The fine line between Sacramentals and superstition.

[Athanasias]

Is there anything more sad then a Catholic stuck in a superstition disguised as holy truth? Yes I am referring to the Catholics(usually cafeteria Catholics) that call me up and ask me things like “Does it matter which way I bury St. Joseph or are there certain St. Joseph statues that will work for selling houses and others that will work for getting jobs?”. Then I almost always have people swear that they have tried it and it worked for them! People I beg you if you want to use a statue of St. Joseph as a sacramental and devotion to ask for his intercession when praying a novena and asking God to help you sell your home thats fine. God can and does bless people through the physical and he does hear St. Josephs prayers. But please be careful of falling into a superstition with it because if you do its a sin and the Catechism deals with this as well as scriptures in 2 Macc.


Here is the Catechism on superstition:

"YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME"

2110 The first commandment forbids honoring gods other than the one Lord who has revealed himself to his people. It proscribes superstition and irreligion. Superstition in some sense represents a perverse excess of religion; irreligion is the vice contrary by defect to the virtue of religion.

Superstition

2111 Superstition is the deviation of religious feeling and of the practices this feeling imposes. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, e.g., when one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition.41(CCC 210-211)


Sorry Just had to get that off my chest after telling a person that today in my store who just did not seem to get it. Goodness proper Catechesis is much needed even in our "enlightened 21st century America". God save us. Mary and Joseph help us by your prayers for us!

 

[~Anastasia~]

I'm glad you posted this, and glad to know that the Catholic Church doesn't endorse such things.

Hearing from laity who "swear by" such things can give Catholicism a bad name. I'm glad when I hear such superstitious things are not really supposed to be regarded.

Coming off our Greek Festival this last weekend, it came up for us too. The whole idea of the "evil eye" amulets and charms was something that was discussed. Father tries to be gentle, since some of the yiayias have very entrenched "traditions" (not Church Tradition of course), but these are essentially a superstition. Some priests are very adamant about not seeing them anywhere - and I understand that point of view as well.

But burying the statue always seemed a bit odd to me.

That said, when I built a house, the man we hired was Catholic. He put a medal (I think it was the Virgin Mary) inside the frame, and maybe a few other things. I never minded the fact that he did that ...

 

[mark46]

Is there anything more sad then a Catholic stuck in a superstition disguised as holy truth? Yes I am referring to the Catholics(usually cafeteria Catholics) that call me up and ask me things like “Does it matter which way I bury St. Joseph or are there certain St. Joseph statues that will work for selling houses and others that will work for getting jobs?”. Then I almost always have people swear that they have tried it and it worked for them! People I beg you if you want to use a statue of St. Joseph as a sacramental and devotion to ask for his intercession when praying a novena and asking God to help you sell your home thats fine. God can and does bless people through the physical and he does hear St. Josephs prayers. But please be careful of falling into a superstition with it because if you do its a sin and the Catechism deals with this as well as scriptures in 2 Macc.


Here is the Catechism on superstition:

"YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME"

2110 The first commandment forbids honoring gods other than the one Lord who has revealed himself to his people. It proscribes superstition and irreligion. Superstition in some sense represents a perverse excess of religion; irreligion is the vice contrary by defect to the virtue of religion.

Superstition

2111 Superstition is the deviation of religious feeling and of the practices this feeling imposes. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, e.g., when one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition.41(CCC 210-211)


Sorry Just had to get that off my chest after telling a person that today in my store who just did not seem to get it. Goodness proper Catechesis is much needed even in our "enlightened 21st century America". God save us. Mary and Joseph help us by your prayers for us!

There is little to be done. Statues of Saint Joseph were always the best seller in our bookstore, even though these were kept out of view. Our priest occasionally spoke out against the practice several times. If we ever ran out, there was an uproar and daily inquiries as to when they would be coming in.

 

[Athanasias]

There is little to be done. Statues of Saint Joseph were always the best seller in our bookstore, even though these were kept out of view. Our priest occasionally spoke out against the practice several times. If we ever ran out, there was an uproar and daily inquiries as to when they would be coming in.

They indeed are bestsellers in ours too. But there is much that can be done. For example you can stop selling them altogether or if you sell them you can make pamphlets explaining the proper way to ask for His intercession and the danger of falling into the sin of superstition. I have found most owners who will not do these things simply just care more for the temporal goods of their pocketbook more then the eternal goods of their customers souls (which should be the hallmark of any Catholic store).

 

[Athanasias]

I'm glad you posted this, and glad to know that the Catholic Church doesn't endorse such things.

Hearing from laity who "swear by" such things can give Catholicism a bad name. I'm glad when I hear such superstitious things are not really supposed to be regarded.

Coming off our Greek Festival this last weekend, it came up for us too. The whole idea of the "evil eye" amulets and charms was something that was discussed. Father tries to be gentle, since some of the yiayias have very entrenched "traditions" (not Church Tradition of course), but these are essentially a superstition. Some priests are very adamant about not seeing them anywhere - and I understand that point of view as well.

But burying the statue always seemed a bit odd to me.

That said, when I built a house, the man we hired was Catholic. He put a medal (I think it was the Virgin Mary) inside the frame, and maybe a few other things. I never minded the fact that he did that ...

Thanks. I do know there are alot of superstitions and things brought over from the old countries in our Church. Catholic Exorcist such as Fr. Amorth have talked about the "evil eye" and amulets as well. They are definitly superstitions but also according to exorcist are real and can invite the demonic into the home of a Christian. We even have prayers against the evil eye and such in some of our rituals. So yeah its like the devil also has his "sacramentals" and he perverts ours when we use them in superstitious ways.

 

[Anhelyna]

Do you include putting a green Scapular under the mattress of someone who is not a believer to bring them to conversion among these superstitions ?

This one horrified me when I heard of it

 

[Athanasias]

Do you include putting a green Scapular under the mattress of someone who is not a believer to bring them to conversion among these superstitions ?

This one horrified me when I heard of it

I am sure that would be included. But Scapulars and other sacramentals are highly effective when done with proper disposition and by the intercession of the Church and whatever promise is attached to the sacramental by God or Mary. But misusing them is not a good thing. Education is the key. That being said I do know a former Satanist that converted instantly when he touched the miraculous medal of Mary(the medal I have shown in my avatar) that has had many authentic miracles associated with it). His name is Zach King. God can and does use His sacramentals. There are power in these when used properly.

Here is his beautiful story.

 

[Cappadocious]

Treating traditional uses as superstitions = step one to "secularism."

 

[Athanasias]

Treating traditional uses as superstitions = step one to "secularism."

Sorry you feel that way.