Handing out Holy Cards

[Paul_theApostle]

Hi

When i go to one of our City Churches ,just outside on the busy street on the side entrance,a guy hands out Holy cards or small cards of Jesus and Saints.

He doesnt dish them out to anyone and everyone but would hold them out and people who were interested would come up and take one and say thanks and some are really appreciative.

One lady was concerned about these cards being handed out because she was afraid some people may throw the card away or disrespect it.

I think alot of people may benefit from recieving a Card or may even start praying to the saint if they havnt before when they take one ,although maybe there could be a risk of someone perhaps throwing it away or so.

Anyhow what does anyone think about this?

do you think one should stop giving them out to good people at the risk of a couple of others who may throw it away?

Thanks

 

[Saburo]

I agree with you. As for the cards which are thrown away, is it any worse than the regular, daily insults our lord receives by so many of us? If one or two souls is saved and a hundred cards are discarded, the angels will still rejoice in heaven.

 

[midori]

How many cards do we get in the mail with requests to support this religious society, or that religious organization, or this religious community? I tend to keep the nice ones to give out to my Sunday school kids as prizes, all of them? I’d be swamped. I think intent has a lot to do with whether or not someone’s disposing of something improperly. If the cards aren’t blessed, it shouldn’t be a problem. If someone’s wonky enough to use the cards for something far worse, that’s between them and God. I’d think that you shouldn’t withhold them from people who would benefit from them just because a few people wouldn’t appreciate them.

That’s really sweet and generous of him to take the time and effort to do that. The worried lady needs to find a project for herself to focus on, and not waste her energy over such unproductive concerns.

 

[fred_conty]

“Great graces are often attached to what seems trifling.” St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

 

[AntalKalnoky]

Hi

When i go to one of our City Churches ,just outside on the busy street on the side entrance,a guy hands out Holy cards or small cards of Jesus and Saints.

He doesnt dish them out to anyone and everyone but would hold them out and people who were interested would come up and take one and say thanks and some are really appreciative.

One lady was concerned about these cards being handed out because she was afraid some people may throw the card away or disrespect it.

I think alot of people may benefit from recieving a Card or may even start praying to the saint if they havnt before when they take one ,although maybe there could be a risk of someone perhaps throwing it away or so.

Anyhow what does anyone think about this?

do you think one should stop giving them out to good people at the risk of a couple of others who may throw it away?

Thanks

There is nothing Holy about holy cards. It’s a common nomenclature, inaccurate word. No problem if they are thrown away. 2 of us Legion Of Mary were at a Nursing Home (Home for the Elderly) yesterday, and took some handouts like holy cards: a holy card with prayer on the back to God the Father; which was never rejected, by lifetime Baptists, formerly in a Church, etc., rejected only by an atheist former Navy Pilot on Oxygen. We also hand them out at Festivals where we have a Catholic Church Booth. I recently found out that the Every Country in the World are now 4 Million Legion of Mary door-to-door. Every Pope since our 1930’s Founding has recognized us as The Outreach, the Evangelizers of The Church, Parish Based. My Pastor was Junior, then adult Legion of Mary.

My Pastor has ‘written the Book’ on Door to Door and even Evangelization: See Legion of Mary evangelization thread. He determined we Should give out Blessed Miraculous Medals, especially to children, and the sick, even if not Catholic, or even if treated as a toy. Only if we have Reason to Believe (not Our Opinion) the Miraculous Medal Will be Abused, it would be good Not to give them out to That Person. Again, Miraculous Medals Are Blessed, and therefore Blessed Medals.

 

[Paul_theApostle]

There is nothing Holy about holy cards. It’s a common nomenclature, inaccurate word. No problem if they are thrown away. 2 of us Legion Of Mary were at a Nursing Home (Home for the Elderly) yesterday, and took some handouts like holy cards: a holy card with prayer on the back to God the Father; which was never rejected, by lifetime Baptists, formerly in a Church, etc., rejected only by an atheist former Navy Pilot on Oxygen. We also hand them out at Festivals where we have a Catholic Church Booth. I recently found out that the Every Country in the World are now 4 Million Legion of Mary door-to-door. Every Pope since our 1930’s Founding has recognized us as The Outreach, the Evangelizers of The Church, Parish Based. My Pastor was Junior, then adult Legion of Mary.

My Pastor has ‘written the Book’ on Door to Door and even Evangelization: See Legion of Mary evangelization thread. He determined we Should give out Blessed Miraculous Medals, especially to children, and the sick, even if not Catholic, or even if treated as a toy. Only if we have Reason to Believe (not Our Opinion) the Miraculous Medal Will be Abused, it would be good Not to give them out to That Person. Again, Miraculous Medals Are Blessed, and therefore Blessed Medals.

Ive read and have always thought that Icons in the Eastern and Catholic churches are held to be Sacred or ‘holy’

Some of the Cards have actual Eastern Icons on them like the Mother of perpetual help icon printed on the card.

Most of the others are western style pictures like Sacred heart pictures or saints in the non byzantine style.

Im not sure if an Eastern icon is still held to be sacred if its not properly Blessed by the Church and im not sure also if the Western art style of painting saints is considered sacred in the Catholic Church blessed or not.

But if all are blessed ,like an Icon why wouldnt they all be considered ‘Sacred’ and ‘holy’ images and icons?

and wouldnt it be sacrilege or blasphemous for one to destroy or break them?

I know your not Eastern Orthodox ,and either one can snub their nose them /this or see it from a brotherly perspective but heres a passage from one of their websites-

“We venerate Thy most pure image, O Good One…”

One of the striking characteristics of our Holy Orthodox Church is the special devotion given to the sacred images of our Lord, His Blessed Mother and all of the Saints. They adorn our churches and sanctify our homes. From our infancy, we are taught to venerate all icons with reverence and respect for the holy ones that they represent.
In the 8th century, however, the Church became embroiled in a fierce controversy over whether it was proper to treat icons in such a special way. Led by the Emperor Leo, the iconoclasts viewed such devotion as “pagan.” Icons were removed from churches and all public places. Even when the 7th Ecumenical Council, which was held in Nicea in 787 A.D., declared: “ICONS ARE TO BE VENERATED; GOD ALONE IS TO BE WORSHIPPED,” the controversy continued to rage. Scores of supporters of the Orthodox position on icons were martyred for their convictions.

In 843 A.D., Empress Irene was able to finally end this bitter conflict. On the First Sunday of Lent that year, the veneration of icons was restored to its rightful place in the life of the Church. It is said that a great procession with holy icons took place in the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople that day, as thousands celebrated this “Triumph of Orthodoxy.” It is still customary for Orthodox faithful of all jurisdictions and ethnic backgrounds to joyfully gather in prayer on this day, marking the Church’s victory over the iconoclasts. – Weekly Bulletin, March 4, 2001

 

[AntalKalnoky]

Ive read and have always thought that Icons in the Eastern and Catholic churches are held to be Sacred or ‘holy’

Some of the Cards have actual Eastern Icons on them like the Mother of perpetual help icon printed on the card.

Most of the others are western style pictures like Sacred heart pictures or saints in the non byzantine style.

Im not sure if an Eastern icon is still held to be sacred if its not properly Blessed by the Church and im not sure also if the Western art style of painting saints is considered sacred in the Catholic Church blessed or not.

But if all are blessed ,like an Icon why wouldnt they all be considered ‘Sacred’ and ‘holy’ images and icons?

and wouldnt it be sacrilege or blasphemous for one to destroy or break them?

I know your not Eastern Orthodox ,and either one can snub their nose them /this or see it from a brotherly perspective but heres a passage from one of their websites-

“We venerate Thy most pure image, O Good One…”

One of the striking characteristics of our Holy Orthodox Church is the special devotion given to the sacred images of our Lord, His Blessed Mother and all of the Saints. They adorn our churches and sanctify our homes. From our infancy, we are taught to venerate all icons with reverence and respect for the holy ones that they represent.
In the 8th century, however, the Church became embroiled in a fierce controversy over whether it was proper to treat icons in such a special way. Led by the Emperor Leo, the iconoclasts viewed such devotion as “pagan.” Icons were removed from churches and all public places. Even when the 7th Ecumenical Council, which was held in Nicea in 787 A.D., declared: “ICONS ARE TO BE VENERATED; GOD ALONE IS TO BE WORSHIPPED,” the controversy continued to rage. Scores of supporters of the Orthodox position on icons were martyred for their convictions.

In 843 A.D., Empress Irene was able to finally end this bitter conflict. On the First Sunday of Lent that year, the veneration of icons was restored to its rightful place in the life of the Church. It is said that a great procession with holy icons took place in the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople that day, as thousands celebrated this “Triumph of Orthodoxy.” It is still customary for Orthodox faithful of all jurisdictions and ethnic backgrounds to joyfully gather in prayer on this day, marking the Church’s victory over the iconoclasts. – Weekly Bulletin, March 4, 2001

Thank you very much, Brother in Christ. Am indeed planning on Participating fully this Sunday at a Byzantine Divine Liturgy, for my Roman Sunday Obligation; to also attend their 37th Slavic Festival Following. Their Festival draws over 10,000 of all Ethnicities, faiths, cultures. Festival attendance is 10 times their Parish membership, I think. They have The Festival in Northern Virginia, with excellent Eastern and Greek foods. They feature a Known Polka Orchestra from Pennsylvania; Everyone Favorite is the Chicken dance Adults love as much as children. Can’t I receive the Bread and Wine Communion Their Tradition? Equal Fully to Our Holy Eucharist, Consecrated by Our Lord. They are building a far larger new Byzantine Church with Festival Proceeds. They give Tours of their Church, and explain their Icons and Culture. Thank you for telling us that Church Icons are Blessed, Holy. To the best of My knowledge, Staues in Church, and of Course Medals and Rosaries are Blessed. The Stations iof the Cross and everything In Church are Blessed at the Consecration of the Church by ther Bishop.

I and the Roman Church respect the Orthodox Church Fully, as witnessed by the Patriarch of Constatinople and the Bishop of Rome respecting each other as fully Equal. Our Eastern Churches and we are Fully Equal.