A Deo et Rege

Since Advent and the entire liturgical year in December tends to be overshadowed by Christmas, I wanted to mention a few ways to keep focused on the Church’s time. First, friend David Morrison has come up with some ideas in his article ‘Tis (Not Quite) the Season, but There’s Still Plenty to Celebrate. They are good suggestions to keep us focused on Church time and not secular time. Mind you, I’m not condemning putting up Christmas decorations in Advent or anything, just noting as Catholics and other liturgical Christians, that should be secondary to Advent. Finally, ChurchYear.Net has some good suggestions in the All About Advent Page, which includes a part on the lighting of the Advent wreath.

Many Catholics and other Christians (and people from other religions) create a "worship space" (I don’t like this word in the parish context, but here I think it fits) within their homes. In the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, it’s often called a home altar. Basically, this is a way to create a Catholic atmosphere for prayer and devotions within the home. It’s always been important for me to have this part of my house where I can go to enter into a spirit of prayer. We don’t keep our churches bare (or shouldn’t!), so why should worshiping in the "domestic church" be any different? The home altar is for many the primary place of worshiping God in the home.

I don’t think there’s any set form for creating a home altar, although I could be wrong. I do think that Catholic home altars tend to have similar components: candles, icons, statues, and items related to particular devotions (e.g. rosaries, prayer books, etc.). Catholic altars and the surrounding areas tend also to be very "sensual." And I don’t mean that in the secular sense, but rather as containing things that stimulate and engage the senses. The engagement of the senses is a big part of the beauty of the Catholic Church and home altars frequently reflect that. So, what devotions are often done at home altars or elsewhere?

One great thing about the Catholic Church is her diversity. I don’t mean heretical dissent, but legitimate diversity of practices, customs, and devotions. Thus, there are a plethora of approved devotions and customs that one can do in the home. I am a big fan of the Liturgy of the Hours, which is a beautiful liturgy that sanctifies the rhythm of the day and follows the Church year. I also enjoy the rosary and novenas. However, there are numerous Catholic devotions and practices and everyone should find something that is spiritually enriching and edifying in his or her life.

Image of my home altar

A Prayer to Our Lady for the New Year

Blessed Mother of Consolation, guide me through your loving prayers as I begin this new year. Remain close to me as I continue this earthly pilgrimage, moving through my time in this world toward a life with our Father, the true goal of every pilgrim.

Help me to move into this new year without fear or anxiety, rather with trust and openness to the many wonderful graces our Father gives us in each and every one of our years here upon earth.

Dear Mary, be with me and guide me to live my life of faith as you lived your life, ever in the presence of our Father, ever accepting His will, always living that will completely. Help me to touch those around me as you would touch them, with gentleness and calm, with understanding and patience. Guide me to help those near me who are in need as you would help them, giving completely of what I am, what I have received of God.

Pray for me each and every day of this new year, that I might live my life in the example of your beloved Son, our Lord. I truly desire to live as Christ taught us to live, to proclaim through my life His message of understanding and love.

Our Father has given us another year, dear Mary. I know in my heart of the endless wealth of this gift. Be with me each day, as I turn, full of hope, to my Father and say as you have said in your life, "be it done unto me according to Your Word."

Amen

Prayer from "A Pilgrim’s Prayer Book by Brother Jeffrey Hines, OFM Conv.
Photo by Jonathan Bennett (meant to virtually provide the view from the shrine kneeler)

The Catholic Encyclopedia describes a novena as follows: "a nine days’ private or public devotion in the Catholic Church to obtain special graces." Essentially, a person will ask a Saint to pray for them (or pray directly to the Holy Trinity) for a particular intention for nine days. Why nine days? First, the number is not some sort of magic formula. Rather it is symbolic of perseverance in prayer and holding fast in our faith. The number nine has a strong basis in Scripture as the apostles and the Blessed Virgin prayed for nine days from the Ascension until Pentecost before the coming of the Holy Spirit. Special indulgences and graces have been attached to various novenas.

Novenas have been an important part of my prayer life for a long time, even before I became Catholic. There’s something very powerful in bringing your petition before the Lord for nine days in succession, trusting in the power of God working through the communion of the Saints. Do Protestants or Orthodox have a novena tradition? Just curious.

Resources:

Catholic Encyclopedia: Novena
Novena Prayers (EWTN)
A Treasure of 104 Novenas (Catholic Doors)

Photo of St. Anthony of Padua, a popular Saint for novenas when one has lost something. Taken by Jonathan Bennett at Our Lady of Consolation, Carey, OH. Note the nest in the statue.

Since October is the month of the rosary, I figured I’d make a plug for the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, a spiritual organization associated with the praying of the rosary and run by the Dominicans. The Rosary Center Website describes the confraternity benefits as follows:

As Pope Leo XIII said in his encyclical on the Confraternity, "whenever
a person fulfills his obligation of reciting the Rosary according to
the rule of the Confraternity, he includes in his intentions all its
members, and they in turn render him the same service many times over."

Each member includes deceased fellow members as well; and thus he
knows that in turn he will be included in the prayers of hundreds of
thousands both now and hereafter.

This led the Cure of Ars to say: "If anyone has the
happiness of being in the Confraternity of the Rosary, he has in all
corners of the world brothers and sisters who pray for him."

So, if you are Catholic and pray the rosary regularly, why not obtain more spiritual benefits and blessings? If you are interested, enroll now.

Image of Mary with rosary taken at National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio. Photo by Jonathan Bennett

I think I’m going to start every new day with this prayer. It about covers it all and I especially like how it provides the intention for all indulged prayers:

O my God, I offer Thee all my prayers, works, and sufferings, in union
with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the intentions for which He pleads
and offers Himself in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in thanksgiving
for Thy favors, in reparation for my offenses, and in humble
supplication for my temporal and eternal welfare, for the wants of our
holy Mother the Church, for the conversion of sinners, and for the
relief of the poor souls in Purgatory. I wish to gain all the
indulgences attached to the prayers I shall say and to the good works I
shall perform this day.

Prayer from The New Saint Joseph Baltimore Catechism (No. 2)

Awhile back I and some commenters on the blog discussed Anglican Use Catholic parishes. These parishes, created for former Anglican priests and congregations, use a modified 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Thus, they retain large parts of their Anglican heritage while embracing the Catholic tradition and being in communion with Rome and their local bishop. This Anglican Use liturgy and pastoral provision (allowing married Anglicans to become Catholic priests) were championed by none other than Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, currently known as Pope Benedict XVI. I think this is a good option for those Anglicans who want to become Catholic, but hate to leave behind the beautiful liturgy of the old Book of Common Prayer. I would expect to see an increase of these parishes under Pope Benedict XVI. I’d love to visit one myself.

Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Church (Anglican Use parish)
Order the Book of Divine Worship (the Anglican Use "BCP")
Pastoral Provision

Today I had the pleasure of participating in the Rosary Walk for Peace, sponsored St. Mary Catholic Church (not my parish). I have never done a Catholic, public recitation of the rosary before, let alone one that involved a procession. It was an amazing experience, one that will stick with me forever: the cool October air, the changing colored leaves, walking around town reciting the Our Fathers, Hail Marys, Glorias, and Fatima Prayers led by the Cross, a statue of the Blessed Virgin, a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, an icon, and a banner. The group was quite diverse, young and old, ethnic and white, those in suits and those in jeans. They passed out roses to everyone, which made for a beautiful and fragrant event! The amazing thing was that this group of people all gathered together to show their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and their belief in God’s grace in their lives and the life of the world. It was fun to see the faces of the people in the cars as we walked by them too. I live in a very Protestant area and I’m sure many thought it was a little odd and probably quite intriguing too. We ended the rosary walk with the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. It was an amazing day I won’t forget. I’m so thankful that God has blessed me with moments like these in my journey closer to him.

Image of Our Lady of Fatima from http://web.cheapnet.it/ivanao/gallery.html

Since so many people have been coming to my blog from search engines looking for Catholic devotions, I wanted to offer them a list of resources. Here are some excellent website to help those wanting to learn more about Catholic devotional practice. May you grow in our Lord and his Church when you do these devotions:

The Rosary Center- Information on how to pray the Rosary and enrollment in the Rosary Confraternity.

The Liturgy of the Hours Apostolate- Pray the ancient prayers based on the rhythm of the day (morning, noon, etc.).

A Treasure of 94 Novena Prayers (Catholic Doors)- Get involved in the practice of 9 day prayers (no “magic” is attached to the number nine; it is symbolic of praying with persistence).

A Treasure of Over 1,088 Catholic Prayers- Also from Catholic Doors, this website has blessings, chaplets, litanies and more to dive into the wonderful practice of Catholic prayer.

The Real Presence Association- Includes information and resources on the Catholic practice Eucharistic Adoration. Also has a state by state list of churches that practice Eucharistic adoration.

Photo by Jonathan Bennett (me!)

Please keep Fr. Frank Monaghan, pastor at St. Joseph (Catholic) Church in Red Cliffs, Victoria (Australia) in your prayers. He recently had a stroke. He has been instrumental in my girlfriend’s walk with the Lord. If you read this, please say a short prayer for his recovery. Thanks!

O Lord, show Your mercy to me and gladden my heart,
I am like the man on the way to Jericho
who was overtaken by robbers,
wounded and left half dead:
O Good Samaritan, come to my aid.
I am like the sheep that went astray:
O Good Shepherd, seek me out
and bring me home in accord with Your Will.
Let me dwell in Your house all the days of my life
and praise You for ever and ever
with those who are there.

St. Jerome (342-420)

Taken from the New St. Joseph People’s Prayer Book

For many people reading the Scriptures is comparable to dental work: it gets put off for ages, happens infrequently, and can be downright painful. I wish I had a dollar for everyone I knew who set out to “read through the Bible.” They usually started in Genesis, got bogged down in Leviticus, and quit by mid-Deuteronomy. Why does the reading of God’s word, the history of God’s relationship with his people, provide so little meaning, enjoyment, and inspiration to people today? I think the answer may lie in how we are taught to read the Bible.

Ever since the Enlightenment, scholarship of all kinds has tended to look at literary documents in terms of their historicity. At that time, the Bible started to be judged by the same standards. Skeptics were more than happy to point out historical and scientific errors and contradictions. Many of those who responded to the skeptics started to emphasize the complete inerrancy of the Bible, even in historical and scientific matters. This debate continues today and most reading of Scripture from study Bibles to Bible studies tends to focus on historical, archaeological, and scientfic issues. Although the debate over the authorship of Genesis (whether Moses or JDEP) is interesting to academics and informed layman on both sides, it doesn’t really provide the meaning most people seek in their lives. After all, if a dying person asks the meaning of life and death, no decent pastor would say: “well, according to the priestly source…” We need to break out of our Enlightenment chains and start reading Scripture in the context of a) the Church and b) prayer. Lectio Divina is a start.

Lectio Divina is an ancient method of reading the Scriptures. As by Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B writes, it “… enables the Bible, the Word of God, to become a means of union with God.” Lectio Divina involves several steps: 1) listening/reading: we read the Scriptures, slowly and methodically, to listen for the voice of God 2) meditation: we find a word or passage that sticks out to us and we “ruminate” on it and let it touch us at our deepest levels 3) prayer: we have a conversation with God and prayerfully consecrate all of our lives, even the painful parts to him 4) contemplation: a quiet rest, total silence in the loving presence of God.

Lectio Divina at first seems unnatural to many in the 21st century because it runs counter to our values. Our society values speed, efficiency, the hard facts, noise, and clutter. Yet, for all this frantic activity, society is very shallow. Lectio divina is slow, spiritual, quiet, methodical, and simple. Yet, it is extremely deep and offers limitless opportunities to grow in the Faith and our relationship with the Blessed Trinity.

For more info please visit: Introd. to Lectio Divina by Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B (his article was a source for this entry).

Photo is Sodoma’s St. Benedict and his Monks Eating at the Refectory from CGFA.

I remember the first time I seriously engaged the concept of the rosary.  I always felt the pull to the rosary itself, but was rather afraid of the content.  As a Protestant my head was filled to the brim with preconceived notions: it was vain repetition, Mary worship, a sly form of idolatry (why would anyone need beads to pray?), etc.   Of course I knew absolutely nothing about the rosary itself!

The word ‘rosary’ means crown of roses and comes from the concept that whenever we pray we are giving Mary a bouquet of roses.  The first clear reference to the rosary comes from St. Dominic.  Catholics believe that Mary, in several appearances, has decreed the rosary as a way to combat sin and evil.
 
As a devotion the rosary is unique in that it is supposed to keep the one praying from distraction.  It gives us something to occupy the body (beads), our speech (the prayers), the imaginitive mind (the Mysteries), the emotional heart (the awareness that we’re praying with Mary), and the depths of our soul (consciousness of God’s presence).  The change of mystery after 10 Hail Marys helps to keep it fresh because all minds wander even a little. (taken from the excellent book Pardon and Peace: A Sinner’s Guide to Confession by Fr. Francis Randolph).
 
In the rosary we meditate on the life and work of Jesus Christ.  Catholics do not worship Mary or pray to her.   We ask Mary to pray for us, as the Hail Mary says.  The rosary is joining our voices with the prayers of Mary, who is in the presence of her Risen Son.  God is the God of the living, not the dead, so we truly believe that all who die in the peace of Christ are with him.
 
My personal experience with the rosary has been incredibly positive.  It’s been a huge blessing in my life.  I find that as I meditate on the mysteries I get new insights not only into the life of Christ, but how his life speaks to me today.  In the joyful mysteries I feel the joy Mary felt; in the sorrowful mysteries I feel the pain of losing a son and the incredible sacrifice he made for sinners like me.  The luminous mysteries bring out Jesus’ true light and glory, a glory we experience in the Eucharist.  And meditating upon the glorious mysteries makes them more than just faraway history and written Church doctrines, but living events for all of us today.  That is of course what they are!
 
The rosary helps me to get closer to Jesus in amazing ways.  That may sound strange to Protestant ears, but remember, the Catholic Church teaches that all devotion to Mary must lead to greater love for and glorification of her Son.
 
For more information on the rosary please visit: www.rosary-center.org/howto.htm