Use of the word "us" in the Divine Mercy Chaplet

[NFrancis]

“The recitation of the Chaplet, although said individually, should always be in the plural- have mercy on us and not have mercy on me. Changing the plural to the singular, would be against Jesus’ will, because the use of the plural in the Chaplet reflects Jesus’ teaching in the Our Father. When we say the Chaplet, we ask God to *Have mercy on us and on the whole world *…******Us means both the people saying the prayer and those they are praying for; whereas the whole world means all the people on the earth as well as the souls in purgatory. The words have mercy on us and on the whole world has another significance. They teach us to get rid of our egoism and put the common welfare --that of our family, friends, nation, Church etc before our own. The better we can do this, the better we practice the mercy …in the devotion.”

"While saying the Chaplet, it is necessary to be faithful to the text, which cannot be changed for any reason whatsoever"

~(Dr.)** Fr. Andrew Witko** (Professor at the Pontifical University of Bl. John Paul II in Krakow Poland) from “Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy” 2003 Pg 125 (Divine Mercy Publications, Ireland)

(he is an expert who was asked personally by Bl. John Paul II - to write on the subject)

---

Thank you bookcat, that is a perfect answer.

 

[janeway529]

Okay thanks.
However, that being the case then why is it necessary to say the Chaplet in the presence of a dying person for it to be of benefit to that person. Why can’t it benefit the dying person I’m thinking about if I pray it anywhere?

No, it can be changed. I grew up as part of a lay apostolate and we were taught to pray the Chaplet with “For the sake of the Sorrowful Passion of Jesus.” Plus, we have some prayers unique to our community with some additions to the original prayers of St. Faustina, given through private revelation. If anyone wants a copy, just PM me and I’ll be happy to share.

 

[Bookcat]

No, it can be changed. I grew up as part of a lay apostolate and we were taught to pray the Chaplet with “For the sake of the Sorrowful Passion of Jesus.” Plus, we have some prayers unique to our community with some additions to the original prayers of St. Faustina, given through private revelation. If anyone wants a copy, just PM me and I’ll be happy to share.

No it is not to be changed.

**
“While saying the Chaplet, it is necessary to be faithful to the text, which cannot be changed for any reason whatsoever”**

~(Dr.) Fr. Andrew Witko (Professor at the Pontifical University of Bl. John Paul II in Krakow Poland) from “Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy” 2003

(he is an expert who was asked personally by Bl. John Paul II - to write on the subject)

No matter what a particular community/ apostolate had done in the past…no matter what good intentions they might have had.

 

[KrazyKat]

No it is not to be changed.

**
“While saying the Chaplet, it is necessary to be faithful to the text, which cannot be changed for any reason whatsoever”**

~(Dr.) Fr. Andrew Witko (Professor at the Pontifical University of Bl. John Paul II in Krakow Poland) from “Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy” 2003

(he is an expert who was asked personally by Bl. John Paul II - to write on the subject)

No matter what a particular community/ apostolate had done in the past…no matter what good intentions they might have had.

 

[tawny]

 

[ProVobis]

FWIW, the problem comes from faulty translations of her diary, which could explain the apparent redundancy of “us” and “whole world.” Or maybe not.

How did the ban on St. Faustina’s messages happen?

By Fr. Joseph Roesch, MIC (Jul 5, 2005)
St. Faustina had less than three winters of education. She wrote her Diary at the request of her confessor but it contained a number of grammatical errors. During her lifetime, she kept the notebooks of the Diary in her own possession. After her death, the Mother Superior asked one of the sisters to rewrite the Diary. In rewriting St. Faustina’s hand-written Diary, this sister chose to add or delete certain little words and made grammatical changes. She also accidently left out some words, sentences, and even entire pages. Then an Italian translation was made of this inaccurate copy of the Diary. This was part of the reason why the Revelations to St. Faustina were banned for a time.

Since Poland was a Communist country at this time, it was difficult to get an accurate translation out of Poland to Rome to clear up the misunderstandings. Therefore the ban remained for about twenty years. However, the Cardinal of Krakow, the late Pope John Paul II, asked a prominent Polish theologian to examine her Diary. The theologian wanted nothing to do with the project, but once he began to read her writings he ended up devoting a good part of his life to this project. He and others were impressed by the fact that St. Faustina, who had such a minimal education, wrote so clearly and carefully about the Mystical life. Six months before he became Pope, Cardinal Wojtyla lifted the ban on the Divine Mercy Message that had come to St. Faustina. Some are now proposing this simple farm girl as a Doctor of the Church. Her infused knowledge is clearly a grace from God.

thedivinemercy.org/news/story.php?NID=153

 

[Bookcat]

FWIW, the problem comes from faulty translations of her diary, which could explain the apparent redundancy of “us” and “whole world.” Or maybe not.

…it would be “not”.

While in the past there were faulty translations…

This is not the case here.

“The recitation of the Chaplet, although said individually, should always be in the plural- have mercy on us and not have mercy on me. Changing the plural to the singular, would be against Jesus’ will, because the use of the plural in the Chaplet reflects Jesus’ teaching in the Our Father. When we say the Chaplet, we ask God to Have mercy on us and on the whole world …Us means both the people saying the prayer and those they are praying for; whereas the whole world means all the people on the earth as well as the souls in purgatory. The words have mercy on us and on the whole world has another significance. They teach us to get rid of our egoism and put the common welfare --that of our family, friends, nation, Church etc before our own. The better we can do this, the better we practice the mercy …in the devotion.”

“While saying the Chaplet, it is necessary to be faithful to the text, which cannot be changed for any reason whatsoever”

~(Dr.) Fr. Andrew Witko (Professor at the Pontifical University of Bl. John Paul II in Krakow Poland) from “Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy” 2003 Pg 125 (Divine Mercy Publications, Ireland)

(he is an expert who was asked personally by Bl. John Paul II - to write on the subject)

 

[ProVobis]

When we say the Chaplet, we ask God to Have mercy on us and on the whole world …Us means both the people saying the prayer and those they are praying for; whereas the whole world means all the people on the earth as well as the souls in purgatory. The words have mercy on us and on the whole world has another significance. They teach us to get rid of our egoism and put the common welfare --that of our family, friends, nation, Church etc before our own. The better we can do this, the better we practice the mercy …in the devotion."

But that’s the point of redundancy though as we were taught in rhetoric class. Why couldn’t it just be “for the whole/entire world”? Why is the “us” even necessary?

I say that because in the consecration “pro vobis et pro multis” is said. But if you look at the actual scripture, two passages ascribe Christ as saying “pro vobis” and two as saying “pro multis.” So instead of using one or the other, the consecration formula includes both. (The receiver could fall into either camp.)

I do, however, agree that, whatever was said, it had to be plural first person as opposed to singular first person. I’m not going to argue that point further. And if the Pope said or implied that “for us and for the whole world” needs to be said exactly word for word in the English, or pray it in Polish, then I will obey. No further argument from me.

 

[Bookcat]

But that’s the point of redundancy though as we were taught in rhetoric class. Why couldn’t it just be “for the whole/entire world”? Why is the “us” even necessary?

Redundancy is a frequent occurrence in prayer and liturgical prayer. (and re-occurrence )

Such is the form of the that particular prayer.

Fr. Witko’s quote there gets into the meaning there -and that one is not change the text.

And such is yes necessary because that is the form of this particular prayer. It is not to be changed. Such is the Chaplet given in the Private Revelation.

And Bl. Pope John Paul II asked Fr. Witko to write on the subject…he is quite the expert on the matter.

If one wants to pray other ways privately -I suppose one is free to do so -but it is not the Chaplet…

 

[janeway529]

No it is not to be changed.

**
“While saying the Chaplet, it is necessary to be faithful to the text, which cannot be changed for any reason whatsoever”**

~(Dr.) Fr. Andrew Witko (Professor at the Pontifical University of Bl. John Paul II in Krakow Poland) from “Saint Faustina and the Divine Mercy” 2003

(he is an expert who was asked personally by Bl. John Paul II - to write on the subject)

No matter what a particular community/ apostolate had done in the past…no matter what good intentions they might have had.

Nothing really has changed, except for the specificity. Who is ‘His’? Jesus. It’s like some Trads who don’t pray the Mysteries of Light because it wasn’t part of the original Rosary given by the Virgin Mary.

 

[Bookcat]

Nothing really has changed, except for the specificity. Who is ‘His’? Jesus. It’s like some Trads who don’t pray the Mysteries of Light because it wasn’t part of the original Rosary given by the Virgin Mary.

I refer you to Fr. Witko’s work. The Chaplet has a precise text. We are not to alter it.

The addition of the mysteries was something the Pope did -and is perfectly fine. There are various ways to pray the Rosary… that are still the Rosary. Such is the nature of it. Even when if figured in various private revelations such as Lourdes. It has no exact set form.

 

[ccmcmg]

I suppose, when it comes right down to it, you have the choice to pray the Divine Mercy, or any other prayer, however you want. You also have the choice, if you wish to follow the text the Lord Himself gave us, and told us how to pray, to remain true to it as the Church has interpreted it for us, or as He has told us directly. But, don’t tell the general population at large (such as CAF) that it can be prayed however you want, when that is in fact not true, and many people do wish to follow the Church’s teachings.

There is a reason that the Church has the Catechism as well as other documents. She has interpreted and clarified these things that can or cannot be changed.

If you wish to have the documents or rules of the Church amended or changed, I refer you to the Pope.