Catholic Prayers: Articles

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Sunday, September 16, 2007

History Of Roman Catholic Blessings

A blessing (from to bless, Old English bleodsian or bletsian) originally meant "sprinkling with blood" during the pagan sacrifices, the Blóts (reference: AHD).

A blessing, (also used to refer to bestowing of such) is the infusion of something with holiness, divine will, or one's hopes. Within Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and similar traditions, formal blessings of the church are performed by bishops, priests, and sometimes deacons, but as in many other religions, anyone may formally bless another. A curse at least in its most formal sense is the opposite of a blessing. Blessing is similar to charm.

In the Bible, blessings and curses are related; the book of Deuteronomy prescribes that obedience to the Torah brings God's blessing, while disobedience brings a curse. The Priestly Blessing is set forth at Numbers 6:24-26:

May the LORD bless you, and keep thee; May the LORD make his face shine to upon you, and be gracious to you; May the LORD turn his countenance to you and grant you peace.

This formula has been introduced into Roman Catholic worship as well. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus pronounces blessings on the poor, the humble, and the persecuted in the Beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.

GENERAL RULES CONCERNING BLESSINGS

1. Any priest may confer the blessings of the Church, except those reserved to the Pope, to bishops, or to others.

* A reserved blessing which is conferred by a priest who does not have the required delegation is valid, but illicit, unless the Holy See has declared otherwise in the reservation.

* Deacons and lectors can give validly and licitly only those blessings expressly allowed by law.

2. Both constitutive and invocative blessings are invalid if the forms prescribed by the Church are not observed.

3. Blessings are designed primarily for Catholics, but may likewise be given to catechumens. Moreover, unless the Church expressly forbids, they may be imparted to non-Catholics to assist them in obtaining the light of faith, or together with it, bodily health.

4. Objects which have received the constitutive blessing should be treated reverently, and should never be put to profane or improper use, even though they may be personal possessions.

5. Blessings of the sacred appurtenances which, according to liturgical law, should be blessed before they are used, may be conferred by:

* cardinals and all bishops;

* an ordinary who is not a bishop, in the churches and oratories of his own province;

* a pastor in the churches and oratories located within the confines of his parish, and rectors of churches in their own churches;

* priests delegated thereto by the Ordinary of the place, subject to the extent of the delegation and the power of the one delegating;

* religious superiors and their priest subjects whom they delegate, in their own churches and oratories and in churches of nuns who are under their spiritual care.

* N.B. Rule No. 5 with its five parts is now obsolete in view of the new "Instruction" of September 26, 1964.

6. In every blessing outside of Mass the priest should be vested in surplice and stole of the color proper to the day, unless the rubrics prescribe otherwise.

7. The one who blesses should stand with head uncovered; and at the beginning of each blessing, unless otherwise stated, he says:

* V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
* R. Who made heaven and earth.
* V. The Lord be with you.
* R. May He also be with you.

* He then says the proper prayer or as many as are given.

* Lastly he sprinkles the object with holy water, and if called for, incenses it, without saying anything.

8. When a priest blesses he should be assisted by a server who holds the holy water and aspersory, and he should follow the Ritual or the Missal.

9. Care should be taken that during a blessing nothing indecorous is placed upon the altar, e.g., eatables. Things of this nature should be placed upon a table conveniently arranged.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Saints

In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. It can be applied to both the living and the dead and is an acceptable term in most of the world's popular religions. The Saint is held up by the community as an example of how we all should act, and his or her life story is usually recorded for the edification of future generations.

The process of officially recognizing a person as a saint, practiced by some churches, is called canonization.

History of Roman Catholic Saints
Some theologians believe that many people venerated as Saints never actually existed. The polite term for such "Saints" is ahistorical. Sorting out exactly which Saints are ahistorical is difficult, because of the larger difficulty of proving a negative: the absence of independent records of a Saint's existence doesn't prove she or he never existed; indeed there are no specific records of the existence of many people who lived before the 20th century. The Acta Sanctorum (hagiographical work) of the Bollandists forms a major part of the historiography of named Saints.

There are a large number of Catholic Saints with what appear to be pagan names. Most likely they were pagans who converted to Christianity and subsequently became Saints. However, it is possible that some pre-Christian deities (especially in Rome's area) were accidentally adopted as saints. It is thought that some cults were “Christianized” in a fairly direct manner. The basis for this is usually a similarity of names. For example, it is now commonly asserted that Saint Brigid was based on the Celtic goddess Brigid. The goddess was popular long before Christianity reached Ireland. Another possibility is the melding of the actual life of the Saint with myths related to pre-Christian gods and heroes. There are some striking parallels to the events portrayed in the lives of certain saints and fables such as Androcles and the Lion.

In the Roman Catholic church, the title of Saint refers to a person who has been formally canonized (officially recognized) by the Church. This takes place sometime after the person's death and by this definition, never refers to a living person. Formal Canonization is a lengthy process often taking many years, even centuries. The individual is thoroughly investigated by the church and often a number of visions, miracles, or of the holiness and good deeds the person done while on earth in order to be declared a Saint. Also, by this definition there are many people in heaven who are not Saints simply because their lives were not exemplary (though they still went to heaven) and the church does not wish to uphold the individual as an example to be emulated. They are called saints (lowercase 's').

Contrary to popular belief, Saints are not worshiped - this would violate the Commandments - but they are asked for help or to pray for a person. Saints are usually considered to be specific intercessors for specific problems as well. The term Patron Saint usually defines this purpose. Once a person has been declared a Saint, the body of the Saint is considered to be holy. In past centuries, the bones of saints were distributed as holy artifacts. The ring on the finger of Catholic bishops contains the relic of a Saint. In modern times, however, there is a growing trend to show respect for the body of a Saint by leaving it alone and buried.

Calendar of Saints
The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as the saint's day of that saint. The system arose from the very early Christian custom of annual commemoration of martyrs on the date of their death. As the number of recognized saints increased during Late Antiquity and roughly the first half of the Middle Ages, eventually every day of the year had at least one saint who was commemorated on that date.

Intially, there were two types of saints: martyrs and confessors. Martyrs were people who died in the service of the Lord and confessors were people who died natural deaths. Confessors were not initially considered for saint's days.

This calendar system, when combined with major church festivals and movable and immovable feasts, constructs a very human and personalised yet often localised way of organising the year and identifying dates. It may be compared with the Roman Missal.
Medievalists continue the old tradition of dating by saints' days: their works may appear "dated" as "The Feast of Saint Martin" or "Lammastide". Poets such as John Keats commemorate the importance of The Eve of Saint Agnes.

Many children acquire baptismal or confirmational names from the saint associated with their date of birth, baptism or confirmation, and believing Eastern Orthodox Christians (and in some countries, Roman Catholics) mark the "name day" (namesday) of the saint whose name they bear with special attention, often instead of birthday celebrations.

Various feast days will be "ranked" with various levels of importance. In the Roman Catholic Church, from most to least importance, these are solemnities, feasts, memorials, and optional memorials.

Litanies

A litany, in Roman Catholic Prayer, is a form of prayer used in church services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes from the Latin litania, from the Greek lite, meaning prayer or supplication.

History of the Litany

The frequent repetition of the Kyrie was probably the original form of the Litany, and was in use in Asia and in Rome at a very early date. The Council of Vaison in 529 passed the decree: "Let that beautiful custom of all the provinces of the East and of Italy be kept up, viz., that of singing with great effect and compunction the 'Kyrie Eleison' at Mass, Matins, and Vespers, because so sweet and pleasing a chant, even though continued day and night without interruption, could never produce disgust or weariness". The number of repetitions depended upon the celebrant.

This litany is prescribed in the Roman Breviary at the "Preces Feriales" and in the Monastic Breviary for every "Hora" (Rule of St. Benedict, ix, 17). The continuous repetition of the "Kyrie" is used to-day at the consecration of a church, while the relics to be placed in the altar are carried in procession around the church. Because the "Kyrie" and other petitions were said once or oftener, litanies were called planœ, ternœ, quinœ, septenœ.

Public Roman Catholic devotions became common by the fifth century and processions were frequently held, with preference for days which the pagans had held sacred. These processions were called litanies, and in them pictures and other religious emblems were carried. In Rome, pope and people would go in procession each day, especially in Lent, to a different church, to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries. Thus originated the Roman "Stations", and what was called the "Litania Major", or "Romana". It was held on 25 April, on which day the heathens had celebrated the festival of Robigalia, the principal feature of which was a procession.

The Roman Catholic Litany which replaced it set out from the church of San Lorenzo in Lucina, held a station at San Valentino fuori le mura, and then at the Milvian Bridge. From thence, instead of proceeding on the Claudian Way, as the pagans had done, it turned to the left towards the Vatican Hill, stopped at a cross, of which the site is not given, and again in the paradise or atrium of St. Peter's, and finally in the basilica itself, where the station was held.

In 590, when an epidemic caused by an overflow of the Tiber was ravaging Rome, Gregory the Great commanded a litany which is called "Septiformis"; on the preceding day he exhorted the people to fervent prayer, and arranged the order to be observed in the procession, viz, that the clergy from S. Giovanni Battista, the men from S. Marcello, the monks from SS. Giovanni e Paolo, the unmarried women from Santi Cosma e Damiano, the married women from San Stefano, the widows from S. Vitale, the poor and the children from S. Cæcilia, were all to meet at Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

The "Litania Minor", or "Gallicana", on the Rogation Days before Ascension, was introduced (477) by St. Mamertus, Bishop of Vienne, on account of the earthquakes and other calamities then prevalent. It was prescribed for the whole of Frankish Gaul, in 511, by the Council of Orleans. For Rome it was ordered by Leo III, in 799. In the Ambrosian Rite this litany was celebrated on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday after Ascension. In Spain we find a similar litany from Thursday to Saturday after Pentecost, another from the first to third of November, ordered by the Council of Gerunda in 517, and still another for December, commanded by the synod of Toledo in 638.

In England the Litany of Rogation Days (Gang-Days) was known in the earliest periods. In Germany it was ordered by a Synod of Mainz in 813. Owing to the fact that the Mass Litany became popular through its use in processions, numberless varieties were soon made, especially in the Middle Ages. Litanies appeared in honour of God the Father, of God the Son, of God the Holy Ghost, of the Precious Blood, of the Blessed Virgin, of the Immaculate Conception, of each of the saints honoured in different countries, for the souls in Purgatory, etc.

In 1601 Baronius wrote that about eighty forms were in circulation. To prevent abuse, Pope Clement VIII, by decree of the Inquisition of 6 Sept., 1601, forbade the publication of any litany, except that of the saints as found in the liturgical books and that of Loreto.

Psalms and Canticles

The early Christians, following Jewish tradition, prayed the psalms daily. St. Benedict, in the early 6th Century, explained in his Holy Rule how his monks were to daily pray the psalms. Benedictine monks have continued this practice to the present day.

Many lay people, especially Benedictine Oblates, make the psalms a part of their daily prayers. Pray the psalms at Lauds (morning prayer) at 6:45 am; Day Prayer at the beginning of midday Mass; Vespers (evening prayer), sung at 5:00 pm; and Vigils (prayer preparing for the following day) at 7:30 pm.

The psalms and canticles (other songs from the Bible), and accompanying prayers change according to the season and the day.

Lauds (morning prayer) begins with an Invitatory which is a formal invitation to prayer.

Each psalm and canticle begins and ends with an Antiphon (abbreviated ANT) which is a theme taken from the psalm for reflection.

Roman Catholic Prayer

There are various forms of prayer appear in the Bible with the most common form being petition. This is the simplest form of prayer. It has been termed the "social approach" to prayer. Under petition, a person confronts God in prayer directly, to ask for their needs to be fulfilled. God may or may not choose to answer. This is the primary approach to prayer found in the New Testament and most of the Church writings.

What should we pray and on what day. Below is a brief table:

Day	Dedication	Rosary Mystery commonly prayed:
Sunday	Resurrection of the Holy and Undivided Trinity	Glorious
Monday	The Holy Ghost and Souls in Purgatory	Joyful
Tuesday	Holy Angels	Sorrowful
Wednesday	Saint Joseph	Glorious
Thursday	The Blessed Sacrament	Joyful
Friday	Christ's Passion and His Sacred Heart	Sorrowful
Saturday	The Blessed Virgin and her Immaculate Heart.	Glorious

Month	Dedicated to:
January	The Holy Name and Childhood of Jesus
February	The Holy Family
March	Saint Joseph
April	The Blessed Sacrament
May	Mary
June	Sacred Heart of Jesus
July	The Precious Blood
August	Immaculate Heart of Mary
September	Seven Dolours (or Sorrows) of Mary
October	The Holy Rosary (or the Holy Angels)
November	Souls in Purgatory
December	The Immaculate Conception

Philosophy of Roman Catholic Prayer

Union with God is the paramount goal of religion for some Catholics. Catholics believe that God seeks unification with His children - Mankind. Prayer is the expression of the soul seeking to speak with God. St. Therese of the Child Jesus explains: "For me, prayer is an uplifting of the heart, a glance toward heaven, a cry of gratitude and of love in times of sorrow as well as of joy" (Story of a Soul). Catholics seek to elevate the heart and mind to God. Prayer, as discourse with a friend, is not constrained, but rather is spontaneous. Certain prayer events are organized, of course, as in the case of the Breviary, or the Mass, or other liturgical events; yet even during such events the specific discourse between the soul and God may be spontaneous. A Psalm, for example, may offer different meanings depending on the mood of the person praying. For the Catholic, prayer is love, and to "Pray always" (Lk 18:1) is to love always.

The Catholic grows spiritually through the life of prayer. A classic way to distinguish among phases of growth is three-fold: beginners start on the "purgative way", later comes the "illuminative way" with "affective prayer", and eventually one may experience the "unitive way". Catholics who have been especially helpful in developing an understanding of prayer include St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, both Doctors of the Roman Catholic Church. In the purgative way, the Catholic attempts to leave behind a life of sin, for "sin is iniquity" (Jn 3:4). The Catholic is enjoined to recall that "my sin is always before me" (Psalms 51:5). Growth toward holiness is ongoing, as the Apostle writes "he that is holy let him be sanctified still" (Apoc 22:11).

Next, in the illuminative way, the soul seeks the imitation of Christ to "have the light of life" (Jn 8:12). There is a famous book by Thomas à Kempis titled The Imitation of Christ. While in purgative prayer one is mostly engaged in vocal prayer, in the illuminative way one tends to be more affective along the lines suggested by St. Therese, above. Affective prayer of this sort may best permit us to fulfill the command "always to pray and not to faint" (Lk 18:1). Last, in the unitive way the soul now seeks to say "I live now not I; but Christ livith in me!" (Gal 2:20). For Roman Catholics, the Eucharist is a key expression of this union with Jesus.

Philosophical Paradoxes of Prayer

There are a number of philosophical paradoxes involving prayer to an omnipotent God, namely:

If a person deserves the recipient of the prayer to give him the thing he prays for, why doesn't he receive it, even without prayer? And if a person is not deserving of it, then even if that person does pray and request it, should it be given just because of his prayer?
Why should it be necessary to pray with speech? Doesn't the recipient know the thoughts of all people?
If the recipient is omniscient (all-knowing) then doesn't that mean that they would know what we are going to ask for, even before we pray?
How can a human being hope to change the mind of the recipient of the prayer? Why should human prayers affect those decisions?
Do human beings actually have the ability to praise an omniscient and omnipotent entity? Praising is difficult to do without describing, yet how can a finite human being know anything about the entity's ultimate nature? This question was the subject of heated debate among many religious philosophers; one such debate took place in the 14th century between Gregory Palamas and Barlaam of Calabria.
The prerequisite of asking for a favour is faith in the recipient of the prayer. But asking to change an aspect of creation seems to be expressing a dissatisfaction with the way things are - and hence not trusting the "plan"

Many of these questions have been discussed in Jewish, Catholic and Muslim writings from the medieval period onward. The 900s to 1200s saw some of the most fertile discussion on these questions, during the period of Neo-Platonic and Neo-Aristotelian philosophy. Discussion of these problems never ceased entirely, but they did fall mostly from the public view for several centuries, until The Enlightenment reignited philosophical inquiry into theological issues.

The Act of Prayer

Praying has many different forms.

Prayer may be done privately and individually, or it may be done corporately in the presence of fellow believers.
Some outward acts that sometimes accompany prayer are: ringing a bell; burning incense or paper; lighting a candle or candles; facing a specific direction (i.e. towards Mecca or the East); making the sign of the cross.
A variety of body postures may be assumed, often with specific meaning (mainly respect or adoration) associated with them: standing; sitting; kneeling; prostrate on the floor; eyes opened; eyes closed; hands folded or clasped; hands upraised; and others. Prayers may be recited from memory, read from a book of prayers, or composed spontaneously as they are prayed. They may be said, chanted, or sung. They may be with musical accompaniment or not. There may be a time of outward silence while prayers are offered mentally. Often, there are prayers to fit specific occasions, such as the blessing of a meal, the birth or death of a loved one, other significant events in the life of a believer, or days of the year that have special religious significance. Details corresponding to specific traditions are outlined below.

Approaches to Catholic Prayer

There are a variety of approaches to understanding prayer:

The belief that the prayer is listened to, and may or may not get a response;
The belief that prayer is intended to inculcate certain attitudes in the one who prays, rather than to influence the recipient;
The belief that prayer is intended to train a person to focus on the recipient through philosophy and intellectual contemplation;
The belief that prayer is intended to enable a person to gain a direct experience of the recipient;
The belief that prayer is intended to affect the very fabric of reality itself.

Vocal Prayer

Vocal prayer, of course, is prayer made with the lips, normally producing sound. Practices of vocal prayer vary across denominations, but have common themes:

The prayer is supposed to receive the full mental and spiritual effort of those involved, whether speaking or listening. Even if a standard wording is used, mechanical recitation is discouraged. Vocal prayer may be prayer of petition, perhaps the simplest form of prayer. Some have termed it the "social approach" to prayer. In this view, a person beseeches God for a need to be fulfilled; God is thought to listen to prayer and to be free to grant the request or not. Vocal prayer may also subsume prayer of adoration, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, and communion. Particularly common vocal prayers include the Lord's Prayer; the Psalms; the Jesus Prayer; the Hail Mary; the Canticles throughout the Old and New Testaments; Grace, a prayer of thanksgiving usually before, sometimes after, a meal; and prayers associated with the rosary and the prayer rope.

Catholic Prayers