The Evolution of the Rosary

The Evolution of the Rosary

By Charlotte Eloquin
The devotion of the rosary can be traced back to the 9th century, when monks would recite the 150 psalms of the bible as part of their daily worship. Over time people became drawn to this beautiful, synchronized form of prayer. Although many people desired to make this prayer a part of their own worship, the psalms were very difficult to memorize, and copies of the Psalter, which is the book the psalms were contained in, were not readily available. Due to this fact, an alternative was proposed to the people, that they recite a series of 150 "Our Father" prayers in place of the 150 Psalms.
Over time, as this form of prayer became increasingly popular, people began to devise methods to keep track of the prayers. Eventually, a long rope containing 50 knots began to be used, and slowly evolved into a string of beads.
As Lay People, and the Clergy, assumed this devotion as part of their prayer life, they began to recite the "Angelic Salutation" (the first part of what we now know as the "Hail Mary"). The popularity of this prayer led to the adoption of the 50 Angelic Salutations, said on each of the 50 beads.
In the early 12th or 13th century, theologians began to recognize the hidden mysteries of Christ's life, death, and resurrection, contained within each of the Psalms. They began to compose a series of praises that honored Jesus as He was represented in each Psalm. In addition to these mysteries of Christ, 150 Psalters honoring Mary were added to emphasize her special role in the plan of salvation. In order for these Psalters to fit the existing prayer string, they were divided into sets of 50 and were referred to as "Rosariums". The word "rosarium" refers to roses, or a bouquet of roses, which, in regards to the rosary, represents a collection or "bouquet" of prayers.
It was in 1520 that Pope Leo X officially acknowledged the rosary. However, it was not until 1569 that the rosary was universally accepted and, promulgated by Pope St. Pius V who encouraged its use to combat the evil taking place in the world at the time. In 1571 Pope Pius V officially declared the feast of Our Lady of Victories, now known as the feast of the Most Holy Rosary, which is celebrated on October 7th.
In 1917 the Blessed Mother appeared to the children of Fatima and declared herself as Our Lady of the Rosary. Through her apparitions at Fatima, Mary implored the world to turn their hearts back to God by urging each and everyone to "Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary to obtain peace in the world... for she alone can save it." (Our Lady, July 13, 1917). Mary introduced 15 promises to those who responded to this request faithfully.
In 2002, with his apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope John Paul II introduced the fourth set of mysteries to the rosary. These mysteries are known as the "Luminous" or "Mysteries of Light", which carry us from the infancy to the public life of Jesus. It is in these mysteries that we can, in a more profound way, come to know Christ during His ministry here on Earth. At the same time, it is through these mysteries that we are given a peak into Christ's mission of redemption, and His establishment of the universal Church.
Find a selection of rosaries plus additional resources on how to pray the rosary at Rosary.com.



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Celebrating a Young Catholic's Confirmation

Celebrating a Young Catholic's Confirmation

By Charlotte Eloquin
Confirmation is the time when young Catholics fully join the Roman Catholic Church as adults and embrace the responsibilities and joys of choosing to be Catholic. Through the Sacrament of Confirmation the Holy Spirit is bestowed upon the baptized in order to make them more perfect soldiers of Christ. Giving someone special the perfect gift for Confirmation is an opportunity that only comes around once in a lifetime. So it's understandable that you might feel a little anxious about finding the ideal keepsake. With the help of this Confirmation gift guide you will have plenty of gift ideas and feel good knowing that whatever it is you choose, it will be just the right gift for your Confirmant.
When looking for a Confirmation gift there are a few symbols of the sacrament to help guide your decisions. The image of a white dove and the color red are very characteristic of the Sacrament of Confirmation.
• The white dove is representative of the Holy Spirit descending upon the Confirmed to more firmly unite them to Christ. This symbol perhaps is rooted in the Acts of the Apostles 8:14-17 when Peter and John laid hands on the Samarians and prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit, as is done in the Confirmation ceremonies of today. Through Confirmation, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are increased.

• Pentecost is also closely related to the Sacrament of Confirmation as the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. This is why the color red is associated with Confirmation. The red flames of the Holy Spirit and the white dove are incorporated into pieces of Confirmation jewelry, keepsake boxes, crosses, Four Way Medals and many other Confirmation items.
Choosing a Confirmation name is a big part of being confirmed. Find out what patron saint your Confirmant has chosen and present them with their patron saint's medal. Patron Saint medals come in a variety of styles and materials from sterling silver and gold to pewter. Make their Confirmation even more special by giving them the patron saint medal just before the ceremony as something special to wear as they are being confirmed. Patron Saint books and figurines are also great choices to go along with a medal and will always remind them to be grateful for the blessings and protection they receive from their patron saint throughout life.
When looking for your Confirmation gift, don't forget about the classics, like a Catholic Bible or rosary. Confirmation is a wonderful time to give a Teen Bible. The youth of today are faced with so many challenges. A Catholic Teen Bible will help answer tough questions and guide Catholics as they embark on their journey through this particular sacrament and well into adulthood. A rosary is another great way to mark the occasion. For many Catholics, Confirmation is when they receive their first "adult" rosary. Choose from birthstone rosaries, rosaries specifically for Confirmation or a rosary with their patron saint to go along with their patron saint medal or book.
Another great idea are Confirmation photo albums and picture frames. Family and friends are sure to be taking lots of pictures both at the Ceremony and at any family gatherings afterwards. Specially designed photo albums and picture frames for Confirmation are the perfect place to store all those photos, so they can be looked back on with fond memories and shared with future generations.
Finish off your gift with a beautiful Confirmation card, to congratulate them on this wonderful occasion. Professionally designed and written Confirmation cards have just the right words to show how proud you are of your Confirmant.
When choosing a Confirmation gift make sure it reflects the sacredness of the sacrament, and you can be certain it will be treasured with fond memories for years to come. And if you're still not quite sure exactly what to get, try a gift certificate. Gift certificates are always appreciated and extremely convenient if you live out of town and aren't able to make it to the ceremony.
And last but not least...sign up for a wish list. The wish list is a great way to guide family and friends, keep things simple and reduce duplicate gifts.
The Catholic Company offers a wide selection of Catholic books, bibles and gifts, including Confirmation gifts.



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The Catholic Stance on Purgatory

The Catholic Stance on Purgatory

By Charlotte Eloquin

The Church's teaching on Purgatory also creates much confusion among Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Many view Purgatory as a type of temporary hell, or argue that there is no support in scripture for its existence. However, this mentality is not correct, and there is much proof in sacred scripture for the existence of Purgatory.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Purgatory as such:

"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned." (Catechism 1030-1031)

There are two degrees of sin that affect the soul. Sin that kills the life of grace within a soul is labeled mortal sin. Sin that only injures or disfigures the soul is called venial sin. The Church professes that those who die without the least stain of sin or reparation due to sin, go directly to Heaven. Those who die with un-repented mortal sin on their soul, go directly to Hell. However, there are those who although in a state of grace, do have venial sin, or penance yet to be paid for forgiven sin on their soul. It is for those in the state of venial sin, or the "middle ground", that Purgatory is intended.

Protestants often look at the doctrine of Purgatory as something cruel and unmerciful, that a loving God could not possibly impose. However, the very existence of Purgatory attests to God's abounding mercy. God wants us to be with Him in Heaven in such a way that He would allow a time of purification and cleansing for the unperfected, so that we have the opportunity to be with Him.

There are many scriptural references that point to the existence of Purgatory. We see in scripture that God is perfect holiness. Isaiah 6:3 states "And one [seraphim] called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts". In like manner, we are called to the same holiness. Matt. 5:48 - Jesus says, "So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." Without perfect holiness, we cannot be in the presence of God. Revelation 21:27 says, "nothing unclean shall enter it [heaven]". If we as God's faithful are not in a state of perfect holiness we must undergo purification. In Luke 12:58-59 - Jesus teaches us, "If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

The tradition of praying for souls in Purgatory is a tradition that the Church has adopted, and is one that is revealed in scripture. 2 Maccabees 12: 42-45 says,

"And the noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened because of the sin of those who had fallen. He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the resurrection."

We can see in this passage that praying for the deceased is beneficial because our prayers aid them in being delivered from their sins. Those in Heaven have no need for our prayers, and those in hell have no hope. Therefore, there must be a middle ground for those still seeking atonement for their earthly sins. We must all pray for the deceased, because our prayers expedite their time in Purgatory. When a soul is in Purgatory, he or she cannot pray for him or herself. Rather, the soul depends on the prayers of his or her fellow brothers and sisters in Christ still on earth, in order to quickly complete the purification process and fulfill their yearning for God.

Indulgences are also beneficial in eliminating one's time in Purgatory. An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment of sin, whose guilt has already been forgiven. One gains indulgences under particular conditions, by prescription of the Church. There are two types of indulgences: plenary and partial. A plenary (complete) indulgence means the temporal punishment is totally cleansed. A partial indulgence means that some of the temporal punishment is cleansed. For example, both a plenary and partial indulgence is available for praying the rosary provided one completes the following:

• Be in a state of grace (free from mortal sin)

• Be free from attachment to venial sin.

• Go to confession several days before or after praying the Rosary.

• Receive Holy Communion on the day you pray the Rosary.

• Say a prayer for the Pope.

• Pray the rosary in a church or family group, or religious Community.

• Pray the five decades during one session

• Pray vocally, announcing the Mysteries of the Rosary and then meditating on them.

To gain a partial indulgence individuals may pray the rosary in whole or in part.

To understand Purgatory as a "temporary hell" is a serious error. Souls in hell have no hope of salvation. They suffer without an end in sight, or in other words, they suffer hopelessly. Purgatory on the other hand is full of hope. Those in Purgatory are assured of the reward of heaven. They suffer greatly, but they suffer with peace and joy because they know their purification is only bringing them closer to God, so they will soon be united with Him in heaven.

The Catholic Company offers a wide selection of Catholic books and products, including the Magnificat, Catholic bibles and Serenity Prayer gifts.

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