Walking the walk--Stations of the Cross

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Catholic_Dude

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To start off with:

Sadly I have never prayed/walked the Stations of the Cross. I do feel I should this Lent though.

I have some quick questions first. Why are there stations that are not in the Bible? What is its history?

I couldnt find anything durning a Catholic.com search.

What do you think about them? are they important to you? do you pray/walk them?
 
We get the stations from both Tradition and from Scripture. They are the account of those who were there to see it first hand (like the Apostle John and many more). Think of it like it is during a war. How often do you turn on the television and see a WWII veteran telling of his trails and hardshops on the battlefield with all the death and bloodshead seemingly bigger than life…and you ask yourself, “how did this man make it through all these battles and loosing all his friends!” Volumes have been written of their battles, and yet we will never hear them all…their stories will go on for ages…just as the stories of those who witnessed the Passion and Death of Jesus. The stories seem bigger than life, yet just like the war stories, it happened, even though they were not written down in such detail as the Stations of the Cross…and they will live on forever.

They are very important to us, they are those who saw firsthand the Passion and Death of our Savior. Think of it as a “picture” into the past letting you know how it would look and what you too would have witnessed.
 
Okay, I’m a brand new Catholic and they barely touched on the Stations of the Cross in RCIA. I’ve wondered how to go about doing this. Do you go into the church on some off hour and do it by yourself or is there a special service with everybody there? And where does everybody kneel? There’s almost never enough room between the walls of the church and the far edges of the pews.
 
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seeker63:
Okay, I’m a brand new Catholic and they barely touched on the Stations of the Cross in RCIA. I’ve wondered how to go about doing this. Do you go into the church on some off hour and do it by yourself or is there a special service with everybody there? And where does everybody kneel? There’s almost never enough room between the walls of the church and the far edges of the pews.
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It seems like were in the same boat on this one. I say show up and see what happens! I dont think it is too hard to pick up on.
 
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seeker63:
Okay, I’m a brand new Catholic and they barely touched on the Stations of the Cross in RCIA. I’ve wondered how to go about doing this. Do you go into the church on some off hour and do it by yourself or is there a special service with everybody there? And where does everybody kneel? There’s almost never enough room between the walls of the church and the far edges of the pews.
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When the Stations of the Cross are said in community, the priest, a cross bearer and maybe one or two others process from station to station while everyone else remains in the pews and follows along in the prayers and postures.

When saying them individually, one normally processes from station to station and says the prayers privately. An infirmed person can still gain the indulgence without processing from station to station.

The Church has established norms established for the setup and making of the Stations of the Cross, but I am not sure where they are located. I am thinking that they are in the Handbook for Indulgences. I would check, but I am not home to do so.

Many parishes conduct the Stations of the Cross in community on Fridays (or Wednesdays) during Lent.
 
QUOTE=seeker63]Okay, I’m a brand new Catholic and they barely touched on the Stations of the Cross in RCIA. I’ve wondered how to go about doing this.

The stations of the cross are usually done on fridays during lent.A priest goes to the first station with an alter boy kneels or stands by the station and reads from the bible or other book the event related to that station eg. here Jesus speaks with his mother and a few words to fire our memories.this is followed by a short prayer and a hymn.The priest then moves on to the next one till they are all done.But you have to look in the newsletter to see what is on in the church.
 
It isn’t difficult to do at a Church prayer. Our Church also does it on Fridays during Lent. When you show up, they will have a page or two of the prayers that are said at each station. If there are songs to be sung in between the stations (as the Priestly group walks between them), they will be on the sheet also.

So definintely, just show up and enjoy the experience!
 
Ask around at some of the parishes near you. They almost all will have something with the Stations of the Cross for Lent. In my area, there are different times available too. My own parish does Friday at 7pm while another near my old office had theirs at noon (great way to spend a Friday lunch hour ). I highly recommend going first in a group. There will be a booklet to follow that might not be accessible if you go alone. There are many different versions, some better than others. Don’t let that discourage you. My favorite is the one by St. Alphonse Ligori but that’s probably just because it was the one from my childhood.

If you have the opportunity to go to different ones, try to find one that uses “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. Because by Thy Holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.” This used to be a common refrain in differnt versions but some of the new ones don’t have it. For me, Stations just aren’t complete without that prayer.

Blessed Lent.
 
Catholic Dude:
To start off with:

Sadly I have never prayed/walked the Stations of the Cross. I do feel I should this Lent though.

I have some quick questions first. Why are there stations that are not in the Bible? What is its history?

I couldnt find anything durning a Catholic.com search.

What do you think about them? are they important to you? do you pray/walk them?
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Go to the on line Catholic Encyclopedia. There’s a fabulous article in there on the history of the Stations of the Cross. Did you know that until the mid-nineteenth Century, you had to have a Franciscan bless them after they were installed in a church?
 
At our parish, it is held at 7:00pm on Fridays. Prior to that we have a lenten supper and then will have a program about Catholic art throughout the ages.

I have never been to a stations of the cross that did not say “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. Because by Thy Holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.”

I also love when the verses from “Were you there when they crucified my Lord” are sung between each station.
 
KMK
My favorite is the one by St. Alphonse Ligori but that’s probably just because it was the one from my childhood.
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It’s my favorite too. I don’t think it’s just ‘cuz it’s familiar, I really do believe it is the best one available- I have read some of the attempts to do “a contemporary way of the cross” or some such and they just did not compare. Most of them really watered down the idea of sin that comes across so strongly in St. Alphonsus’ version.
 
The stations of the cross was first done by Our Lady, at every point where we stop during the stations our Lady would then stop there and pray. She did this to show us how to pray the stations of the cross. It is a good reminder of the Passion of our Lord, and what he suffered for us. It is wonderful to do during lent but just as wonderful to do all year long.
 
As an innovative spokesman for the majority of the Catholics who were poor peasants and unable to make the pilgrimidges to the Holy Land, St. Francis of Assissi convinced the Pope that a reinactment of the Passion at each Church would be of benefit to the poor illiterate Catholic peasants.

The Pope liked this idea and thus the 14 Stations of the Cross became a Franciscan innovation (as well as the manger scences).

Ever since the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) have been the custodians of the Stations of the Cross.
 
You can do this by yourself anytime the Church is open, or if there is a shrine near you that has outdoor stations. Walk from station to station, at each one kneel if possible, or simply stand, say Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, the picture will remind you of the event, meditate for a few moments and pray “We adore you O Christ and we bless You, because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the World.” and move on. If you find a devotional book or pamphlet, use that.

If you want your meditation to be even more biblical, read one of the passion narratives before you begin, I like John the best, but use your favorite.
 
I am bumping this thread due to the interest of an ex-Catholic who does not understand about our beautiful tradition of “walking the walk” with Christ.

This devotion allows us to literally obey Christ’s command to “take up my cross and follow me.” Matt 1:38.
 
All4lifetoo said:
When the Stations of the Cross are said in community, the priest, a cross bearer and maybe one or two others process from station to station while everyone else remains in the pews and follows along in the prayers and postures.

When saying them individually, one normally processes from station to station and says the prayers privately. An infirmed person can still gain the indulgence without processing from station to station.

The Church has established norms established for the setup and making of the Stations of the Cross, but I am not sure where they are located. I am thinking that they are in the Handbook for Indulgences. I would check, but I am not home to do so.

Many parishes conduct the Stations of the Cross in community on Fridays (or Wednesdays) during Lent.
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No this does not answer my question…This is a man made act, the indulgences are man made none of which is in the Bible and if it is not there God has said nothing about it and He does NOT give indulgences…If I am wrong show me in the Word, no other book because no other book matters
 
Leslie_Polley said:
…If I am wrong show me in the Word, no other book because no other book matters
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Ah, Leslie. Again! Here’s something *else *that you believe that’s not in the Bible. Unless you have a verse that says “no other book matters”? Chapter and verse, please.

And, of course, the Stations of the Cross are in the Gospel, except for the one about Veronica. 🤷
 
PRmerger said:
I am bumping this thread due to the interest of an ex-Catholic who does not understand about our beautiful tradition of “walking the walk” with Christ.

This devotion allows us to literally obey Christ’s command to “take up my cross and follow me.” Matt 1:38.
Click to expand...
Don’t run away just yet, I saw a station in the church and it was a picture of Christ carrying the croos and Mary was infront of him, it said “jesus meets his afflicted mother”, but I don’t remember this in the bible!?
 
Zundrah said:
Don’t run away just yet, I saw a station in the church and it was a picture of Christ carrying the croos and Mary was infront of him, it said “jesus meets his afflicted mother”, but I don’t remember this in the bible!?
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…but I believe that it is a way of showing us how much pain she went through. Because she was watching him, even if the bible didn’t record it we know she was there.
 
PRmerger said:
Ah, Leslie. Again! Here’s something *else *that you believe that’s not in the Bible. Unless you have a verse that says “no other book matters”? Chapter and verse, please.

And, of course, the Stations of the Cross are in the Gospel, except for the one about Veronica. 🤷
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WHERE…in which Gospel and DON’T MOCK ME because I want scripture and verse.Is there something wrong with the Word of God…? Yes Again I want it from the Bible…PLEASE…YOU show me where it talks about the stations of the cross in the Bible…once again…Your gift is sarcasum, you must be proud, Mocking the Holy Word of God…If you are ever in doubt you should check THAT book. You are in dire need of prayer.
 
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