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Question Title Posted By Question Date
stations of the cross elija Monday, April 23, 2007

Question:

the rumor mill says the the stations of the cross will soon be updated to omit any non biblical ideas, like christ falling 3 times,veronicas veil etc. much like they did with the rosary,if its true why wont they leave deloved devotions alone? noone i know or spoken with liked the luminouse additions and felt it desroyed the concept of the rosary being marys psalter.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Elija:

Rumors should be ignored.

You compare the rumor of updating the Stations to "omit any non-Biblical ideas" with the Rosary implying that the same thing happened to the Rosary.

Exactly what "non-Biblical ideas" were removed from the Rosary?

Nothing was removed. An additional decade was added. The Luminous Mysteries is a perfect addition to the Rosary. 

To quote St. Montfort, the great doctor of Marian spirituality:

THE ROSARY is made up of two things:  mental prayer and vocal prayer.  In the Holy Rosary mental prayer is none other than meditation of the chief mysteries of the life, death and glory of Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother.

The rosary is about the important events in the life of Jesus and His mother. The Luminous Mysteries contain important events in the life of Jesus. This is completely consistent with what the Rosary is meant to be. We still, of course, recite the Hail Mary while contemplating the Luminous Mysteries. 

There is no justification to think that the addition of the Luminous Mysteries did anything negative to the Rosary. That is just plain silly.

In any event, the Rosary is a PERSONAL DEVOTION. The Church does not regulate how you say personal prayers. You can say the Rosary any way you choose. You can say leave out the Luminous Mysteries if you want. You can take replace the Hail Mary's with the Our Father, and replace the Our Father's with the Hail Mary if you want. Or you can make up your own Mysteries. It is up to you.

The Church only binds us on Liturgical Prayer (the Mass and the Divine Office), and regulates some of the prayers for Sacramentals. The Rosary and all other personal prayers are not regulated.

So, pray it as you wish.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary


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