|
Catholic Traditions, Symbolisms and Practices Listed below are some of the traditional items, symbolisms and practices used by Catholics to enhance the celebration of our faith.
The Advent Wreath
Holy Oils
Ash
Wednesday
Q. What makes the altar so special that it is kissed by the priest and other ministers? A. The altar in every religion is viewed as special because it is the site of sacrifice. In the early Church the altar came to symbolize Christ Himself; at the same time, the eucharistic sacrifice was being celebrated over the tombs of the martyrs, those who continued Christ's passion in their own lives. This latter practice eventually evolved into the placing of martyrs' relics in the altar (a tradition still encouraged but no longer mandated). For all these reasons, the altar is kissed. You say that this is done by the priest and other ministers." The only ministers who should reverence the altar in this way are bishops, priests, and deacons because of their relationship to the altar through the reception of holy orders.
Kneeling for Prayers and during Mass Kneeling is a sign of adoration and penance, thus kneeling is recommended for daily prayers and required for that part of the Mass which effects the Eucharist prayers. During the Mass this includes from the Epiclesis (when the priest extends his hands over the gifts) to the Memorial Acclamation (e.g., Christ has died, etc.) Standing is a sign of respect, hence the position for the Gospel.
Q. What is the tradition around the use of the holy water upon entering and leaving a church?
Q. Some time ago, at our parish High Mass, the priest came down the center aisle and sprinkled the people with holy water. Is this an option only before High Mass today?
Q. Why does the church use holy water and what are the effects of its use for those of us who believe it combats evil?
Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Those who are bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted if necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted. The special Paschal fast and abstinence are prescribed for Good Friday and encouraged for Holy Saturday. "The season of Lent is a preparation for the celebration of Easter. The liturgy prepares the catechumens for the celebration of the paschal mystery by the several stages of Christian initiation: it also prepares the faithful, who recall their baptism and do penance in preparation for Easter." (General Norms for the Liturgical Year, #27) By the threefold discipline of fasting, almsgiving and prayer the church keeps Lent from Ash Wednesday until the evening of Holy Thursday. All of the faithful and the catechumens should undertake serious practice of these three traditions. Failure to observe penitential days totally or a substantial number of such days must be considered serious. "(On) weekdays of Lent, we strongly recommend participation in daily Mass and self-imposed observances of fasting. In light of grave human needs which weigh on the Christian conscience in all seasons, we urge particularly during Lent, generosity to local, national and world programs of sharing of all things needed to translate our duty to penance into a means of implementing the right of the poor to their part of our abundance," (U.S. Bishops statement on penitential observances, 1966.)
Stations of the Cross
The Rosary The origin of the name, the word rosarius means a garland or bouquet of roses, and it was not unfrequently used in a figurative sense-- e.g. as the title of a book, to denote an anthology or collection of extracts. An early legend which after traveling all over Europe penetrated even to Abyssinia connected this name with a story of Our Lady, who was seen to take rosebuds from the lips of a young monk when he was reciting Hail Marys and to weave them into a garland which she placed upon her head. A German metrical version of this story is still extant dating from the thirteenth century. The name "Our Lady's Psalter" can also be traced back to the same period. Corona or chaplet suggests the same idea as rosarium. The old English name found in Chaucer and elsewhere was a "pair of beads", in which the word bead (q.v.) originally meant prayers. That the Rosary is pre-eminently the prayer of the people adapted alike for the use of simple and learned is proved not only by the long series of papal utterances by which it has been commended to the faithful but by the daily experience of all who are familiar with it. The objection so often made against its "vain repetitions" is felt by none but those who have failed to realize how entirely the spirit of the exercise lies in the meditation upon the fundamental mysteries of our faith. To the initiated the words of the angelical salutation form only a sort of half-conscious accompaniment, a bourdon which we may liken to the "Holy, Holy, Holy" of the heavenly choirs and surely not in itself meaningless. Neither can it be necessary to urge that the freest criticism of the historical origin of the devotion, which involves no point of doctrine, is compatible with a full appreciation of the devotional treasures which this pious exercise brings within the reach of all. The
Rosary - Its' History and Development The Rosary as we know it today took several centuries to develop. The ultimate source of the Rosary as a prayer form is the Book of Psalms in the Bible. The Psalms have for centuries been at the heart of the Church's daily recitation of the Divine Office. The practice of praying an Our Father instead of a Psalm caught on in the early medieval period, and in his practice the Rosary began. "In order to keep count of the prayers." Toward the end of the 12th century, the first half of the Hail Mary, as we know it, began to take on an importance equal to that of the Our Father and the Creed. These were prayers that all Christians should know. Soon, to each of the 50 Our Fathers people began to add a short phrase about Jesus and Mary. Then, they substituted brief lives of Jesus and Mary that summarized the Gospel from the Annunciation to the Resurrection of Jesus and the Assumption of Mary. According to Father Jelly, in the early 15th century a Carthusian Monk, Dominic of Prussia, helped to popularize this devotion by linking 50 Hail Marys with 50 phrases about Jesus and Mary. "This is the origin of the word Rosary, since the series of 50 points of meditation was called a Rosarium (rose garden)." The rose, a symbol of joy, referred to Mary, and "Rosary" came to refer to the recitation of 50 Hail Marys. The Fifteen Promises of Mary to those who Recite the Rosary
Adorations of the Blessed Mary Mary Mother of the Church Authentic devotion to Mary "proceeds from true faith by which we are led to know the excellence of the Mother of God, and are moved to filial love toward our Mother, and to the imitation of her virtues” (Constitution on the Church, 67-8). We are told that true devotion to Our Lady is shown in a deep love of her as our Mother, put into practice by the imitation of her virtues--especially her faith, her chastity, and charity. These are the three virtues that the modern world most desperately needs.
No wonder the new Catechism of the Catholic Church makes this astounding profession of faith: "We believe that the most Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven her maternal role toward the members of Christ." It all depends on our faith in her maternal care, and our trust in her influence over the almighty hand of her Son. Mary, Mother of
Mankind If you despair of everything, if you see yourselves weak before the powers of hell, if there is obstinacy everywhere, if even the heavens seem closed to your petitions…nothing is lost. There still remains the last, but certain hope-Mary, our Mother. Why? It is her duty to bring Jesus. Where Mary enters, the Son will follow. When dawn breaks, the sun will soon rise. Jesus is "the flower of the Virgin Mother, the blessed fruit of her womb." Mary is the great Mother: The love of all mothers put together would constitute a great fire, but Mary's love for each of her children exceeds it. Jesus Christ ignited this love from the cross. She is the Cause of our Joy, the Refuge of Sinners, the Comforter of the Afflicted, the Help of Christians, the Seat of Wisdom, the Mother of Good Counsel, the Mother most Amiable. She looks after each and everyone, just as when you enjoy the rays of the sun, you do not take away any from your brethren. "Nothing escapes its' heat" (Ps. 19:7). She can put unhoped - for means into action; her love is boundless, and her power unlimited on the heart of God, and on all creatures. Our Lady of
Guadalupe Mary,
Mother of Jesus and of the Church As Mother of the Lord, Mary is an entirely unique person. Like her Son, she was conceived as a human being (and lived her whole life) exempt from any trace of original sin. This is called her Immaculate Conception.
Before, during, and after the birth of Jesus her Son, Mary remained
physically a virgin. As Mother of the Christ whose life we live, Mary is also the Mother of the whole Church. She is a member of the church, but an altogether unique member. Vatican II expresses her relationship to us as that of a "pre-eminent and altogether singular member of the Church, and as the Church's model...in faith and charity. Taught by the Holy Spirit, the Catholic Church honors her with filial affection and piety as a most Beloved Mother" . Like a mother waiting up for her grown children to come home, Mary never stops influencing the course of our lives. Vatican II says: "She conceived, brought forth, and nourished Christ. She presented Him to the Father in the temple, and "as united with Him in suffering as He died on the cross... For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace" (The Church, 61). "By her maternal charity, Mary cares for the brethren of her Son who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led to their blessed home" . This mother, who saw her own flesh-and-blood Son die for the rest of her children, is waiting and preparing your home for you. She is, in the words of Vatican II, your "sign of sure hope and solace" . The Church also honors the other saints who are already with the Lord in heaven. These are people who have served God and their neighbors in so outstanding a way that they have been canonized. That is, the Church has officially declared that they are in heaven, holds them up as heroic models, and encourages us to pray to them, asking their intercession with God for us all. Mary's Role in
our Redemption "And with those words, she expresses what was the fundamental attitude of her life: her faith! Mary believed! She trusted in God's promises and was faithful to His will." For it was that continual trust in the providence of God which most characterized her faith. "All her earthly life was 'a pilgrimage of faith' (Lumen Gentium, 58). For like us she walked n shadows and hoped for things unseen. She knew the contradictions of our earthly life. She was promised that her Son would be given David's throne, but at His birth, there was no room even at the inn. Mary still believed. The angel said her child would be called the Son of God; but she would see him slandered, betrayed, and condemned, and left to die as a thief on the cross. Even yet, Mary 'trusted hat God's words to her would be fulfilled (Lk 1:45), and that 'nothing was impossible with God' (Lk 1:37)." "This woman of faith, Mary of Nazareth, the Mother of God, has been given to us as a model in our pilgrimage of faith. From Mary we learn to surrender to God's will in all things. From Mary, we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary, we learn to love Christ, her Son and the Son of God. For Mary is not only the Mother of God, she is the Mother of the Church as well. In every stage of the march through history, the Church has benefited from the prayer and protection of the Virgin Mary." "I therefore exhort you in Christ Jesus, to continue to look to Mary as the model of the Church, as the best example of lie discipleship of Christ. Learn from her to be always faithful, to trust that God's word to you will be fulfilled, and that nothing is impossible with God. Turn to Mary frequently in your prayer ‘for never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection, implored her help, or sought her intercession was left unaided.’”
Q. Is the Rosary a thing of the past? This past October, no one had a rosary in his hand at church. Don't you think people are losing their devotion to Our Blessed Mother when they don't say the Rosary?
Remembering and Honoring the Saints Walk into anyone's home and you are likely to find pictures of family members from generations past-grandparents who moved to the area, parents who built the house, relatives who form the family tree. If you inquire, you may be shown mementos like the books they read, the jewelry they wore, keepsakes they treasured, and diaries they kept. We like to recall our past, search for roots, and delve into our background in a quest for information about our ancestors. We who are Catholic remember those who have gone before us in our Church family. We hope to learn from the saints and so come to a deeper knowledge of ourselves. We look to them for inspiration, courage, and hope. Some people criticize Catholics for honoring the saints. But it is biblical to remember and honor them. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a "verbal memorial" in honor of the holy men and women of the Old Testament. Hebrews 13:7 advises: "Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." It is also natural to honor great people from the past. In our national capital, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and many other shrines and statues honor government and military leaders. Catholics name churches after saints and erect statues to honor spiritual leaders.
Q. I have seen people bow toward the altar and the Blessed Sacrament instead of genuflecting. Shouldn't we genuflect if we really believe in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament? A. Genuflection - bending one or both knees as an act of reverence - happens to be the act of reverence Catholics of our time and country are most accustomed to, but a profound and devout bow can be just as reverent. Bow - Until perhaps 300 years ago, bowing was the common way of showing reverence to the Eucharist, or to the crucifix. It was considered quite proper, in fact, for young girls to curtsey to the Blessed Sacrament. Our practice of genuflection derives mainly from practices of imperial Rome and the later courts of Europe
In 1975 the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship was asked whether the congregation might hold hands during the Lord's Prayer instead of offering the Sign of Peace The answer was a strong no. "The Sign of Peace is filled with meaning, graciousness and Christian inspiration"; it said. "Any substitution for it must be repudiated." A concern was implied that this liturgical gesture of joining hands is not in the rubrics of the Mass. But the question and answer was directly mainly at considering the practice a replacement for the Sign of Peace (Notitiae 11, 1975, 226).
Reverence for the Gospel - Blessing or Signing during the Announcing of the Gospel Reading Q. Just before the reading of the Gospel at Mass, the priest touches his head, his mouth and his breast. Then most of the people do the same. What does this mean? A. The priest and people are making a small sign of the cross on their forehead, their lips and breast. During this action they are saying a silent prayer "May the Good News of the Lord which we are about to hear, be always in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts."
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is the worship of the living presence of Jesus. The Eucharist is love, nothing but love; therefore, we must perfect this love within us continually renewing its fire, that we ourselves may be enkindled by it. Love must be made strong in our hearts before we may expect to make it manifest in good works. Since we receive Incarnate Love so often, our whole life should simply be the development and unfoldment of this Love. Let us be true disciples of Jesus Christ and live by love. (Excerpts from The Blessed Sacrament. The Works & Ways of God-Fredrick William Taher, D.D.)
What is Eucharistic Adoration? Our Lord is calling us to take a "time-out". He desires us to lay our problems and concerns at His feet. He calls us to a time of quiet reflection and resting in Him. He loves us so deeply and yearns for us to receive that love. Adoration is our personal response of loving Him in return. He wants to speak to our hearts, reassuring us that He is truly present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. He is God's precious Gift to us all.
Q. Where did our use of candles at Mass come from, and are they still required? There seems to be no consistency about the number of them, or even whether there should be any at all? A. Christian use of candles was taken over from the Romans who used them on a variety of civic and religious occasions. The practice is, however, part of a much larger human tradition. The natural symbolism of light has been recognized by nearly every religion since time immemorial. Even pagans lit lamps over tombs expressing belief in some sort of continued existence for the deceased. Light, particularly a living flame, signified life, hope, joy, divinity, courage - in other words, nearly everything that mankind has considered good and beautiful. Some of this symbolism may be sensed from the fact that the lighted ceremonial candle for evening prayer developed into our paschal candle. These lights were also used in funeral ceremonies, before the tombs of deceased Christians and in front of images of martyrs and other saints. They symbolized then what they still do for us: light (Christ), life, hope, resurrection and faith. Candles have been used at Mass in some way since the seventh century, and are still required, though regulations concerning them are considerably simpler than in the past.
Q. Please explain the proper usage of the palm we received on Palm Sunday. How long should it be kept, in what way, and how should it be disposed of? A. Palms distributed on the Sunday before Easter remind us of Our Lord's death and resurrection and of our share in his passage from to life. Any reverent way of keeping these palms in our homes with this kind of prayerful and devout intention is perfectly fine. Some people place them behind a crucifix; others place them with a picture that is particularly meaningful; others merely hang them on the wall or keep them on a desk or table. As anything that is blessed, palms lose their blessing when they lose their identity. The proper way to dispose of a palm, therefore, is either by burning or breaking it up. The remains may then be thrown away.
Q. Since 1971 a number of men have been ordained permanent deacons in our archdiocese Please enumerate the duties they perform as permanent deacons. This point is not clear to many Catholics. Do the deacons receive remuneration for acting in this capacity? A. It is not only in your archdiocese that Catholics are confused about the proper functions of permanent deacons. Before I answer your question directly, it should be noted that liturgical functions of the deacons, especially at the celebration of the Eucharist, are intended to be a climax and a symbol of the other services they render to the community outside of the liturgy. This important point is made constantly by those who work in the training and supervision of the deacon programs. The following liturgical functions are assigned to deacons by the church:
Deacons may also preach at celebrations of the Eucharist and other ceremonies. However, this function as well as the faculty to officiate at marriages must be explicitly granted to them by the bishop of the diocese. Many perhaps most, of the permanent deacons receive no regular pay for the services that they give. Policies concerning remuneration are established by the diocese and the institution in which the deacon serves.
Some common questions concerning the Anointing of the Sick.
Q. Who can be anointed?
Q. If I was anointed last year or
previously, can I be anointed again?
Q. Does receiving this sacrament mean
that I will soon die?
Q. One of my loved ones is very
ill and cannot get to the Church for the anointing. Is there something the
Church can do?
What
Distinguishes A Brother From A Priest?
What The Difference Is Between A Diocesan
Priest And A Religious Priest? A religious priest, on the other hand, is a member of a community which goes beyond the geographical limits of any diocese. A religious priest seeks to live a vowed life within a community of men for mutual support and the accomplishment of some work. There is an emphasis in the community on shared ideals, prayer, and commitment to Christ. Religious priests work in a wide variety of ministries.
|
| Home | Site Map | Weekly Bulletin | Daily Readings | Mass Schedules | Maps | Sacraments/Prayers | Web Links | School | Youth Groups | Things to Do | Contact Us
