praying rosary during mass?

[Sacramentalist]

jimmy:

You must be pretty talented since you can say the Hail Mary and the Confiteor simultaneously. I wish I had that talent.

What are you talking about? You’re not making any sense.

The point is that there are different ways to “actively participate” in the Liturgy, as the Church has always taught. Saying the responses is not absolutely necessary of every member of the faithful. Under certain conditions, the judgement of which is for each and every Catholic to make on his own, saying the Rosary or any other private devotion, all the while uniting your prayers to the Sacrifice, is just as efficacious as saying the responses and otherwise following along in the Missal.

If you have words from Rome contradicting this, and not just your opinion which means absolutely nothing, I’ll stand corrected.

Hmmm…what about reading the Bible during mass???

Sure thing. This would be in conformity with the principles laid down by Pius XII.

Objectively, of course, (meaning: all things being equal) there is no better way to actively participate in the Mass than to follow along in the Missal. Subjectively, however, some people may be able to better dispose themselves by praying private devotions and offering their prayers in union with the Sacrifice.

For example: in the situation I encountered, which I noted below, I said my rosary during the priest-monks’ Private Masses, and then followed along in the Missal at the conventual Solemn Mass. What’s wrong with this? Nothing, according to Pius XII.

 

[WynCatholic]

FrmrTrad:

Who has the true faith? The Novus Ordo Catholic who rejects most of what the Church teaches, or the little old lady with her Rosary.

Who has the true faith? The Novus Ordo Catholic who honors the magisterium and the doctrines of the Church? …or the parishioner, who’s concern for cherishing the accomplishments of the past nurtures schism and discord?

 

[palmas85]

I realize that no one has replied to this post for while, but I found someting that appears to have some relevance to it. The following is from The New Marian Missal published in 1950. It may explain a few things.

We give here some practical hints which will help you to follow the Holy Mass with piety and fruit.
1, Follow all the ceremonies of the Mass and say the Sorrowfull Mysteries and consider the sorrowful Mysteries. OR
2. Read in the prayer book the prayers which correspond to the various parts of the Mass. OR
3. Say Mass with the priest to adore God to thank Him and to implore His pardon and ask for new graces, and in order to obtain this say:
a. from the Confiteor to the Offertory attentively and slowly 5 times the Our Father and 5 times the Hail Mary to adore God.
b. From the Offertory to the Elevation, 5 times the Our father and 5 times the Hail Mary, to give thanks to God.
c. From the Elevation to Comunion 5 times the Our Father and 5 times the Hail Mary to do penance and to obtain remission of sins.
d. From the communion to the Last Gospel, 5 times th Our Father and 5 times the Hail Mary to beeseech mercy for others and yourself.

Maybe this would explain why people would often say the Rosary or engage in some private prayer during Mass.

Just as an aside, even though those following the above guidelines were not responding verbally throughout the Mass or holding hands or singing, the above would seem to me to be pretty active participation in the Mass by any objective standard.

 

[steve99]

I still see people saying the rosary during Mass, not often though. I think it used to be quite common in the pre-vatican II latin mass days.

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

For some reason, I think if I were to approach my pastor and ask him if he would mind me praying a Rosary during his homily, I have a pretty good idea of what he would tell me. He may put an hour or two into writing his 10 minute homilies and I don’t think it is charitable of me to not give him my undivided attention.

Secondly, the Mass is about the worship of God the Father and the Sacrifice of his Son. He gave His life for us, and it seems to me we could give ourselves entirely to him - heart, soul, and mind - for that hour. Some may feel they are giving themselves to Him in praying the Rosary and if they can do that, I suppose that is fine.

However, I personally cannot meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary while hearing readings I am suppose to be listening to, or putting my entire being into the most important part of the mass that follows. I don’t buy the argument that it is traditional to pray a Rosary in Mass. It doesn’t matter. Where are our hearts and minds suppose to be is what matters and my brain simply cannot meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary while giving my undivided attention to each part of the Mass.

**For some reason, I don’t think the Blessed Mother would mind if we found another 20 minutes during the day outside of the Mass to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary. In fact, I believe she would treasure it so much more for us to give that extra time in devotion. **

 

[netmilsmom]

Lux_et_veritas:

**For some reason, I don’t think the Blessed Mother would mind if we found another 20 minutes during the day outside of the Mass to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary. In fact, I believe she would treasure it so much more for us to give that extra time in devotion. **

Amen!
Our Mother wants us to concentrate on her son at Holy Mass.
She wants us to concentrate on her son at all times. I see no use of praying the Rosary when the greatest prayer is going on.

Unless you need it for strength in a mass full of abuses.

 

[davy39]

netmil(name removed by moderator):

Amen!
Our Mother wants us to concentrate on her son at Holy Mass.
She wants us to concentrate on her son at all times. I see no use of praying the Rosary when the greatest prayer is going on.

Unless you need it for strength in a mass full of abuses.

Somebody commented that catholics should say the rosary before Mass, instead of during. Catholics actually arriving twenty minutes early for Mass. Right. That’s not usually going to happen. If it did, it is usually so noisy in the church, nobody could consentrate on prayer if they wanted to. My wife, who is a convert, can never figure out why most people arrive five minutes or less before Mass starts. I really don’t know what to tell her.

 

[jordan]

I don’t say the rosary during mass…never have. I don’t have a problem with someone else saying it (not aloud, please!), and if it is an aid for you in your participation in what the mass is, then by all means, go for it. Sometimes the “participation” that’s assumed the norm nowadays, doesn’t doesn’t achieve the goal (going through the motions *is “*active”, and I’m sure those whose minds are elsewhere still feel they “participated”). I often find myself meditating on some aspect of the gospels or the passion, touched off by something or another during the mass, and have a pretty intense spiritual experience that I don’t expect is shared by anyone else. I suppose a serious reflection on the sorrowful mysteries would be a great way to prepare to receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord in the Eucharist.

At any rate, I can see where both sides are coming from. If you have access to a reverent mass, that you can understand, I would not routinely lose myself in prayers other than the mass itself. When I was a young altar boy serving the mass in latin, some of those “old ladies” with rosaries in their hand attended both the 0630 and 0800 mass, and received communion, every day. I think they knew what the mass was/is all about.

jb

 

[Lux_et_veritas]

davy39:

Somebody commented that catholics should say the rosary before Mass, instead of during. Catholics actually arriving twenty minutes early for Mass. Right. That’s not usually going to happen. If it did, it is usually so noisy in the church, nobody could consentrate on prayer if they wanted to. My wife, who is a convert, can never figure out why most people arrive five minutes or less before Mass starts. I really don’t know what to tell her.

At the parish I just moved to, this is a huge point - SILENCE

There are notes on all the doors requesting that people remain silent in the church out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament and people praying. The silence to me was stunning in the beginning. Every now and then you hear someone violating that request and I can honestly say it throws things out of balance. The atmosphere is totally prayerful.

The priests regularly foster an atmosphere of respect by reminding people frequently of various things they can do to build that respect.