The Rosary is NOT the Way

[Zahmir]

This is a reaction post, a reaction to unseemly strands of thought that lurk beneath the surface of this forum.

Before someone bashes me and accuses me of heresy, let me just say that the Rosary is a wonderful devotion and a great entrance to the throne of God, in prayer.

However, just as all things, the Rosary can be abused. People may recite it, over and over–with such emphasis on the recitation of it and the promises granted to those who recite it, that they may lose track of the heart of our faith. All devotions are merely a means to God.

In particular, let us refrain from prescribing the Rosary as a cure-all for everyone struggling with their faith in whatever way, which I have seen happen several times on several different threads, usually coupled with a list of the promises granted to the reciters of the Rosary and a warning to those who recite it with fickleness. I promise you, many have entered heaven without ever reciting the Rosary. More than anything, let us remind people of the heart of our faith, for we are a holy people, saved not by our own words and deeds, but by the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

 

[nicolep]

The title of the thread is offensive. A better title would have been that the Rosary is not the only way. Many posters here offer the Rosary as a way back into a firm spiritual life. It obviously won’t work for everyone, but it will for most who truly want to return to spirituality.

Personally, I don’t pray the Rosary as often as most people though I do at times. What is the difference in inviting someone to recite the Rosary daily as opposed to the Liturgy of the Hours? Both are wonderful devotions. One is going to speak to certain people more than others.

If you have a better way of meditating on Jesus’ life, please offer it to those who are looking.

 

[water]

Mary leads us to Jesus - That is the surest way.
Keep on praying the Rosary!

I’d suggest this book: “The secrets of the Rosary” by St. Louis de Montfort.

 

[Zahmir]

The title of the thread is offensive. A better title would have been that the Rosary is not the only way. Many posters here offer the Rosary as a way back into a firm spiritual life. It obviously won’t work for everyone, but it will for most who truly want to return to spirituality.

Personally, I don’t pray the Rosary as often as most people though I do at times. What is the difference in inviting someone to recite the Rosary daily as opposed to the Liturgy of the Hours? Both are wonderful devotions. One is going to speak to certain people more than others.

If you have a better way of meditating on Jesus’ life, please offer it to those who are looking.

John 14:6

This is the manner in which I was speaking. And so yes, the Rosary is NOT the way.

The Rosary is not necessary for a full and rich spiritual life, but yes, it is one way in which it may be enriched and strengthened. For a fallen away Catholic, in particular, as I saw on one thread who is questioning the existence of God, etc, it may be better to talk them through and offer them insightful and helpful reading. I’m not opposed to the Rosary in itself, I just don’t want people to lose creativity in helping others back to the faith.

What I fear most is a dangerous type of cultism, which stipulates that certain actions, apart from the grace of God, lead one to heaven. This flies in the face of Christianity and it is an attitude and perception of Catholicism which we must fight against vigorously.

 

[water]

John 14:6
I’m not opposed to the Rosary in itself, I just don’t want people to lose creativity in helping others back to the faith.

what is your creativity of helping others back to the faith?

 

[kage_ar]

Prayer always brings us closer to God.

 

[whatevergirl]

The Rosary is another form of prayer…and should be treated as such. It is of but one of the many ways to grow closer to Christ. I don’t believe I have ever seen a single soul on here refer to it as ‘the only way,’ and a guarantee into heaven. I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. The Rosary is a very liberating prayer, and can calm people by asking Mary for her prayers. I think when people offer to pray the Rosary for someone,or suggest someone to pray it–that is what they mean by the suggestion.

But, I have never seen anyone on here refer to it as the end all be all prayer to solve everything.

 

[Zahmir]

Prayer always brings us closer to God.

Exactly!

I’m talking more about people who recite the Rosary without an eye to deeper conversation with God, as if the words themselves were liberating. This is not prayer but merely the repetition of a pattern of words.

Ultimately, I think it’s more important to encourage people, especially those who are in some way straying from the faith, to direct conversation with God. And this is what requires creativity–the process of leading others to an appropriate understanding of prayer.

Personally, I find the Our Father to be a wonderful “teaching” prayer. It is a rich prayer which calls us to unite ourselves with Christ and humbly put ourselves in the position of Christ, as adopted sons and daughters of God.

Again, the Rosary is wonderful. Let’s just keep it in perspective.

 

[Zahmir]

The Rosary is another form of prayer…and should be treated as such. It is of but one of the many ways to grow closer to Christ. I don’t believe I have ever seen a single soul on here refer to it as ‘the only way,’ and a guarantee into heaven. I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. The Rosary is a very liberating prayer, and can calm people by asking Mary for her prayers. I think when people offer to pray the Rosary for someone,or suggest someone to pray it–that is what they mean by the suggestion.

But, I have never seen anyone on here refer to it as the end all be all prayer to solve everything.

I agree with you, wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, the Rosary, among devotions, is especially prone to abuse by well-wishing Catholics.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=277574

Hopefully this thread will help to demonstrate my problem. A person is struggling with the faith, doubting even the existence of God. Someone posts the promises to those who recite the Rosary, and a short little blurb on those from whom Mary turns away if they recite the Rosary with fickleness.

This is just one example.

 

[water]

Exactly!

I’m talking more about people who recite the Rosary without an eye to deeper conversation with God, as if the words themselves were liberating. This is not prayer but merely the repetition of a pattern of words.

Ultimately, I think it’s more important to encourage people, especially those who are in some way straying from the faith, to direct conversation with God. And this is what requires creativity–the process of leading others to an appropriate understanding of prayer.

Personally, I find the Our Father to be a wonderful “teaching” prayer. It is a rich prayer which calls us to unite ourselves with Christ and humbly put ourselves in the position of Christ, as adopted sons and daughters of God.

Again, the Rosary is wonderful. Let’s just keep it in perspective.

This is your personal preference. A strayed person or a new convert can be very beneficial to the devotion. yes, it is important to mediate on the mystery than just praying in vain.

A friend of mine has become a very devout Catholic through learning how to pray the Rosary when she didn’t know much about God. To her, it was the Rosay which was and has been the way that she comes to love God.

 

[elvisman]

Exactly!

I’m talking more about people who recite the Rosary without an eye to deeper conversation with God, as if the words themselves were liberating. This is not prayer but merely the repetition of a pattern of words.

Ultimately, I think it’s more important to encourage people, especially those who are in some way straying from the faith, to direct conversation with God. And this is what requires creativity–the process of leading others to an appropriate understanding of prayer.

Personally, I find the Our Father to be a wonderful “teaching” prayer. It is a rich prayer which calls us to unite ourselves with Christ and humbly put ourselves in the position of Christ, as adopted sons and daughters of God.

Again, the Rosary is wonderful. Let’s just keep it in perspective.

I couldn’t disagree with you more.

I think that while you may be well-intentioned – you’re quite confused.
**What is the Rosary? It is certainly not as you would call, *“merely the repetition of a pattern of words”. ***

The entire first half of the Hail Mary is completely drawn from Scripture. The second part is a petition to our Blessed Mother for prayer. We are asking the Mother of God to pray for us – and believe me, this is a powerful tool.

You would have us take focus away from this powerful tool simply because some people abuse of prayer or petition. Hogwash! There will always be those abusers. We should pray for them - not take prayer away from them.

Those anti-Catholics who accuse us of vain repetitions spoken of in Matt. 6:7, fail to realize that Jesus was speaking of the prayers and mantras of the pagans. Pagan gibberish. They close their eyes to the fact that a few lines later, he goes on to teach us the Our Father (the Lord’s Prayer).

Consider Revelation 4:8:
***The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” ***

**“Merely the repetition of a pattern of words” indeed! **

 

[Joannm]

Personally, I don’t pray the Rosary as often as most people though I do at times. What is the difference in inviting someone to recite the Rosary daily as opposed to the Liturgy of the Hours? Both are wonderful devotions. One is going to speak to certain people more than others.

If you have a better way of meditating on Jesus’ life, please offer it to those who are looking.

I have one comment. The Liturgy of the Hours is NOT a devotion. It is the official daily prayer of the Church. In a sense, it takes precedence over any other prayer outside of the Mass. It is required of all clergy and religious. The Rosary is a personal devotion and not required of Catholics, although it is a wnderful prayer, but inviting people to pray the LOTH is quite different than inviting them to pray the Rosary.

 

[nicolep]

I have one comment. The Liturgy of the Hours is NOT a devotion. It is the official daily prayer of the Church. In a sense, it takes precedence over any other prayer outside of the Mass. It is required of all clergy and religious. The Rosary is a personal devotion and not required of Catholics, although it is a wnderful prayer, but inviting people to pray the LOTH is quite different than inviting them to pray the Rosary.

I agree that it’s the official prayer of the Church. However, lay people are not required to pray it in any way shape or form. For lay members of the Church, it’s a devotion. One they are welcome to do or not do as they see fit.

 

[whatevergirl]

I agree with you, wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, the Rosary, among devotions, is especially prone to abuse by well-wishing Catholics.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=277574

Hopefully this thread will help to demonstrate my problem. A person is struggling with the faith, doubting even the existence of God. Someone posts the promises to those who recite the Rosary, and a short little blurb on those from whom Mary turns away if they recite the Rosary with fickleness.

This is just one example.

I will have to check that thread out…thank you! lol

 

[Mark_Robert]

Saying the rosary can only be a positive in the spiritual life. It’s a wonderful prayer and devotion to God through Mary.

 

[LilyM]

I agree with you, wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, the Rosary, among devotions, is especially prone to abuse by well-wishing Catholics.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=277574

Hopefully this thread will help to demonstrate my problem. A person is struggling with the faith, doubting even the existence of God. Someone posts the promises to those who recite the Rosary, and a short little blurb on those from whom Mary turns away if they recite the Rosary with fickleness.

This is just one example.

Zahmir, I have had much much more to do with CAF than you, and I can honestly say I’ve never in my two years of long hours on these fora seen another post like the one you pointed out.

Pointing out the promises, as the poster did, highlighting the one where the reciter will obtain ‘whatever they ask’ is fine. To do so was obviously this poster’s way of telling the struggler that they can obtain the faith they seek by asking for it while faithfully reciting the Rosary.

The quote from St Louis … well, that does go above and beyond, like I said, but I honestly have never seen anything like it before.

 

[Indyann]

Wow! You really need to hear Father Corapi’s talks on the Rosary!

 

[Joannm]

I agree that it’s the official prayer of the Church. However, lay people are not required to pray it in any way shape or form. For lay members of the Church, it’s a devotion. One they are welcome to do or not do as they see fit.

I again disagree. It is never a devotion, just as Mass is not a devotion. It is participating in liturgy just as participating in Mass is. Would you say going to daily Mass is a devotion? We are welcome to go to Mass daily or not as we see fit. Those of us who pray the Hours do so because we want to participate in the official prayer of the Church, just as those of us who go to daily Mass do so because we wnt to participate in the official prayer of the Church. I understand what you are saying, but your language regarding it is not right.

 

[brigid12]

I agree with you, wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, the Rosary, among devotions, is especially prone to abuse by well-wishing Catholics.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=277574

Hopefully this thread will help to demonstrate my problem. A person is struggling with the faith, doubting even the existence of God. Someone posts the promises to those who recite the Rosary, and a short little blurb on those from whom Mary turns away if they recite the Rosary with fickleness.

This is just one example.

Our Lady eluded at Lourdes and asked outright at Fatima, that everyone pray the Rosary without mention of how we prayed it. Granted that these, as apparitions, are not deemed necessary for Salvation by the Church, however since they are believed by so many very holy people in the Church (Pope JPII, Pope BXVI, etc) I would feel very insecure if I were to try to do with out it myself.

 

[BSHoop96]

I couldn’t disagree with you more.

I think that while you may be well-intentioned – you’re quite confused.
What is the Rosary? It is certainly not as you would call, *“merely the repetition of a pattern of words”. *

You completely disregarded the poster’s first sentence of the paragraph you are taking exception to. He said:

**I’m talking more about people who recite the Rosary without an eye to deeper conversation with God, as if the words themselves were liberating. **This is not prayer but merely the repetition of a pattern of words.

To the original poster, Zahmir…I do understand what you are trying to say…and I understand that you mean nothing negative against the Rosary itself.

I forgot to mention that I do think the title of the thread could have been worded differently.