of the Blessed Mother, it is to help us think of God’s protection and love and sacrifice for us, each time we touch it. Power comes from God, not the rosary itself. This is probably what you want to have the priest convey to them.
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If you can back up this **opinion **with information (you say that it is a “fact”) then I will gladly withdraw my comment that the practice is acceptable in principle, if not in every case. Until then, I stand by that comment.

There has been no suggestion here that the use of the rosary as a charm is acceptable. Obviously it is not.
 
Margie9 said:
Technically a Rosary should never be worn around the neck. However, the abundance of this practice shows that many people including Catholics are ignorant of that fact. . . .
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I’d love to see an authortative citation on that. Becuase I’m really interested in the difference between keeping a rosary one’s pocket, in one’s purse, in one’s backpack, in one’s glove box, in wearing it around one’s neck (not as an accessory).

Because until you can actually show me some authority on this, I tend to think that you’re wrong.

Sacramentals are to be treated reverently - that’s the standard.

And just to make this discussion a bit more intersting: Take a gander at page 98 of THIS BOOK.

Pax,
OA
 
Orleans_Attny said:
And just to make this discussion a bit more intersting: **Take a gander **at page 98 of THIS BOOK.

Pax,
OA
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Interesting choice of words - “take a gander”. 🙂 I see that you live in Hawaii, but isn’t that an Australianism?

(and I agree with you on wearing the rosary).
 
Edmundus1581 said:
Interesting choice of words - “take a gander”. 🙂 I see that you live in Hawaii, but isn’t that an Australianism?

(and I agree with you on wearing the rosary).
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I don’t think so. I’m from So.Texas & that phrase was/is quite common there.
 
Please do not post questions that are related to policies at your place of employment on the threads.

Send such questions to our apologists.

Thank you
 
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