OK, so what do we DO and WHY?

[DL82]

A few silly little questions, the kind of things cradle Catholics know, but newbies like me don’t, and don’t want to ask for fear of drawing blank looks or looking stupid.

1. Crossing yourself - is there anything in particular Latin Catholics are supposed to do with their hand, other than move it up and down then left to right? I have been holding the thumb + first two fingers together, with the other two fingers folded down, as the Orthodox do, to represent the trinity and the incarnation. Is that appropriate? I notice others don’t quite do that, but I can’t seem to see what they do do, or why?

Also, is there some kind of prayer we’re supposed to say to ourselves whenever we cross ourselves?

1. The 3 crosses thingy - where people make a cross on their forehead, lips and heart before the Gospel reading at Mass. Again, is that all there is to it? Why do we do this and what are we supposed to be thinking and praying when we do?
2. Confession - all of it. I have heard that there is a prayer to be prayed before entering the confessional, what is it and where would I find it? Also, what do I say exactly when I make my first confession? Is the Act of Contrition always a set prayer, or can it just be saying “God, I’m really really sorry and want your help to change”?
3. Genuflecting - is there a right and wrong way to do it? Is it different for men and women? Again, have been doing this according to the Eastern tradition, cross self, bend right over at the waist, sweep the floor with right hand, stand up, cross self again, though I notice this isn’t how most people do it.
4. Adoration - all of it. I notice people stop and stand before entering the chapel where the tabernacle is, and say a short prayer to themselves. What is this prayer? Am I supposed to do anything in particular while I’m kneeling at adoration? I usually just pray the Rosary, or just sit there being totally awe-struck by the fact that our Lord comes to us in this amazing way. As I’m still not in communion, and as such have no physical way of bridging the gap between the presence of Christ in the Sacrament/tabernacle and my physical body, I tend to pray to Our Lady a lot to bring Christ to me in some spiritual way.
5. The Rosary - am I supposed to meditate on the mystery and then pray the Hail Mary, or pray then meditate, or meditate while praying? Nobody’s ever really explained this one to me. I am still incapable of really getting any understanding out of my meditation, other than memorising the passages about the mysteries, or just going ‘wow’ at them. If I am asked to pray “A Rosary” for someone, is that 5 decades, 15 or 20?
6. Fasts & Feasts - I know I am not supposed to eat meat on Fridays, does this also include cheese? what about eggs? Is there anything in particular I am obligated to do on a feast day, i.e. Sundays and all holy days of obligation? E.g. must I eat some meat on that day? Must I not do any penitential/fasting type of action on that day?

OK, that’s all I can think of for now. These are all silly little questions, and I don’t really know if the answers matter, but I worry that there must be some reason for all of these traditions, and, as i don’t know those reasons, maybe I’m missing out on gaining the full benefit of these spiritual exercises.

 

[SMHW]

A few silly little questions, the kind of things cradle Catholics know, but newbies like me don’t, and don’t want to ask for fear of drawing blank looks or looking stupid.

I’ll tackle a few of these now.

1. Crossing yourself - in the Western Church it is usual to use all four fingers. There is no special thing we should do with the thumb that I’ve ever heard of but I tend to loosely tuck it in over my palm and other fingers. We are thinking, ‘In the name of the Father (touching forehead), and of the Son (touching heart), and of the Holy Spirit (touching two shoulders.)’
2. The 3 crosses thingy - We are thinking that Jesus - the Word of God - is on our minds and on our lips and in our hearts.
3. Genuflecting - In the Western Church all that is required is to bend, touch the right knee to the floor, and rise again. Many people make the sign of the cross somewhere in this process but that is not necessary.
4. Adoration - There is no set prayer for adoration. You may pray whatever you wish. Most people probably have a favorite prayer or set of prayers. Perhaps some people will post theirs.

 

[Epsilon_Omega]

Good questions, not silly at all, I’ll try to answer a few for you.

1. It basically represents: May the word of God be in our thoughts, on our lips, and in our hearts.
2. There are a couple prayers, I have a nice brown prayer book (can’t remember name of it), (any catholic prayer book would have it). Buy one if you can. The act of contrition is a set prayer in a way, but it can be your own words. As long as it involves, being sorry and vowing to not sin again, you are correct.
3. For me personally, I do it on both knees, just because I went to a monastary for a retreat and the brothers and seminarians were doing it that way and I like it. Normally its just basically going down on one knee and making the cross. Its not hard.
4. I have a hard problem with the rosary, just because I struggle with meditation (I am 18 and have problems focusing on calming down, , but I am getting better. There is a great scriptural rosary info on catecheticsonline.com/ Sorry can’t find the right link to it. Don’t have much time, I’ll send it to you later once I find it.

That’s a bit for you. Sorry about the rest of the questions…

Are you currently planning to join the church?

 

[promethius95945]

1. Crossing yourself - is there anything in particular Latin Catholics are supposed to do with their hand, other than move it up and down then left to right? I have been holding the thumb + first two fingers together, with the other two fingers folded down, as the Orthodox do, to represent the trinity and the incarnation. Is that appropriate? I notice others don’t quite do that, but I can’t seem to see what they do do, or why?

Any respectful posture of the hand should do. I particularly hold my index finger and thumb in a rudimentary cross with my other three fingers folded down tightly. I do this because I also follow an old tradition of making the sign of the cross and then touching my heart with the “cross” made by my thumb and forefinger, and then bringing my hand to my mouth to kiss the cross.

Also, is there some kind of prayer we’re supposed to say to ourselves whenever we cross ourselves?

reflect on your baptism and your salvation which was bought upon the cross.

1. The 3 crosses thingy - where people make a cross on their forehead, lips and heart before the Gospel reading at Mass. Again, is that all there is to it? Why do we do this and what are we supposed to be thinking and praying when we do?

I am thinking about how God should be on our minds, on our lips, and in our heards.

1. Confession - all of it. I have heard that there is a prayer to be prayed before entering the confessional, what is it and where would I find it? Also, what do I say exactly when I make my first confession? Is the Act of Contrition always a set prayer, or can it just be saying “God, I’m really really sorry and want your help to change”?

The act of contrition is a set prayer. As to prayers BEFORE going to confession, you can look up several of them online or, as I do, you can reflect on your sins and meditate on the nature of destruction that sin causes in the world.

1. Genuflecting - is there a right and wrong way to do it? Is it different for men and women? Again, have been doing this according to the Eastern tradition, cross self, bend right over at the waist, sweep the floor with right hand, stand up, cross self again, though I notice this isn’t how most people do it.

In the latin right: bend RIGHT knee and come down to kneeling on the right knee, appropriately bow your head, make the sign of the cross (if appropriate), stand.

1. Adoration - all of it.

sounds like you’re doing pretty well in this area.

1. The Rosary - am I supposed to meditate on the mystery and then pray the Hail Mary, or pray then meditate, or meditate while praying? Nobody’s ever really explained this one to me. I am still incapable of really getting any understanding out of my meditation, other than memorising the passages about the mysteries, or just going ‘wow’ at them. If I am asked to pray “A Rosary” for someone, is that 5 decades, 15 or 20?

First, most times you pray the rosary, you read the mystery and then you spend a few moments (or minutes as need may be) in silence and meditation on the mystery BEFORE starting the decade.
For praying the rosary for special intentions, you can do one “set” (five decades), or the full four mysteries, or twenty “sets.” That is up to you and the need you feel to pray to God about a subject.

1. Fasts & Feasts - I know I am not supposed to eat meat on Fridays, does this also include cheese? what about eggs? Is there anything in particular I am obligated to do on a feast day, i.e. Sundays and all holy days of obligation? E.g. must I eat some meat on that day? Must I not do any penitential/fasting type of action on that day?

cheese and eggs are good to go. You are not REQUIRED to abstain on a feast day. You may choose to do so as the case may warrant. You are never required to indulge in meat. on holy days of obligation you are required to attend mass

 

[Margita]

1. Confession - all of it. I have heard that there is a prayer to be prayed before entering the confessional, what is it and where would I find it? Also, what do I say exactly when I make my first confession? Is the Act of Contrition always a set prayer, or can it just be saying “God, I’m really really sorry and want your help to change”?

 

[DL82]

Thanks to all of you for your information on clearing this up. It has opened my eyes to a few things, and to some new ideas of where to go for resources on prayer and tradition.

God bless.

DL82

 

[kage_ar]

One more suggestion? Catholicism for Dummies (don’t be offended by the title, it is a good resource).

 

[twosweetgirls]

Your questions are awesome! As a baby Catholic myself, I can’t get enough and find questions like yours to be inspiring and reminding. Thank you!

 

[lak611]

1. Genuflecting - In the Western Church all that is required is to bend, touch the right knee to the floor, and rise again. Many people make the sign of the cross somewhere in this process but that is not necessary.
2. Adoration - There is no set prayer for adoration. You may pray whatever you wish. Most people probably have a favorite prayer or set of prayers. Perhaps some people will post theirs.

The only exception to the genuflecting procedure is during Adoration. When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the Monstrance (the gold vessel on the altar during adoration, with the Sacred Host in the centre), when you enter the church you genuflect on both knees.

 

[baltobetsy]

The only exception to the genuflecting procedure is during Adoration. When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in the Monstrance (the gold vessel on the altar during adoration, with the Sacred Host in the centre), when you enter the church you genuflect on both knees.

While this is a lovely gesture, it is not required.

84. A single genuflection is made in the presence of the blessed sacrament, whether reserved in the tabernacle or exposed for public adoration

Betsy

 

[lak611]

While this is a lovely gesture, it is not required.

Betsy

Thanks! I sometimes go to a shrine parish that has perpetual adoration (and Poor Clare Sisters). I have always seen everybody do the double genuflection, so I just did the same. I did not know this was not a rule since everybody seemed to be doing it.

 

[baltobetsy]

Most people believe it is still required, and still do it. But it’s good to know, especially if the double genuflection is difficult for you.

Betsy