RCIA questions (sabbath, Mary)

[redshock]

I decided to continue on with RCIA. It starts in September so I’m just attending church again and researching on my own. I have a few questions…

1. I see in the bible that the sabbath was important. Before Christ, the jews kept it. My bible’s commentary says the Sabbath was a Jewish tradition. However, I see God rested before there were jews. When Christ rose from the dead, I see Christians seperating themselves from the Jews. I heard it was after a battle. The gentiles didn’t know their traditions. So, all of that is of course my own understanding. However, my main question is… is the shift to Sunday influenced by God or by gentiles? Where did the 7th day go, even when Christ said he’s Lord of the sabbath? Surely, I would assume he didn’t abolish it from what I can tell. Seems like he was trying to give them the true meaning of the sabbath without their 1000 rules to go by on that day.
2. Being a protestant I had a hard time with the Mary prayers. I understand they don’t worship her, and they don’t force you to pray to her if you don’t see the need. I agree one should always respect and learn more from her. I’m fine with that. But when it comes to confession, the priest might say to resite 10 hail Mary’s. What to do there? Tell the priest I don’t pray to Mary? I mean, I really respect her, no question. I never had a need to pray to anyone except the big boss.

Insights would be great on these. I really love the catholic church, really believe it’s founded under Christ. But I still have some questions I’m trying to understand. Thanks.

 

[Bob4BVM]

I decided to continue on with RCIA. It starts in September so I’m just attending church again and researching on my own. I have a few questions…

1. I see in the bible that the sabbath was important. Before Christ, the jews kept it. My bible’s commentary says the Sabbath was a Jewish tradition. However, I see God rested before there were jews. When Christ rose from the dead, I see Christians seperating themselves from the Jews. I heard it was after a battle. The gentiles didn’t know their traditions. So, all of that is of course my own understanding. However, my main question is… is the shift to Sunday influenced by God or by gentiles? Where did the 7th day go, even when Christ said he’s Lord of the sabbath? Surely, I would assume he didn’t abolish it from what I can tell. Seems like he was trying to give them the true meaning of the sabbath without their 1000 rules to go by on that day.
2. Being a protestant I had a hard time with the Mary prayers. I understand they don’t worship her, and they don’t force you to pray to her if you don’t see the need. I agree one should always respect and learn more from her. I’m fine with that. But when it comes to confession, the priest might say to resite 10 hail Mary’s. What to do there? Tell the priest I don’t pray to Mary? I mean, I really respect her, no question. I never had a need to pray to anyone except the big boss.

Insights would be great on these. I really love the catholic church, really believe it’s founded under Christ. But I still have some questions I’m trying to understand. Thanks.

DOn’t worry about understanding every detail, some of it we never will.
As a fellow convert, Mary was the very last thing for me to accept, and that came in a most incredibly beautiful way for me, after I had been in the Church for MANY years !
Be patient with God, and yourself. Just Trust Him.

 

[Jermosh]

1, several areas in the NT it removes the old laws, Sunday became a tradition from Messianic Jews celebrating Sabbath and then coming together on Sunday to learn more about Christ. Sunday is also the day of Christ’s Resurrection, its a new beginning, etc, etc, etc. There is a lot of symbolism with Sunday.

But it gets even better, worshipping and keeping Sunday holy is actually a Mans law or discipline. Any priest can make Sunday a non worship day based on the individuals case, if they are a Dr, or Medical, work for a 24/7 company, etc, etc, etc. But they should not remove the obligation based on things like sports or something frivolous. But we can also state when Sunday really is, since we are in fact Messianic Jews in traditions and lineage, we take the tradition of Sabbath being sundown to sundown.

1. This was a weird area for my conversion as well. In the jyst you are not worshiping Mary, you are talking to her and meditating to her to become closer to Christ. In reality, who would be the best example of coming closer to Christ. With this come caveats though, the Church is not saying that we cannot just go directly to Christ himself, but we being humans and weak, we feel inferior to be able to do this. Think about it, He was Perfect Being, Awe-inspiring, I myself would be a intimidated to meet my senator or President let alone Christ. So saints are a way of coping with that, they are also Ideal examples of how to live our lives. Saints are also powerful helpers in prayer, think of it as a prayer bot in a way. yeah my WoW is showing…

Hail Marys are a mediation and prayer tool, they are not prayers to Mary in the manner you think. They came from yet another Jewish tradition as well. If you ever see conservative or hasidic Jews you will notice a long rope with knots in them. They speak/sing/recite the Psalms and each bead is for each Psalm. This was led on by Christians, especially monks and religious orders since many of them prayer 16hrs a day or more. The actual prayer itself is entirely biblical, and its meant to have this calming and rhythmic sense to it to allow you to clarify what you are thinking on. In the case of confession it would be the sin you committed, in the case of the full decants it would be the mysteries that are in it. I can personally say that saying the Rosary near the tabernacle alone can bring even me to my knees and tears.

Good luck on your journey, its a really hard one, fight to the end though and fight every issue you find in the Church with all your heart.

 

[Moscati]

1. You’re right–God resting on the Sabbath is present from the very beginning of Genesis. (That doesn’t mean it isn’t a Jewish tradition–it is that too. ) The commandment to “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy” is still upheld in the Catholic teaching of the Sunday obligation–one must attend Mass on Sunday. The shift from Saturday to Sunday was an organic change. Christ rose on Sunday, so it was fitting to celebrate on that day, and like Jermosh said, early on, observing Jewish Christians still went to the synagogues on Saturdays, so that day was already taken, so to speak.
2. Marian prayers can be so difficult for those of us who come from Protestant traditions! I had gotten to the point where I was ready to become Catholic, last year during Lent. I had decided I just didn’t understand Marian stuff–I could trust the Church, but I didn’t get it. A friend challenged me on it, and asked me to try praying the Rosary, and I did. And I’ve had peace about it since then, and made the Rosary part of my life. I wouldn’t say I have a “need” to ask Mary for intercession, but it has dramatically helped my spiritual life. (It’s sort of along the lines of "well, I don’t need friends or family–you may not, technically . . . but don’t they make our lives so much better?)

 

[prodigalson12]

I never felt resistance to Mary, she was there, all I knew, and called that, that. When I started to place focus on her, she revealed herself to me in a very wonderful way. One of the big reasons we as Catholics revere her, she’s extremely helpful to your faith in a very intimate level. She’s also not exclusive to the Catholic church, and even the most die hard, fundamentalist Protestant would greatly benefit from her, they only need to ask, that’s all. I just cannot understand why people think she’s so unapproachable, she’s by far not, and with the many apparitions of her throughout history, aren’t you the least bit curious about her, making her presence known in this way that Christ himself has not…

 

[JRKH]

I decided to continue on with RCIA. It starts in September so I’m just attending church again and researching on my own. I have a few questions…

WELCOME HOME!!!

I’m sure others are already giving you good answers so I will just make brief comments from my heart as a “revert”.

1. I see in the bible that the sabbath was important. Before Christ, the jews kept it. My bible’s commentary says the Sabbath was a Jewish tradition. However, I see God rested before there were jews. When Christ rose from the dead, I see Christians seperating themselves from the Jews. I heard it was after a battle. The gentiles didn’t know their traditions. So, all of that is of course my own understanding. However, my main question is… is the shift to Sunday influenced by God or by gentiles? Where did the 7th day go, even when Christ said he’s Lord of the sabbath? Surely, I would assume he didn’t abolish it from what I can tell. Seems like he was trying to give them the true meaning of the sabbath without their 1000 rules to go by on that day.

Indeed He is the “Lord of the Sabbath” without all of the rules, which could easily be seen as the “rule” that it be on the 7th day. After all, what is important about “The Lords Day”? It is that we reserve this day for Worship of Him; To recognize his Power and His grace in our lives. What better day to do this in the new convenet than on the first day of the week, and this for two reasons.

1. It is the day on which Our Lord rose from the dead
2. It sets aside the very FIRST day of our week for Praise and Glory of God. Thus placing this as the very first thing we do instead of the last thing.

So yes - I’d say that the shift is clearly of God as delivered through His Church.

1. Being a protestant I had a hard time with the Mary prayers. I understand they don’t worship her, and they don’t force you to pray to her if you don’t see the need. I agree one should always respect and learn more from her. I’m fine with that. But when it comes to confession, the priest might say to resite 10 hail Mary’s. What to do there? Tell the priest I don’t pray to Mary? I mean, I really respect her, no question. I never had a need to pray to anyone except the big boss.

I too am a bit uncomfortable with the Marion prayers, though it no longer extends to the Hail Mary, so I do know where you are coming from.
I don’t see why you couldn’t tell your confessor this. I’m sure he would substitute some other prayers, probably the Our Father. On the other hand you might consider praying this “uncomfortable prayer” as a “part of your penance”. I’m sure that over time God will give you more insights into our Lady and show you how she is our wonderful and Loving mother. Then you won’t feel so uncomfortable. That is what I am learning.

Insights would be great on these. I really love the catholic church, really believe it’s founded under Christ. But I still have some questions I’m trying to understand. Thanks.

So do I and so do we all.
Be patient with yourself. The Church is like a huge banquet.
You have come to that banquet table piled high with wonderful and delectable foods and it can look both delicious and overwhelming.
Of couse everyone has different tastes and drawn are to certain delights more quickly than to others and no one can eat “everything at once”. Sitting at this table we are fortunate to be served by God’s most Holy Spirit himself, who will make sure that our plate is always full of just what we need - when we need it.

Peace
James

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I decided to continue on with RCIA. It starts in September so I’m just attending church again and researching on my own. I have a few questions…

1. I see in the bible that the sabbath was important. Before Christ, the jews kept it. My bible’s commentary says the Sabbath was a Jewish tradition. However, I see God rested before there were jews. When Christ rose from the dead, I see Christians seperating themselves from the Jews. I heard it was after a battle. The gentiles didn’t know their traditions. So, all of that is of course my own understanding. However, my main question is… is the shift to Sunday influenced by God or by gentiles? Where did the 7th day go, even when Christ said he’s Lord of the sabbath? Surely, I would assume he didn’t abolish it from what I can tell. Seems like he was trying to give them the true meaning of the sabbath without their 1000 rules to go by on that day.
2. Being a protestant I had a hard time with the Mary prayers. I understand they don’t worship her, and they don’t force you to pray to her if you don’t see the need. I agree one should always respect and learn more from her. I’m fine with that. But when it comes to confession, the priest might say to resite 10 hail Mary’s. What to do there? Tell the priest I don’t pray to Mary? I mean, I really respect her, no question. I never had a need to pray to anyone except the big boss.

Insights would be great on these. I really love the catholic church, really believe it’s founded under Christ. But I still have some questions I’m trying to understand. Thanks.

The “Sabbath” means a day of rest. The early Fathers use the term “Sabbathing” or resting on the Lord’s Day. This clearly tells us that the shift to Sunday was because Christ rose from the dead on Sunday. I also believe that Christ only appeared to the apostles and disciples after His Resurrection on the First Day of the Week.

Have you ever actually carefully looked at the words of the “Hail Mary prayer”? The first half comes directly from Luke’s Gospel, the second half makes a statement about Christ’s Divinity and asks her to pray for us? Why the difficulty?

 

[JRKH]

The following passage from Scripture shows that even in the time of the apostles, Sunday was a day when they “gathered together to break bread” (breaking bread of course refers to the Eucharist).
Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread,

This is good, but it really does not indicate that “the first day” replaced “the sabbath”, or seventh day as the day of rest. Considering that the passage goes on to say that Paul continued to preach until after midnight, it could well be that the faithful gathered on “The first day” AFTER work, in the evening for the breaking of bread and for fellowship.

What it does show though is an inclination to keep Holy that day upon whcih The Lord was raised.

Peace
James

 

[Cristian_B]

redshock, why did you decide to become part of the Catholic church? What are your reasons? This made me curious.

 

[NHInsider]

This is good, but it really does not indicate that “the first day” replaced “the sabbath”, or seventh day as the day of rest. Considering that the passage goes on to say that Paul continued to preach until after midnight, it could well be that the faithful gathered on “The first day” AFTER work, in the evening for the breaking of bread and for fellowship.

What it does show though is an inclination to keep Holy that day upon whcih The Lord was raised.

Peace
James

It is true that you will not find “proof” in Scripture that our Sabbath obligation has been transferred to the observance of Sunday/Resurrection Day. That’s because it happened gradually and wasn’t set completely until after the second generation of Christians. One of the things that makes us Catholic is that we accept the authoritative teaching role of the Apostolic Church. You can see an example of this, however, in Acts 15, where the Apostles in council (commonly referred to as the Council of Jerusalem) deliberate and render a decision about which of the Jewish laws must be observed by Gentile Christians. The decision to lay aside the requirement of circumcision predates the decision to shift the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday but is a very similar exercise of Apostolic authority.

Your question about prayers to Mary (and by extension to other saints) have been pretty well addressed by others. I would address your particular concern about the possibility of being assigned a penance of Hail Marys - that if a priest were to assign such a penance, there would be nothing wrong with your saying “Father, I’m not really comfortable yet with the practice of prayer to saints, could I have a different penance?” He will probably offer you another option - although he may well encourage you to try the Rosary or another Marian prayer as a way of growing your faith experience.

On that note, I might suggest that you begin to incorporate the Angelus into your day. I think you will find it less uncomfortable and a good way to begin plumbing the riches of devotional practices that the Church has developed over the last 2000 years.

 

[zz912]

redshock,

I’m in RCIA now, coming from a Baptist faith background. I will be entering the Church fully at Easter Vigil!!

Marian devotion and prayer was a hard issue for me as well. A book that REALLY helped me to understand much more was Scot Hahn’s book “Hail, Holy Queen”. I would HIGHLY recommend it. He is a convert (a former Calvinist preacher) who gives information, insight, and a glimpse into his own struggles to understand. All of this in a very conversational style of writing that is easy to follow.

Check out the book from your library or pick it up online. You won’t be disappointed.

God Bless!

 

[Nita]

Re the Sabbath/Sunday question, here’s some info from the Catholic Encyclopedia -
newadvent.org/cathen/14335a.htm

Sunday was the first day of the week according to the Jewish method of reckoning, but for Christians it began to take the place of the Jewish Sabbath in Apostolic times as the day set apart for the public and solemn worship of God. The practice of meeting together on the first day of the week for the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice is indicated in Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; in Apocalypse 1:10, it is called the Lord’s day.
In the Didache (14) the injunction is given: “On the Lord’s Day come together and break bread. And give thanks (offer the Eucharist), after confessing your sins that your sacrifice may be pure”. (Didache written sometime before the year 100 AD)**
St. Ignatius **(Ep. ad Magnes. ix) speaks of Christians as “no longer observing theSabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord’s Day, on which also Our Life rose again”. (Born aprrox 50 AD, died between 98 and 117 AD)
In the **Epistle of Barnabas **(xv) we read: “Wherefore, also, we keep the eight day (i.e. the first of the week) with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose again from the dead”.

**St. Justin **is the first Christian writer to call the day Sunday (I Apol., lxvii) in the celebrated passage in which he describes the worship offered by the early Christians on that day to God. The fact that they met together and offered public worship on Sunday necessitated a certain rest from work on that day. (Born approx 100 AD, died 165 AD)
However, Tertullian (202) is the first writer who expressly mentions the Sunday rest: “We, however (just as tradition has taught us), on the day of the Lord’s Resurrection ought to guard not only against kneeling, but every posture and office of solicitude, deferring even our businesses lest we give any place to the devil” (“De orat.”, xxiii; cf. “Ad nation.”, I, xiii; “Apolog.”, xvi).

(The blue printing - dates - was added by me.)

 

[Pakesh]

I decided to continue on with RCIA. It starts in September so I’m just attending church again and researching on my own. I have a few questions…

1. I see in the bible that the sabbath was important. Before Christ, the jews kept it. My bible’s commentary says the Sabbath was a Jewish tradition. However, I see God rested before there were jews. When Christ rose from the dead, I see Christians seperating themselves from the Jews. I heard it was after a battle. The gentiles didn’t know their traditions. So, all of that is of course my own understanding. However, my main question is… is the shift to Sunday influenced by God or by gentiles? Where did the 7th day go, even when Christ said he’s Lord of the sabbath? Surely, I would assume he didn’t abolish it from what I can tell. Seems like he was trying to give them the true meaning of the sabbath without their 1000 rules to go by on that day.
2. Being a protestant I had a hard time with the Mary prayers. I understand they don’t worship her, and they don’t force you to pray to her if you don’t see the need. I agree one should always respect and learn more from her. I’m fine with that. But when it comes to confession, the priest might say to resite 10 hail Mary’s. What to do there? Tell the priest I don’t pray to Mary? I mean, I really respect her, no question. I never had a need to pray to anyone except the big boss.

Insights would be great on these. I really love the catholic church, really believe it’s founded under Christ. But I still have some questions I’m trying to understand. Thanks.

1. I don’t know the full answer to the Sabbath question, but I have often heard of the 8th day. Early Church Fathers saw in Christ’s resurrection (on the first day of the week), the NEW creation-we are created anew (cf the first day of creation in Genesis) and they spoke of it as the eternal “8th” day. In some Eastern Churches, the baptismal font has eight sides (which also corresponds to the eight people saved in the flood). One other poster mentioned Scott Hahn. I highly suggest you read “A Father Who Keeps His Promises.” It has a great theology of Genesis, and he goes into detail about the Sabbath. There is a lot of great exegesis out there on the Sabbath that I couldn’t begin to get into. God “resting” on the Seventh Day, was a Liturgical Action. He was consecrated Creation, which was all a temple in which Adam and Eve were to worship. In fact the verbs used in Genesis in His commands to “till” the earth is the same verb that means worship-the worship done by the Old Testament Priests. The Sabbath was also a Type (pre-figurement) of Man’s eternal rest in Heaven. That’s all I recall, but, like I said, if you dig deep enough, you can find a lot about the Sabbath.

 

[Pakesh]

I decided to continue on with RCIA. It starts in September so I’m just attending church again and researching on my own. I have a few questions…

1. Being a protestant I had a hard time with the Mary prayers. I understand they don’t worship her, and they don’t force you to pray to her if you don’t see the need. I agree one should always respect and learn more from her. I’m fine with that. But when it comes to confession, the priest might say to resite 10 hail Mary’s. What to do there? Tell the priest I don’t pray to Mary? I mean, I really respect her, no question. I never had a need to pray to anyone except the big boss.

Insights would be great on these. I really love the catholic church, really believe it’s founded under Christ. But I still have some questions I’m trying to understand. Thanks.

God Bless you on your continuing journey! I broke my posts up because I felt myself starting to ramble…sorry about that

First, don’t be discouraged. Mary is often a stumbling block/difficulty for converts. You say you understand that we don’t worship Her. Good, because we don’t. A prayer “to” Mary is a prayer asking for her Prayer to Jesus for you. Second, of course you can always pray directly to God, but Jesus loves listening to and honoring his Mother. Let me ask you-do you ask for your friends’ prayers on your behalf? If you do, and I assume you do, imagine how much more efficacy a prayer from Mary, who is intimately united to the Lord is!!! Much more “powerful” than someone still on Earth! St. Paul tells us himself that the prayer of the righteous and just is powerful! Just think how righteous and just Mary is (and all the Saints in Heaven). Their prayers are powerful indeed. For me, it is a great source of comfort to know that Mary will pray for me if I ask her. She is our Mother. Her joy is to always lead us to Her Son!
I encourage you to continue to ask questions and learn. I am a lifelong “cradle” Catholic and I am still always learning. In fact, it was my Protestant friends who inspired me in College to really come back to the Lord! I highly suggest you read “Hail Holy Queen” by Scott Hahn. Similar to what I posted about the Sabbath, Mary is prefigured throughout the Old Testament-the Queen Mother of the Davidic Crown, the Ark of the Covenant, etc.
God Bless you on your Journey. I will pray for you.
In Christ,
Pakesh

 

[Cristian_B]

God Bless you on your continuing journey! I broke my posts up because I felt myself starting to ramble…sorry about that

First, don’t be discouraged. Mary is often a stumbling block/difficulty for converts. You say you understand that we don’t worship Her. Good, because we don’t. A prayer “to” Mary is a prayer asking for her Prayer to Jesus for you. Second, of course you can always pray directly to God, but Jesus loves listening to and honoring his Mother. Let me ask you-do you ask for your friends’ prayers on your behalf? If you do, and I assume you do, imagine how much more efficacy a prayer from Mary, who is intimately united to the Lord is!!! Much more “powerful” than someone still on Earth! St. Paul tells us himself that the prayer of the righteous and just is powerful! Just think how righteous and just Mary is (and all the Saints in Heaven). Their prayers are powerful indeed. For me, it is a great source of comfort to know that Mary will pray for me if I ask her. She is our Mother. Her joy is to always lead us to Her Son!
I encourage you to continue to ask questions and learn. I am a lifelong “cradle” Catholic and I am still always learning. In fact, it was my Protestant friends who inspired me in College to really come back to the Lord! I highly suggest you read “Hail Holy Queen” by Scott Hahn. Similar to what I posted about the Sabbath, Mary is prefigured throughout the Old Testament-the Queen Mother of the Davidic Crown, the Ark of the Covenant, etc.
God Bless you on your Journey. I will pray for you.
In Christ,
Pakesh

We all worship what we give our time to.

 

[JRKH]

We all worship what we give our time to.

Very nicely put. but can also be misleading to those looking at what we give our time to.

For instance, a person spends a lot of time at soup kitchens.
Does he worship soup kitchens? - Obviously not.
Does he worship the poor? - Again - not likely
Does He worship God? - Likely but not necessarily.

A person spends a lot of time reading the Bible.
Does he worship the Bible? - Obviously not
Does he worship God? - likely but not necessarily
Does he worship knowledge? - could be.

A person spends a lot of time kneeling and praying before a statue
Does the person worhsip the Statue? - Possible
Does the person worship what the statue represents? - Also possible

In each of these cases we can only know the truth of what the person actually worships by knowing the person and by being willing to dialogue with them.

So perhaps a better way of putting it is “We worship what we give our heart to”, or “We worship what we give our love to”.

Peace
James

 

[Pakesh]

We all worship what we give our time to.

So do you worship the Bible if you spend time reading it…what an absurd assertion
But, I understand your greater point about being attached to material goods.

 

[Pakesh]

Another thought on the theology of the Sabbath that I learned at the Melkite Parish near me. Jesus died on Friday (day b/f the Jewish Sabbath). He was placed in the tomb and “rested” on the seventh day(Saturday)-having wrought the New Covenant. He then rose on the afore mentioned “eight day.”

 

[guanophore]

I decided to continue on with RCIA. It starts in September so I’m just attending church again and researching on my own. I have a few questions…

1. I see in the bible that the sabbath was important. Before Christ, the jews kept it. My bible’s commentary says the Sabbath was a Jewish tradition. However, I see God rested before there were jews. When Christ rose from the dead, I see Christians seperating themselves from the Jews. I heard it was after a battle. The gentiles didn’t know their traditions. So, all of that is of course my own understanding. However, my main question is… is the shift to Sunday influenced by God or by gentiles? Where did the 7th day go, even when Christ said he’s Lord of the sabbath? Surely, I would assume he didn’t abolish it from what I can tell. Seems like he was trying to give them the true meaning of the sabbath without their 1000 rules to go by on that day.

You are right, the Sabbath is very important. Sabbath is Hebrew for “rest”. For a Christian understanding of observing the Sabbath, read the book of Hebrews. For Christians, the Sabbath is fulfilled in Christ, when we enter into His rest.

Christians began to observe The Lord’s Day after the Resurrection. Jesus chose to rise on the first day of the week, then appeared to his disciples repeatedly on that day. All the first Christians were Jews, and they continued to observe Sabbath with synagogue attendance. They would gather again the next day for a Christian Liturgy. In 70 AD, the Messianic (Christian) Jews were ejected from the Synagogue, and they had to meet separately. As the church grew, and more Gentiles were added, they had no history of observing the Sabbath, and only observed the Lord’s Day. Eventually the Church normalized observance of the day of rest to the Lord’s Day (sunday) .

1. Being a protestant I had a hard time with the Mary prayers. I understand they don’t worship her, and they don’t force you to pray to her if you don’t see the need. I agree one should always respect and learn more from her. I’m fine with that. But when it comes to confession, the priest might say to resite 10 hail Mary’s. What to do there? Tell the priest I don’t pray to Mary? I mean, I really respect her, no question. I never had a need to pray to anyone except the big boss.

Insights would be great on these. I really love the catholic church, really believe it’s founded under Christ. But I still have some questions I’m trying to understand. Thanks.

I think it would be good for you to tell the priest that you are a convert,a nd you are not comfortable praying to Mary, and ask him if he can give you a different pennance.

If you do pray the Hail Mary, you will see that it is just a collection of scriptures, ,with a request at the end that she pray for us.

 

[Cristian_B]

Anyway, if you have doubts, do what Jesus would do! That is the safe way. If you do everything Jesus did you will never fail, because He did nothing wrong. If God will ask you why did you do something, then you can say ‘because your Son did it’.

If you are ever in doubt, go the safe way. It is better… and safer.