Question about the Rosary

hope · #1 23rd March 2002, 06:35 PM

I have this little prayer book. In it, it says : The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary. (Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan) I will not list all the promises, but is anyone familiar with this? Who found out about these promises? Was it St. Dominic.... Does anyone know the history of the this? Here are just a sample of the promises:
1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the rosary.
3. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the rosary.
4. Devotion of my rosary is a great sign of predestination.
5. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary.....
6. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church...
7. All who recite the rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only son Jesus Christ.
etc...... (I did not type them all in order. I picked the ones that I thought were real interesting, and shorter....)
If you want to add the rest that is fine.
If Catholics believe in these 15 Promises, why doesn't more Catholics recite the Rosary? Hope

ZooMom · #2 24th March 2002, 12:12 AM

Because Catholics are not required to believe in or adhere to anything that pertains to 'private revelations'. Public Revelation ended with the death of John the Beloved, and includes all Tradition and Scripture which Catholics are required to believe in. Private visions, apparitions, etc...even when Church approved are not binding on the faithful, because we already have the fullness of Truth in the Deposit of Faith.

Devotion to the Rosary is merely a devotion to meditating on the life of Christ, and by doing so to 'immitate what they contain and obtain what they promise'. IOW, to learn to be more like Christ and in doing so to obtain the promise of Eternal Life with Him.

Hope this helps.

patriarch · #3 24th March 2002, 12:35 AM

"If Catholics believe in these 15 Promises, why doesn't more Catholics recite the Rosary? Hope"

Listen, a LOT of Catholics recite the Rosary! What makes you think they don't?

Lee

ZooMom · #4 24th March 2002, 12:42 AM

I guess I should have added that I do. Every day.

A deacon at my church also leads a communal Rosary every Sunday morning before Mass. It is very well attended, and it is an awesome thing to pray it with 50-100 other people.

Andrew · #5 24th March 2002, 01:00 AM

ZooMom,
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IOW, to learn to be more like Christ and in doing so to obtain the promise of Eternal Life with Him.
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Does this mean that you or Catholics as a whole believe that a believer must learn to be Christ-like and in so doing, hope to obtain eternal life. ie there is no assurance of salvation yet?

ZooMom · #6 24th March 2002, 01:15 AM

Yes. We believe that we are called to be like Christ. We are told to be many things in the Gospels...servants, meek, humble, holy, perfect, peaceful, charitable, obedient, faithful, loving...all of which point to Christ. We are to 'follow' Him, in everything.

And no, we do not believe that Salvation is a 'one-moment-in-your-life' event that guarantees you will go to Heaven should you die anytime thereafter.

Salvation is a process. It's a race with a prize at the end. We are being saved, but we aren't 'saved' until we are at home with Christ.

More clear?

nyj · #7 24th March 2002, 01:41 AM

Originally posted by Andrew

Does this mean that you or Catholics as a whole believe that a believer must learn to be Christ-like and in so doing, hope to obtain eternal life. ie there is no assurance of salvation yet?

Absolute assurance of salvation is heresy and is extremely dangerous an cannot be supported by Scripture unless one is willing to twist certain passages and ignore others.

So, am I assured of salvation?

As the Bible says, I am already saved (Rom. 8:24, Eph. 2:5–8), but I’m also being saved (1 Cor. 1:8, 2 Cor. 2:15, Phil. 2:12), and I have the hope that I will be saved (Rom. 5:9–10, 1 Cor. 3:12–15). Like the apostle Paul I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with hopeful confidence in the promises of Christ (Rom. 5:2, 2 Tim. 2:11–13).

hope · #8 24th March 2002, 12:05 PM

Originally posted by ZooMom
Because Catholics are not required to believe in or adhere to anything that pertains to 'private revelations'. Public Revelation ended with the death of John the Beloved, and includes all Tradition and Scripture which Catholics are required to believe in. Private visions, apparitions, etc...even when Church approved are not binding on the faithful, because we already have the fullness of Truth in the Deposit of Faith.

Devotion to the Rosary is merely a devotion to meditating on the life of Christ, and by doing so to 'immitate what they contain and obtain what they promise'. IOW, to learn to be more like Christ and in doing so to obtain the promise of Eternal Life with Him.

Hope this helps.

I forgot to mention that at the end of the Fifteen Promises Of Mary to Christians who Recite the Rosary.....It has been marked with Imprimatur: Patrick J. Hayes, D.D., Archbishop of New York.... Doesn't this imply that Catholics should be required to believe in and recite the Rosary? Could you please tell me a little more about John The Beloved? Hope

patriarch · #9 24th March 2002, 12:32 PM

Originally posted by hope

I forgot to mention that at the end of the Fifteen Promises Of Mary to Christians who Recite the Rosary.....It has been marked with Imprimatur: Patrick J. Hayes, D.D., Archbishop of New York.... Doesn't this imply that Catholics should be required to believe in and recite the Rosary? Could you please tell me a little more about John The Beloved? Hope

The Imprimatur only means that there is nothing in the publication that is contrary to faith or morals. It is not a rubber stamp by the Church that these promises are true.

Here, John the Beloved refers to St. John the Apostle, believed to be the last of the Apostles to die. Revelation ended with the death of the last apostle.

BTW, My wife prays five rosaries a day, one for me, one for herself, one for our son, David, one for our daughter Stephanie and one for the poor souls in Purgatory. Maybe there is some connection between that and the fact that we have had a happy marriage, the kids have grown up straight and true, faithful, daily Mass attending young adults, who also pray the rosary every day...and who not only are a joy to be with, but have taken upon themselves apostolates with young people. And I also pray the rosary every day.

What better way to begin the day than in company with Our Blessed Mother, asking the blessing of God on our families, on the people we know, and on the Church. Perhaps some of these evils have come upon us lately because people are not praying enough for the Church and our priests.

Lee

hope · #10 24th March 2002, 03:02 PM

Lee, How does your wife find the time to pray the rosary 5 times a day, and still be able to do all the duties of a wife and mother? I am just curious? I know praying the rosary takes a very long time..... Hope