Too many rosaries?

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Mary_Ellen

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A recent thread was closed before I could respond, one about purchasing another rosary. Isn’t it possible to have too many rosaries? Couldn’t the search for novelty be a form of spiritual gluttony?

I was looking at a particular rosary on-line for more than a year, wishing I could purchase it, but the only reasons I could come up with to make the buy were - (1) it was pretty and (2) it was green and had a Celtic cross and I’m part Irish. Since I already have rosaries for each of my purses and for all the places where I pray in my home, I didn’t think those were good enough reasons to acquire another ‘thing.’ If someone gives me a rosary as a gift I would treasure it as such but I don’t believe I need to go looking for another one.

Thoughts?
 
I didn’t follow the other thread but I’ll put my 2 cents in.

Some people are collectors. They collect items of interest, history, stamps, antiques the list is endless. It can become an obsession but more often than not it is a hobby. Often collectors catalogue and keep records which are often used to study history. Rosaries would be a wonderful object to collect. When your friend crosses the line between obsession and healthy interest will have to remain between her and God.
 
Mary Ellen

One way out of your dilemma would be to buy the green rosary with the Celtic cross and, at the same time, give away one of your old ones, so that you are not accumulating more of them than you need.
 
I have quite a few rosaries. I will buy them to remember a place/time (and also to pray). For example, I bought a rosary in the town where my husband proposed. So I think our our marriage when I use that one. I bought another from a group of Sisters when I went on a spiritual retreat there. I have ones that my children gave me, so I pray for them when I use those. I have one blessed by Pope Benedict that I use to pray for the world.

Do I “need” all these rosaries? Probably not, but I do use them and find they help my spiritual life.
 
pianistclare said:
no.
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I disagree.

I think it is possible to fall into pride and, as the OP put it, spiritual gluttony - having things for the sake of having them.

Franciscans are an example. They realize that this is a very real risk and carry those knotted cords. Dirt cheap, can be brought anywhere with minimal fear of loosing it or breaking it, can be used as a shoelace in a pinch.

This can happen with Bibles or anything else. At a certain point we have to say, “Its enough.”

-Tim-
 
TimothyH said:
I disagree.

I think it is possible to fall into pride and, as the OP put it, spiritual gluttony - having things for the sake of having them.
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This ^^^

I share the words of St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Doctor, urging a similar caution, whereas, I’m not wishing to thwart anyone’s true devotion.
  1. But, though perhaps in this matter of images you may think that there is something to be said on the other side, if you have not clearly understood how much detachment and poverty of spirit is required by perfection, **at least you cannot excuse the imperfection which is commonly indulged with regard to rosaries; for you will hardly find anyone who has not some weakness with regard to these, **desiring them to be of this workmanship rather than of that, or of this colour or metal rather than of that, or decorated in some one style or in some other. Yet no one style is better than another for the hearing of a prayer by God, for this depends upon the simple and true heart, which looks at no more than pleasing God, and, apart from the question of indulgences, cares no more for one rosary than for another.
  2. For what else is your desire to have a rosary of cunning workmanship, and your wish that it shall be of one kind rather than of another, but the fixing of your rejoicing upon the instrument? It is like desiring to choose one image rather than another, and considering, not if it will better awaken Divine love within you, but only if it is more precious and more cunningly made. If you employed your desire and rejoicing solely in the love of God, you would care nothing for any of these considerations.
 
I am a third order Franciscan and try to observe the spirituality that goes with observing voluntary poverty. Having said that, I really don’t see anything wrong with collecting rosaries, as long as you don’t go crazy spending. I have always thought about collecting antique rosaries. I think it would be neat to use them thinking about all of the hundreds, perhaps thousands of prayers that were prayed on them.
 
I don’t think it’s prideful to have several “go-to” rosaries.
I have a fragile one of my father’s that stays at home. A finger rosary for the car.
One for my purse.
One for the office.
I have a gold rosary that was a gift from my 2 daughters when they were small. I gave them money to buy each other a Christmas gift from saving little bits here and there. They saw the gold rosary in one of those big discount stores and pooled their money. It meant they got nothing, but they gave me something they knew I’d love and use.
I’m sure some people think it’s vain to have such a thing. But it’s my dearest possession.
It reminds me that they know what matters to me, my prayer life.

No, I don’t believe it’s vain.
 
pianistclare said:
I don’t think it’s prideful to have several “go-to” rosaries.
I have a fragile one of my father’s that stays at home. A finger rosary for the car.
One for my purse.
One for the office.
I have a gold rosary that was a gift from my 2 daughters when they were small. I gave them money to buy each other a Christmas gift from saving little bits here and there. They saw the gold rosary in one of those big discount stores and pooled their money. It meant they got nothing, but they gave me something they knew I’d love and use.
I’m sure some people think it’s vain to have such a thing. But it’s my dearest possession.
It reminds me that they know what matters to me, my prayer life.

**No, I don’t believe it’s vain. **
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I don’t think anyone is saying it is vain or prideful, Clare, whenever they are used as you describe here. I also have a lovely rosary that was a special gift from a special friend, and another from my mother-in-law blessed by Pope Saint John Paul II, plus one that I keep in my car to use while I’m driving, and one in my purse for those endless hours in a doctor’s office. Yes, these are special treasures that remind us of the love from the person who gave them to us.

[Of course, there’s always my fingers - maybe that’s why we have 10? 😛 ]

I think it’s good for some people to be cautious, though, for it can become an attachment that overrides purity of intention and becomes a hindrance to spiritual perfection, when it these are used in the way St. John describes.
 
I have a gorgeous blue vintage glass rosary that is religious art in my mind. I collect religious art. The rosaries I use, have to be tough. I have two jobs, so I sometimes fall asleep and roll all over the place, and on my rosary. I like plastic beads on a chain. The Crucifix is a little over sized on both. One was a St. Benedict’s that was blessed on my confirmation, given to me by one of the OCI directors. The other was another gift.

I have a few that are damaged. They stay in the china cabinet until I can get them fixed. I also have a one decade that I really like when I am tired or that I hold during evening prayers.

I am not concerned in the slightest about spiritual gluttony over a few rosaries, that is just me. I would love to have more to give away, who knows, it may bring a stray Catholic back to the church.
 
It’s unlikely this would be a problem unless your collecting is causing legitimate financial hardship or more importantly, if you’re treating them as baubles. A certain woman in the Gospels cashed out a year’s salary of perfume on Jesus’ feet, and only one man among the apostles had a problem with it, and he isn’t an apostle you want to imitate.

Penny pinching can and usually is prudent, but there is no inherit value in of itself of only spending money on “necessities”, and besides, what are “necessities” anyway? Bread in the belly? Not according to Jesus. He has a rather different idea of what “necessities” are.

This is a bad route to go down on. Some people, seeking to undermine the holiness of the Church, point to the beautiful cathedrals and scowl at them. No no no… I don’t think so. Art & beauty is something worth blowing money on. I would dare to say even more so than bread.

I never had beautiful sacramentals as an evangelical, so I may be borderline defensive on the subject of art, sacramentals, and beauty. I am very much not a “minimalist” Catholic in my spirituality. Beauty is something worth investing it. “Art is the grandchild of God” because God fashioned us in His image, and we fashion art in our image. Art has converted countless number of souls throughout the ages, without a word being spoken. No saint or friar or bishop is accredited to the deed. Just the silence of beauty and the truth that it conveys.

If the OP wrote “too many Catholic books” this wouldn’t even be a topic. If you can justify spending 500 dollars on books, you can justify spending 500 dollars on sacramentals. Ultimately, both of these things serve the same purpose.
 
I guess it really comes down to the intent of each person’s heart, and there will always be varying answers here. Can we agree on this before anyone becomes offended?
Tim’s sharing about the poverty of the Franciscans does not take away from the ideal of beauty shared by others. Both are correct, if the heart is moved by grace to embrace either practice.
 
I suppose it’s possible to get so hung up on the rosaries themselves that you could become obsessive, spend too much on them, etc.

That being said, I see nothing wrong with having several that speak to you for whatever reason. For example, I have rosaries that belonged to my late grandmothers, a World Missions rosary, one designed for use in praying for the souls in purgatory, a Stations of the Cross chaplet, and a rosary made by cloistered Carmelite nuns. Oh, and one I’m saving for my son, blessed by the Jesuit priest who baptized him.
 
Sirach2 said:
This ^^^

I share the words of St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Doctor, urging a similar caution, whereas, I’m not wishing to thwart anyone’s true devotion.
  1. But, though perhaps in this matter of images you may think that there is something to be said on the other side, if you have not clearly understood how much detachment and poverty of spirit is required by perfection, **at least you cannot excuse the imperfection which is commonly indulged with regard to rosaries; for you will hardly find anyone who has not some weakness with regard to these, **desiring them to be of this workmanship rather than of that, or of this colour or metal rather than of that, or decorated in some one style or in some other. Yet no one style is better than another for the hearing of a prayer by God, for this depends upon the simple and true heart, which looks at no more than pleasing God, and, apart from the question of indulgences, cares no more for one rosary than for another.
  2. For what else is your desire to have a rosary of cunning workmanship, and your wish that it shall be of one kind rather than of another, but the fixing of your rejoicing upon the instrument? It is like desiring to choose one image rather than another, and considering, not if it will better awaken Divine love within you, but only if it is more precious and more cunningly made. If you employed your desire and rejoicing solely in the love of God, you would care nothing for any of these considerations.
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I’m with St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church on prayer.
 
I know which thread you’re speaking of. I was disappointed it was closed.

I have 8 Rosaries. 7 are beaded, one is an inexpensive knotted Rosary that I consider my “stick it in the pocket and go” Rosary and I carry it nearly daily. The others are beads. One was a gift from my RCIA sponsor, the rest I purchased for myself, for the reason you stated- they were pretty, and they were unusual.

Sometimes I feel sort of guilty for having so many but I use them all and one day I plan to give some away. I figure if I’m ever an RCIA sponsor, I’ll let the person I’m sponsoring pick one and if anyone ever comments and says how pretty a Rosary I’m using is, I’ll try to be unselfish and offer it to them.

But I love Rosaries. I look at them online just about every day on eBay so I guess I’m not giving into temptation too often. I only really like the highly unusual ones, or ones of a very particular (and apparently rare) shade of blue.
 
Collectors of any object are a gift to a culture.

Dedicated faithful collectors of Rosaries are preserving a beautiful history of our faith.
 
I collect Rosaries. Currently, there are 25 in my collection. I stay at 25.

Some I bought(still have my very first rosary), some were gifted to me (received a rosary from my Carmelite community when I was received into the order), some I give away, some I’ve touched to a particular Saint’s reliquary, so use it when I have a particular problem.

Currently, I’m using a rosary brought from Venice, Italy for me by a dear friend. Recently, I switched from the rosary touched to St. Catherine of Siena’s reliquary. I gave a rosary to a friend, which had been touched to St. Dominic Savio’s reliquary.

Disclaimer: I know there is some controversy about touching objects to Saints’ clothing, reliquary, etc. Please notice, I took particular pains not classify the rosaries touched to a particular saints’ reliquary. There is no need for the sometimes heated debate about this practice. Thank you.
 
I collect rosaries, looking for unusual ones, and those that speak to me. I also make and repair them.

I hadn’t intended to begin collecting them, but I was looking for one that felt ‘right’ and it took awhile. My pocket rosary is a small ebony and sterling one from France – always there when I need it.

In my purse I carry a rosary from Lourdes – pink rose beads, silver crucifix with scenes from Lourdes in the points, and the Paters are silver roses with a scene of the Grotto on the reverse.

I have a small chest that holds my collection, I guess I have about a dozen unusual ones.
 
When my brother was in the eighth grade, he entered the seminary. One of the things he learned was to make rosaries. He taught me to do the same.
Even today, 60 years later, I still make rosaries. I look through the various sites which sell the beads, and other items to make them
A while back, I ran across some wooden beads made from the olive tree wood from Bethlehem. They were beautiful, and not too expensive. I bought a pretty good quantity, along with the chain, and cross, and center piece. The rosaries turned out beautiful, as I imagined they would. The fun part is giving them away after having them blessed. So far, those to whom I have given them appreciate the gift. And, yes, a couple of them have brought the owner back into at least praying to Our Lady. Who knows just how much the rosaries have enhanced the owners in their faith.
May Almighty God bless this corrupt world we live in today. 👍
 
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