Pieta prayer book?

  • Thread starter Thread starter carol810
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

carol810

Guest
+JMJ+

My husband’s family all owns a copy of this book - it’s a little blue prayer book called “PIETA” and has a picture of The Pieta on the front. He got me a copy when we were dating a couple years ago, but some things stuck out at me. Like, even though it appears to be a revised version of the book, it still lists indulgences as “x days/years”, and presents as yet unapproved visions as fact, has lots of claims of promises for certain prayers that don’t appear to be documented, etc. I’ve known many devout Catholics now who’ve used the book, but I’m wondering if it’s one we should get rid of? Anyone know anything about this book? Good or bad?

Thanks!
Carol
 
I have said many prayers in it off and on for years. I have read good and bad some say it is a prevatican prayer book. I have always enjoyed the prayers and have never seen any conflict in saying prayers in this book. As far as indulgences that is not a bad thing to see that an indulgence is attached to prayer but for to many years we Catholic’s were accused of using these indulgences to get our free ticket to heaven. I guess it depends on how you look at it. There are good prayers in this book.🙂
 
The prayers are beautiful, and I think the book is a great resource for that reason. However, the “promises” are technically not supposed to be published. I would ignore them, especially because we should be praying because we love God, not because we want to gain anything.
 
I prayed the “15 Prayers” for a whole year (not just for the promises). I stopped using it as it contains things/claims etc of dubious authenticity. However, it helped me to daily devote a more substantial amount of time to prayer.
 
There is a version of the Pieta prayer book online which has removed the promises attached to the St Bridget prayers - I remember having the prayer book complete with those promises when I was a child, so obviously they’ve made some effort to tidy things up. Obviously if they went all the way the book would be a lot thinner 😃

And yes, unfortunately a large number of the claims are so vague as to be unidentifiable, or unapproved - which is a shame, because some of the prayers are nice and I do say them. It’d be nice to know there were benefits attached, but never mind 🙂
 
I love the Pieta prayer book! There are some wonderful prayers and devotions in it. The promises attached to some of the prayers, as far as I am concerned, inspire me to pray, pray, pray. Not to obtain said promises, but simply because of the inspiration of how much more grace we gain by prayer and devotion.

I have worn out one copy of the book already and use many of the prayers daily. In fact, most, if not all of the prayers and devotions are available in holy cards or in other prayer books, so I don’t think there are any problems.
 
I’ve been using it for over a decade. The latest copy even has two bishops approving it’s contents (including the promises) on the inside front cover.
 
I say prayers from the Pieta Prayerbook every day. There are many beautiful prayers in there, like the Anima Christi, and the Angelus, the St Michael prayer…

I give a copy to each Confirmation student every year. As far as the St. Bridget prayers go, they are beautiful prayers that unite you to the passion of Jesus. Ignore the promises if you want, or use them to inspire you to pray, without having the expectation that you will automatically receive these gifts. The promises should probably be removed from future copies.
 
I love the Pieta prayer book. I don’t understand about the indulgences so I don’t pay it much mind, except to know that God is pleased with the prayers and I will know my reward someday. I pray the prayers such as the prayer to release souls in purgatory, with a confidence that the prayers are efficaious. I like having the book also because of theprayers for the dying. I wish I knew of the book when my grandmother was dying in a hospice. When I was going thru the worst part of the turmoil of my divorce, I would pray the 15 st. Bridget prayers every day as well as the rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, faithfully for about 7 months, and this was such a blessing for me and oasis of peace and sanity ina very insane time. I have several copies and give them away. One got so dog-eared it fell apart.
 
+JMJ+

See, that’s what I don’t like about it. There are so many great prayers that I love - like the prayer for priests, Litany of Humility, etc., etc., but also so much stuff that’s not approved, or writing the indulgences the old way, which isn’t how we are supposed to do it, or presenting apparitions as fact which may not be… it just seems like a good way to lead pious souls astray. I looked it up online - here’s what it said about the St. Bridget prayers:

“PLEASE NOTE: The Notary of the Supreme Holy Congregation of the Holy Office issued a notice, dated 28 January 1954, stating that since the supernatural origin of the promises listed for the 15 Prayers to St. Bridget are uncertain they should not be published or reprinted. Signed by Marius Crovini”

Now, if that was issued in 1954, why didn’t they change it then? It’s just too bad, because I would really like a good, “meaty” prayer book like that, but I don’t want to be led astray, or have some kind of false/misled piety. I guess I’ll have to look for another one. Thanks for all of the replies 🙂
 
It all has to do with our Faith. Is’nt that what God, Jesus, Mary, Joseph and all the Saints are all about. We believe they exist through our faith. Who dares ask God Or Jesus to prove themselves to us, It is us who must prove ourselves to them before we can join them in Heaven. How do we know they exist when we are in dire need and need them the most and we ask them for help and they answer. Sometimes we don’t even notice when we get our answer. I’ve felt their Sprit, I desperately needed them one day, I went to church at 6:00 am one morning, crying all the way there,I walked I didn’t have a car I was living in Manitowoc, Wis., it was a cold, snowy December day. The Church was about 6 blocks away. I didn’t expect anyone to be there, but there was a mass being held, they were having the Rosary for someone who had recently died. I joined in thier prayers, and received Communion. When I came out of there I felt light on my feet, I did’nt feel the cold weather, and I had this happiness inside of me that I’ve never felt before nor felt since then. I know they are there, it is through Faith that most of us know they are there looking out for us. I have Faith that the promises are real. with God’s Love, Esther56
 
Overall it is a very good prayerbook. It contains some of the best prayers there are.

One can easily be cautious and hold a prudent reserve about one or two of the included revelations and benefit from the rest of it, I have my speculative doubts about one or two myself.

The Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget, the Chaplet of St. Michael, the Holy Name… these are some of the best devotions there are. 🙂
 
carol810 said:
+JMJ+

My husband’s family all owns a copy of this book - it’s a little blue prayer book called “PIETA” and has a picture of The Pieta on the front. He got me a copy when we were dating a couple years ago, but some things stuck out at me. Like, even though it appears to be a revised version of the book, it still lists indulgences as “x days/years”, and presents as yet unapproved visions as fact, has lots of claims of promises for certain prayers that don’t appear to be documented, etc. I’ve known many devout Catholics now who’ve used the book, but I’m wondering if it’s one we should get rid of? Anyone know anything about this book? Good or bad?

Thanks!
Carol
Click to expand...
religious bookstores affiliated with parishes in this diocese are not allowed to sell this book because it does allegedly make claims that are not sound Catholic doctrine. I don’t know what they are, but you could ask someone in your diocese in charge of liturgy or in the office of catechetics about this book. All I know is periodically well-meaning people put these in the back of church or in the chapel and we have to round them up and send them to recycling (this is the small paperback, one orange and one blue, depending on if it is Spanish or English).

there is nothing wrong with indulgences per se, the Church is within her authority in granting them and the topic can be searched here for many good references, however the indulgence must be approved and apparently some of these are not
 
I find that the book is arranged so sloppily that I am far too distracted to even know what it says! :o
 
puzzleannie said:
religious bookstores affiliated with parishes in this diocese are not allowed to sell this book because it does allegedly make claims that are not sound Catholic doctrine. I don’t know what they are, but you could ask someone in your diocese in charge of liturgy or in the office of catechetics about this book. All I know is periodically well-meaning people put these in the back of church or in the chapel and we have to round them up and send them to recycling (this is the small paperback, one orange and one blue, depending on if it is Spanish or English).
Click to expand...
That is rather odd given the fact that two Catholic Bishops approved it’s contents.
 
carol810 said:
+JMJ+

My husband’s family all owns a copy of this book - it’s a little blue prayer book called “PIETA” and has a picture of The Pieta on the front. He got me a copy when we were dating a couple years ago, but some things stuck out at me. Like, even though it appears to be a revised version of the book, it still lists indulgences as “x days/years”, and presents as yet unapproved visions as fact, has lots of claims of promises for certain prayers that don’t appear to be documented, etc. I’ve known many devout Catholics now who’ve used the book, but I’m wondering if it’s one we should get rid of? Anyone know anything about this book? Good or bad?

Thanks!
Carol
Click to expand...
the indulgences part is a little outdated, but it’s a great devotional
 
I’ve always particularly loved the image sketched of the Blessed Virgin contained within it.

I typically find Pieta prayerbooks in adoration chapels.
 
Esther56 said:
It all has to do with our Faith. Is’nt that what God, Jesus, Mary, Joseph and all the Saints are all about. We believe they exist through our faith. Who dares ask God Or Jesus to prove themselves to us, It is us who must prove ourselves to them before we can join them in Heaven. How do we know they exist when we are in dire need and need them the most and we ask them for help and they answer. Sometimes we don’t even notice when we get our answer. I’ve felt their Sprit, I desperately needed them one day, I went to church at 6:00 am one morning, crying all the way there,I walked I didn’t have a car I was living in Manitowoc, Wis., it was a cold, snowy December day. The Church was about 6 blocks away. I didn’t expect anyone to be there, but there was a mass being held, they were having the Rosary for someone who had recently died. I joined in thier prayers, and received Communion. When I came out of there I felt light on my feet, I did’nt feel the cold weather, and I had this happiness inside of me that I’ve never felt before nor felt since then. I know they are there, it is through Faith that most of us know they are there looking out for us. I have Faith that the promises are real. with God’s Love, Esther56
Click to expand...
great post! 👍 🙂

I see this is your first post at CAF, welcome! :hug1:
 
concerning the number of days/years and indulgences…

this doesn’t refer to the time to be taken off purgatory 🙂 it refers to early Church penances.

but many people don’t know this… I didn’t either until I was told.

So don’t worry about the numbers 🙂 the Church doesn’t use them anymore perhaps because of this confusion.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top