Rosary vs Stations of the Cross

[twopekinguys]

Many of the people I know in our parish have a very strong devotion to the Blessed Mother.

We have the Rosary before Mass, First Saturday Devotion, Novenas, etc.

Sometimes, I feel like an outsider because I don’t participate in these the way many parishoners do.

I am drawn to, and pray the Stations of The Cross more than I do the Rosary. I pray the stations year round, and not just during Lent, and basically only pray the Rosary at funerals. (There are a few other occasions, but they are random at best)

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Rosary is beautiful, and I do pray it on occasion. I just think that for me the Stations are more spiritually provoking.

Am I wrong?

 

[RoryMcKenzie56]

Many of the people I know in our parish have a very strong devotion to the Blessed Mother.

We have the Rosary before Mass, First Saturday Devotion, Novenas, etc.

Sometimes, I feel like an outsider because I don’t participate in these the way many parishoners do.

I am drawn to, and pray the Stations of The Cross more than I do the Rosary. I pray the stations year round, and not just during Lent, and basically only pray the Rosary at funerals. (There are a few other occasions, but they are random at best)

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Rosary is beautiful, and I do pray it on occasion. I just think that for me the Stations are more spiritually provoking.

Am I wrong?

No one can answer that but God and you. Save your soul by any of many means. The Rosary didn’t even exist for more than half life of the Church. So it is clearly not essential to salvation.

There are promises associated with devotion to the Rosary that draw me and make me think that in this particular era of the Church, it is the preeminent weapon for laypeople of the Church Militant to advance God’s kingdom. But if you are drawn to particularly meditate on the Way of the Cross, don’t feel bad about it. Run, don’t walk to grace wherever you seem to find it!

God bless,

Rory

 

[velvetsky]

Many of the people I know in our parish have a very strong devotion to the Blessed Mother.

We have the Rosary before Mass, First Saturday Devotion, Novenas, etc.

Sometimes, I feel like an outsider because I don’t participate in these the way many parishoners do.

I am drawn to, and pray the Stations of The Cross more than I do the Rosary. I pray the stations year round, and not just during Lent, and basically only pray the Rosary at funerals. (There are a few other occasions, but they are random at best)

Don’t get me wrong, I think the Rosary is beautiful, and I do pray it on occasion. I just think that for me the Stations are more spiritually provoking.

Am I wrong?

Hi I don’t think you’re doing anything wrong in being more drawn to the stations Of The Cross. Perhaps Jesus is leading you to meditate on that more than the Rosary?..or perhaps later on you may feel more drawn to praying the Rosary?!

I’m fairly new to the catholic church and have been doing the Stations Of The Cross during lent for the first time and you are so right about it being very spiritually provoking.

 

[Walter_Casler]

Hello,
Both are great ways to draw closer to God. You’re doing great.

 

[twopekinguys]

Thanks for the support, I truly appreciate it.

Since I am the Lay Director of RCIA for our parish, I think people look to me to be more involved in these types of devotions, and I feel a little guilty about it.

 

[RoryMcKenzie56]

Thanks for the support, I truly appreciate it.

Since I am the Lay Director of RCIA for our parish, I think people look to me to be more involved in these types of devotions, and I feel a little guilty about it.

I don’t know why people in RCIA would be privileged to know your private devotional habits. But being in a position of influence like that might modify how you should behave publicly including being careful what you say. Presumably, there are priests who are just like us. They are drawn to one devotion over another. It could be imprudent for them, like it might be for you, to tell impressionable souls that you get less out of one approved devotion than another. I was little perplexed at why you chose for your thread title to present this as one devotion VS. another devotion.

I think as an RCIA director, you have more of a responsibility to acquaint yourself with the reason why the Holy Rosary holds the place it does for the Church in the west. Great victories have been achieved over enemies both spiritual and physical through the Rosary, and from Our Lady of Fatima, more are promised. I don’t think you should feel guilty about your private devotions, but as a teacher of inquirers to the faith, you should be able to explain why there is feast day for Our Lady of the Rosary and why we implore Blessed Mary as Queen of the Most Holy Rosary in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Pope Leo XIII may be known as the pope who especially promoted the devotion to the Rosary at the end of the 19th Century. He issued no less than thirteen public exhortations to the Church to encourage the faithful to recite the Rosary. Knowing its benefits, subsequent popes who have issued public documents on the Rosary are Bendedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. The Rosary is privately optional, but it has been encouraged in such a public way by the bishops of Rome as to make it seem imperative that inquirers properly understand its role in the Western Church along with the proper ways to best benefit themselves, the Mystical Body of Christ, and indeed the entire world through a proper understanding and devotion to the Most Holy Rosary.

The web site below gives a not necessarily exhaustive list of papal proclamations on the Rosary with the texts themelves. I hope you can see why I wanted to modify my answer to you a bit when it was understood that you are in a position of influence with people having many doubts and questions about the Catholic faith. It can only help them to have someone who is well-equipped to answer this question about “saying our beads” with repetitious prayers. I am not saying anything about your private practices. Thank you for devoting your time to help new people come to the Catholic faith.

God bless,

Rory

tomsdomain.com/rosary/id19.htm

 

[twopekinguys]

I don’t know why people in RCIA would be privileged to know your private devotional habits. But being in a position of influence like that might modify how you should behave publicly including being careful what you say. Presumably, there are priests who are just like us. They are drawn to one devotion over another. It could be imprudent for them, like it might be for you, to tell impressionable souls that you get less out of one approved devotion than another. I was little perplexed at why you chose for your thread title to present this as one devotion VS. another devotion.

I think as an RCIA director, you have more of a responsibility to acquaint yourself with the reason why the Holy Rosary holds the place it does for the Church in the west. Great victories have been achieved over enemies both spiritual and physical through the Rosary, and from Our Lady of Fatima, more are promised. I don’t think you should feel guilty about your private devotions, but as a teacher of inquirers to the faith, you should be able to explain why there is feast day for Our Lady of the Rosary and why we implore Blessed Mary as Queen of the Most Holy Rosary in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Pope Leo XIII may be especially known as the pope who especially promoted the devotion to the Rosary at the end of the 19th Century. He issued no less than thirteen public exhortations to the Church to encourage and implore the faithful to recite the Rosary. Knowing its benefits, subsequent popes who have issued public documents on the Rosary are Bendedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. The Rosary is privately optional, but it has been encouraged in such a public way by the bishops of Rome as to make it seem imperative that inquirers properly understand its role in the Western Church along with the proper ways to best benefit themselves, the Mystical Body of Christ, and indeed the entire world through a proper understanding and devotion to the Most Holy Rosary.

The web site below gives a not necessarily exhaustive list of papal proclamations on the Rosary with the texts themelves. I hope you can see why I wanted to modify my answer to you a bit when it was understood that you are in a position of influence with people having many doubts and questions about the Catholic faith. It can only help them to have someone who is well-equipped to answer this question about “saying our beads” with repetitious prayers. I am not saying anything about your private practices. Thank you for devoting your time to help new people come to the Catholic faith.

God bless,

Rory

tomsdomain.com/rosary/id19.htm

Thanks for the info.

Let me say, I don’t have a problem with the Rosary at all. I stand by the devotion, and I see it working powerfully for others.

I am fully prepared to explain it, defend it, teach it, etc., and I have taught the class on more than one occasion. I just think that the presention is better received by the class if it is done by someone who embraces the devotion more than I do.

I hold both of the devotions is high regard, it is just that I seem to be drawn more to the Stations than the Rosary.

As far as the title of the thread, I probably didn’t convey my intent very well. It should probably be something like:.

“Am I wrong to have a greater devotion to the Stations of the Cross than the Rosary?”

Thanks again for all of the info and support. Pray for our 22 soon to be New Catholics. They really are a great bunch of people this year.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I always emphasized to my RCIA classes that these are all optional devotions. they should try some and use what works for them.

Also they should stick with what works and not go chasing after every new novelty. One can get so wrapped up in mastering this or that technique that they forget to pray while doing it. Someplace I picked up the quotation: “Pray as you can; not as you can’t.”

 

[DihydrogenOxide]

I don’t know why people in RCIA would be privileged to know your private devotional habits. But being in a position of influence like that might modify how you should behave publicly including being careful what you say. Presumably, there are priests who are just like us. They are drawn to one devotion over another. It could be imprudent for them, like it might be for you, to tell impressionable souls that you get less out of one approved devotion than another. I was little perplexed at why you chose for your thread title to present this as one devotion VS. another devotion.

I think as an RCIA director, you have more of a responsibility to acquaint yourself with the reason why the Holy Rosary holds the place it does for the Church in the west. Great victories have been achieved over enemies both spiritual and physical through the Rosary, and from Our Lady of Fatima, more are promised. I don’t think you should feel guilty about your private devotions, but as a teacher of inquirers to the faith, you should be able to explain why there is feast day for Our Lady of the Rosary and why we implore Blessed Mary as Queen of the Most Holy Rosary in the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It’s personal preference. Why does it matter that he likes the stations of the cross better? As Catholics, we certainly don’t even have to know how to say the rosary or even say it at all. We are, however, expected to reflect on the life of Jesus, and his Passion and death.

He isn’t putting someone’s soul in danger by saying this on the forum. You seem to be making a mountain out of a mole hill.

You could say the same thing about the Liturgy of the Hours, which is more powerful than the Rosary.

twopekinguys: Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter. The rosary doesn’t have to be your favorite, or #1 prayer as a catholic. I really need to get more into doing the Stations of the Cross. It’s such a beautiful devotion that brings to mind the sufferings of Our Lord. It makes me more aware of the effect my sins have on God, when I meditate on His Passion. It also makes me want to avoid further occasions of sin with all the more fervor.

 

[Monica4316]

I think it’s great to pray the Stations of the Cross

but maybe it would help you to learn more about the Rosary. I didn’t really appreciate it until I read ‘the secret of the rosary’ by St Louis de Montfort… it’s available online
rosary-center.org/secret.htm

the prayer is very special because it contains the words of Our Lord, an Archangel, and St Elizabeth inspired by the Holy Spirit it’s very powerful, when prayed correctly. But first we must understand it…

God bless

 

[corsair]

My friends know me as an absolutely trad/Roman Catholic. I pray the Rosary allday, quite literally. At adoration I pray the Stations of the Cross and the Rosary. I pray the Chaplet of devine Mercy too even though I have never really had a great affinity for it.

None of the above Devotions are “required” to be a Catholic. But they bring a peace and enhancement to my prayer life.

 

[twopekinguys]

I always emphasized to my RCIA classes that these are all optional devotions. they should try some and use what works for them.

Also they should stick with what works and not go chasing after every new novelty. One can get so wrapped up in mastering this or that technique that they forget to pray while doing it. Someplace I picked up the quotation: “Pray as you can; not as you can’t.”

I agree totally.

 

[twopekinguys]

It’s personal preference. Why does it matter that he likes the stations of the cross better? As Catholics, we certainly don’t even have to know how to say the rosary or even say it at all. We are, however, expected to reflect on the life of Jesus, and his Passion and death.

He isn’t putting someone’s soul in danger by saying this on the forum. You seem to be making a mountain out of a mole hill.

You could say the same thing about the Liturgy of the Hours, which is more powerful than the Rosary.

twopekinguys: Don’t worry about it. It doesn’t matter. The rosary doesn’t have to be your favorite, or #1 prayer as a catholic. I really need to get more into doing the Stations of the Cross. It’s such a beautiful devotion that brings to mind the sufferings of Our Lord. It makes me more aware of the effect my sins have on God, when I meditate on His Passion. It also makes me want to avoid further occasions of sin with all the more fervor.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

The Stations have always moved me in a very special way.

 

[clinmar]

***I used to have a problem praying the Rosary, because I didn’t understand it. I found it difficult to recite the prayers, count the beads and meditate on a mystery all at the same time.
My favorite devotion is the Chaplet of Mercy. It touched me deeply the first time I heard it. I have always understood and appreciated the Stations of the Cross.

But because the Rosary is so powerful and highly recommended, I began to make an effort in the past 5 years (late in life) to gain some proficiency in it. It was worth the effort and now the Rosary has become one more devotion I can implement in my spiritual journey. The Catholic Church is so very rich in devotions to choose from in which to grow closer to God and His Kingdom. May each one choose that devotion which enables each person to express genuine worship and praise to our God.

---

 

[twopekinguys]

I think it’s great to pray the Stations of the Cross

but maybe it would help you to learn more about the Rosary. I didn’t really appreciate it until I read ‘the secret of the rosary’ by St Louis de Montfort… it’s available online
rosary-center.org/secret.htm

the prayer is very special because it contains the words of Our Lord, an Archangel, and St Elizabeth inspired by the Holy Spirit it’s very powerful, when prayed correctly. But first we must understand it…

God bless

Don’t get me wrong, I am very familiar with the Rosary. The history, the scriptures, etc. etc. That isn’t really the issue.

I just feel more spiritually aware when I pray the Stations as opposed to the Rosary. It is just that sometimes I feel like an outsider because so many more people (in my parish) seem to have a greater devotion to the Rosary than I do.

 

[twopekinguys]

My friends know me as an absolutely trad/Roman Catholic. I pray the Rosary allday, quite literally. At adoration I pray the Stations of the Cross and the Rosary. I pray the Chaplet of devine Mercy too even though I have never really had a great affinity for it.

None of the above Devotions are “required” to be a Catholic. But they bring a peace and enhancement to my prayer life.

Ok, now I feel bad. You sound like you’ve got my prayer life beat hands down.