Interruptions during Prayer?

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I can see what you’re saying to a point, but where do we draw the line? If I go into my room to pray Vespers at night, I will endeavor to finish the office without interruption. That is an official prayer of the Church with a set structure that I’ve, in that moment, committed to pray. If I start praying a Rosary while out walking, but decide to stop after the first decade, do I sin for not continuing to pray the second decade? I’m not bound to pray the Rosary while I’m out walking.
 
twf said:
If I start praying a Rosary while out walking, but decide to stop after the first decade, do I sin for not continuing to pray the second decade?
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As long as you finished saying the Rosary at some point that day, I would think not, assuming there was a genuine reason for interrupting your prayer. If out of laziness etc. you decided not to finish the prayer you began earlier, then yes, I think that would be sinful. If you forgot to finish the Rosary, then I think there is no sin - you honestly forgot.

If I was praying a Rosary, and the phone rang, there is nothing wrong in answering it, then returning to finish your Rosary. The same if someone knocked on your door.
 
Welcome to CAF and to the club. I suffered from scrupulosity for years and occasionally it still pops up (like catching a cold). Liguori Publications had a book (hopefully it’s still in print) called Scrupulous Anonymous. That book and similar booklets from Liguori really helped me.

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, it takes the grace of God, prayer, blood, sweat and tears to overcome scrupulosity.
 
Thank you for your post! I had a similar situation last Saturday, which was the First Saturday of September. Usually I’m fine praying the Rosary and doing my meditation before the Blessed Sacrament. This time I got through 2 decades in one hour because I was constantly being distracted. I actually left the chapel (which I haven’t done in a long time) and went home. I didn’t get my meditation on the 15 mysteries of the Rosary done until about 2 am Sunday, so I was wondering if my meditation even counted for First Saturday (I was on the Joyful Mysteries when it turned midnight.)

This was my third First Saturday and it seems that the First Saturdays are becoming tougher for me. (I posted on other threads what happened to me in July and August.)
 
I think you could also have the intention (start out with this intention) to pray a single decade, no?
 
You are a God-send!!! :hugs::hugs::hugs:

I’m bookmarking this thread and your links.
 
With thoughts that just occur to us, just ignore, gently bring your mind back to the prayer you’re saying and continue on. This has merit. 😀
Margaret_Ann said:
I didn’t get my meditation on the 15 mysteries of the Rosary done until about 2 am Sunday, so I was wondering if my meditation even counted for First Saturday (I was on the Joyful Mysteries when it turned midnight.)
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I say it did. Your intention was for the First Saturday, even if completed after midnight.

You don’t need to say all 15 mysteries. One set of mysteries is all that is required of us - the 5 mysteries within that Mystery. Joyful or Sorrowful or Luminous or Glorious. It is usual for the first Saturdays to meditate on the Joyful Mysteries - The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Incarnation, The Presentation and the Finding of Jesus in the Temple.

“So, Our Lady has asked that in addition to praying the rosary on the first Saturdays, one should also spend fifteen minutes meditating on one OR more of the rosary mysteries in order to better exemplify the virtues hidden therein.” (Bold, Italics and capital OR is mine). A suggestion - How to Make Your First Saturday Rosary Meditation According to Sr. Lucia

or this → The Five First Saturdays Devotion
 
Thank you, but imo I doubt that. Thank God for any good that I may do in this life.
 
Yes, I had that thought too. If the intention is to only pray one decade and that is from the Our Father to the Fatima Prayer, and one did that, then there is no sin because you completed the offered prayer that you intended to offer.

Sorry for missing your reply, but this one didn’t show in my notifications.
 
Not quite. Reparation must be made to Her Immaculate Heart:

Then the Most Holy Virgin said:
‘Look My daughter, at My Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men
pierce Me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least try to console Me and announce in My name that I promise to assist at the moment of
death, with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the First
Saturday of five consecutive months shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five
decades of the Rosary, and keep Me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on
the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making Reparation to Me.’3

Sister Lucia was asked why 5 First Saturdays? Our Lord told her:

“My daughter, the reason is simple. There are five types
of offenses and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

1. Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception.
2. Blasphemies against Her Perpetual Virginity.
3. Blasphemies against Her Divine Maternity, in refusing at the same time to recognize
Her as the Mother of men.
4. The blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children indifference or scorn, or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother.
5. The offenses of those who outrage Her directly in Her holy images.

“Here, My daughter, is the
reason why the Immaculate Heart
of Mary inspired Me to ask for this
little act of Reparation …”30

Everything must be done in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in reparation for these blasphemies against Her.

Source: www.fatima.org
 
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Margaret_Ann said:
Reparation must be made to Her Immaculate Heart:
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Yes, that is right.

On the first link I gave “This has become known as the “First Saturday Devotion,” and its intention is to make reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the many ungrateful offenses she endures from mankind.” and " Our Lady also gave other conditions to fulfill: confession, praying five decades of the rosary, and to keep her company by meditating for fifteen minutes on the rosary mysteries (for example, either in church or before a statue or image of Our Lady)."

In my previous post I was highlighting that only 1 set of Mysteries needed to be said, and not the 4 sets which comprise 20 Mysteries. I also was pointing out that the meditation of 15 minutes could be on only 1 set of Mysteries with the option of meditating on all.

This was in response to an earlier comment of yours wrt the fact you didn’t get your meditation done until 2am. My thinking was that as you said
my meditation on the 15 mysteries
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So as this was the comment I was addressing, I did not mention all components of the First Saturday Devotions.

And on the second link I gave " Tell them that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, in order to make reparation to me, on the First Saturday of five successive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion , say five decades of the Rosary , and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.”

The elements of this devotion, therefore, consist in the following four points, all of which must be offered in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. One should make this intention before carrying out Our Lady’s requests ." All 4 following points mention they are to be done in reparation to Her Immaculate Heart.
 
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clairemarie said:
Hello everyone,
I have a question about interruptions/distractions during prayer. Is it sinful to begin a prayer such while being aware that someone will interrupt you? For example, say you have a roommate and you know that they will be back at a certain time. If you begin praying a prayer such as the Rosary, knowing that you’ll be interrupted by them coming back, is it sinful? Thank you very much for your help 😊
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The catechism refers us to three “types” of prayer…

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s1c3a1.htm

Vocal prayer, meditation and contemplative…please refer to the link for a more detailed description.

So, practically speaking…if you know you’re roommate gets home at a certain time, avoid making that your meditative prayer time.

Take Christ literally… go find a closet…

Matthew 6:6 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you

Try going to an hour of adoration a week, a nice quiet place in the presence of the Eucharist, Christ…can totally change things for ya.

Start to discipline yourself while praying…kind of the same thing as when you’re reading and your mind wanders so you have to go back a few paragraphs and start over, nothing wrong with that. The brain is a creature of memory muscle.

Avoid certain things, caffeine, stop watching tv and get off the computer for awhile before you start…turn the light down…I live in the country, but if I lived in the city I would have to put on noise cancelling headphones because I am easily distrac…SQUIRREL!!!

And lastly, remember how many time Jesus chastised the disciples and had to wake them up when He prayed? And these were the main crew…the ones closest to Him…

By that I mean give yourself a break…the fact you are speaking with God shows He is with you and your mind is seeking him, distractions and all.

I only tell you these things because as a card carrying life long member of the ADHD club I know how hard it can be…remember what Christ said when you are distracted…

Even though your mind may be miles away

…and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

Soooo…pitter patter let’s get at 'er 😎

M
 
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Interruptions happen. Just do not allow interruptions from keeping you from completing your prayer mission. Go back to where you were and finish. It’s now how we start things. It’s how we finish them.
🙏
 
If you remember that prayer is talking to God, or the saints, it might help to remember that we get interrupted in our conversations with people all the time, and then we pick up the thread of the conversation later.
 
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