Answer to: "So what's the Rosary?"

Hi everyone!  What a great day it is.  Thanks for reading : )

I have had a lot of people ask me about the word rosary.  They know it has to do with the Catholic faith, but they have no idea what it actually is.  So, I will try my best to explain it to you.

The word rosary is a series of prayers that Catholics use.

A little history first (from domestic-church.com):

"The rosary is one of the most universal and popular devotions in the Catholic Church. It has a long and venerable history, honouring the Mother of God. Tradition ascribes the popular us of the roasry to Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order. Charged by the Pope to preach against the growing heresy of Albigensianism, he was unsuccessful until he until he sought the intercession and aid of Mary. Appearing to Dominic, Mary gave him the rosary, telling him to use it as a weapon against the heresy. The devotion spread rapidly and in a matter of months, more than a hundred thousand heretics converted to the true faith.

The Rosary prayer is composed of sets (called decades) of shorter prayers: the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be and an Oh, My Jesus. Saying a 'rosary' means saying either five or twenty decades. Each decade concentrates on an event in the life of Jesus, especially those in which Mary played an important part.

In saying twenty decades, we meditate on the five Joyful, five Luminous,five Sorrowful and five Glorious events of Our Lord and Our Lady's life. These twenty events are called the Mysteries of the Rosary.

A circle of large and small beads, with an additional short set of beads and a crucifix attached at one end, is used to give the rosary its structure and help keep track of the prayers. On the large beads the Our Father is said, on the smaller the Hail Mary and in the spaces, the Glory Be and the Oh My Jesus. It is customary to 'announce' the mystery before the Our Father, add your own intentions (if you have any) then begin the decade with the Our Father followed by the ten Hail Mary's and the other prayers. See a more detailed explanation below.  [Intentions are like your own thoughts, prayers, anything you would like to think about/tell the Lord]

The rosary is an excellent and powerful prayer for both public and private use. It can be an opening to your daily prayers, the sum total of your daily prayers, a meditation at the beginning of Mass, a way to begin long car trips, a special devotion at public gatherings or a special times of the year. As with so many other aspects of the practice of the Catholic faith, though there are very specific recommendations and guidelines for our conduct, there are no rules, no set requirements."

So, it is a gift from Mary herself to all the faithful to use to pray to Mary.

So first, I will show you what the Rosary necklace looks like, and what the different sections signify:

These are the steps to praying the Rosary, using the necklace above and these corresponding numbers (thanks to domestic-church.com):

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say The Apostle's Creed
2. Say the Our Father
3. Say three Hail Marys for the intention of an increase of Faith, Hope and Charity
4. Say the Glory Be to the Father, and one O, My Jesus
5. Announce the First Mystery, then say the Our Father
6. Say ten Hail Marys
7. Say the Glory Be to the Father
8. Say the O My Jesus
9. Announce the Second Mystery, then say the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, one Glory Be and O My Jesus
10. Announce the Third Mystery, then say the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, one Glory Be and O My Jesus
11. Announce the Fourth Mystery, then say the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, one Glory Be and O My Jesus
12. Announce the Fifth Mystery, then say the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, one Glory Be and O My Jesus
13. Conclude by reciting the Hail, Holy Queen

So, you may be wondering...what are all these different prayers and mysteries?  Read below (also from domestic-church.com).

The Apostle's Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cruscified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirity, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life ever-lasting. Amen

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with thee; blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory Be to the Father

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

O My Jesus

O My Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.

Hail, Holy Queen

(In this prayer, if there is someone leading the Rosary, they will say part V, and everyone willl say part R.  If by yourself, you would say both)

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, O most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement!, O loving!, O sweet Virgin Mary!
V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

The mysteries are a key part of the Rosary. 

Therefore, the mysteries are things that we reflect on when we get to them during the Rosary prayer.  They are important events in Mary's life that are also important for our faith.

Depending on what day you are praying the Rosary, you use a different set of mysteries.  The day recommendations were made by Pope John Paul II.

I got these explanations from medjugorje.com:

The Joyful Mysteries: (Said on Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays of Advent, and Sundays from Epiphany until Lent)

First Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary
I Desire the Love Of Humility
Think of...
The humility of the Blessed Virgin when the Angel Gabriel greeted her with these words: "Hail full of grace".
Luke 1:26

Second Joyful Mystery - The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
I Desire Charity Toward My Neighbor
Think of...
Mary's charity in visiting her cousin Elizabeth and remaining with her for three months before the birth of John the Baptist.
Luke 1:39

Third Joyful Mystery - The Birth of Jesus
I Desire the Love of God
Think of...
The poverty, so lovingly accepted by Mary when she placed the Infant Jesus, our God and Redeemer, in a manger in the stable of Bethlehem.
Luke 2:1

Fourth Joyful Mystery - The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
I Desire a Spirit of Sacrifice
Think of...
Mary's obedience to the law of God in presenting the Child Jesus in the Temple.
Luke 2:22

Fifth Joyful Mystery - Finding Jesus in the Temple
I desire Zeal For The Glory Of God
Think of...
The deep sorrow with which Mary sought the Child Jesus for three days, and the joy with which she found Him in the midst of the Teachers of the Temple.
Luke 2:41

The Luminous Mysteries: (Said on Thursdays throughout the year)

First Luminous Mystery - The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Matthew 3:17

The Second Luminous Mystery - The Wedding at Cana, Christ Manifested
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.
John 2:11

The Third Luminous Mystery - the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
Mark 1:15

The Fourth Luminous Mystery - The Transfiguration of Jesus
And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.
Matthew 17:2

The Fifth Luminous Mystery - The Last Supper, the Holy Eucharist
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:26

The Sorrowful Mysteries: (Said on Tuesdays, Fridays, and daily from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday)

First Sorrowful Mystery - Agony of Jesus in the Garden
I Desire True Repentance for My Sins
Think of...
Our Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemani, suffering a bitter agony for our sins.
Matthew 26:36

Second Sorrowful Mystery - Jesus is Scourged at the Pillar
I Desire a Spirit of Mortification
Think of...
The cruel scourging at the pillar that our Lord suffered; the heavy blows that tore His flesh.
Matthew 27:26

Third Sorrowful Mystery - Jesus is Crowned With Thorns
I Desire Moral Courage.
Think of...
The crown of sharp thorns that was forced upon our Lord's Head and the patience with which He endured the pain for our sins.
Matthew 27:27

Fourth Sorrowful Mystery - Jesus Carries His Cross
I Desire the Virtue of Patience
Think of...
The heavy Cross, so willingly carried by our Lord, and ask Him to help you to carry your crosses without complaint.
Matthew 27:32

Fifth Sorrowful Mystery - The Crucifixion of Jesus
I Desire the Grace of Final Perseverance
Think of...
The love which filled Christ's Sacred Heart during His three hours' agony on the Cross, and ask Him to be with you at the hour of death.
Matthew 27:33

The Glorious Mysteries: (Said on Wednesdays, and Sundays throughout the year)

First Glorious Mystery - The Resurrection of Jesus
I Desire a Strong Faith
Think of...
Christ's glorious triumph when, on the third day after His death, He arose from the tomb and for forty days appeared to His Blessed Mother and to His disciples.
John 20:1

Second Glorious Mystery - The Ascension of Jesus
I Desire the Virtue of Hope
Think of...
The Ascension of Jesus Christ, forty days after His glorious Resurrection, in the presence of Mary and His disciples.
Luke 24:36

Third Glorious Mystery - The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
I Desire Zeal for the Glory of God
Think of...
The descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary and the Apostles, under the form of tongues of fire, in fulfillment of Christ's promise.
Acts 2:1

Fourth Glorious Mystery - The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
I Desire the Grace of a Holy Death
Think of...
The glorious Assumption of Mary into Heaven, when she was united with her Divine Son.

Fifth Glorious Mystery - The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
I Desire a Greater Love for the Blessed Virgin Mary
Think of...
The glorious crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven by her Divine Son, to the great joy of all the Saints.

Wow, what a topic!

The subject of the Rosary is a really complex one, and this post was meant to try to explain what it is to you.

 Ok, so now you are probably extremely confused!  Here's a little summary.  The Rosary is a prayer series that Catholics use to honor and pray to Mary.  If you are unclear on why we pray to Mary, see this previous blog.  Still confused?  You can always "Ask Emily" or leave a comment on the article.

As I learned recently, "Shal" means peace in Gaelic.

Shal, and God bless.

Your Witness and Sister in Christ,

Emily

Answer to: "Does God really care about me?"

Hello everyone.  What a beautiful day it is!  Thanks for reading : )

Simple answer:  Yes.

Long answer:  Read below.

Check out this link.  Fr. J is such a great source of mine.  I am just starting to answer these types of questions, but he does a really great job as well.

So, that being said, here is my personal input:

God loves every one of us.  He created each of us in His likeness!  How cool is that?  And, He sent His only son to come be with us.  He suffered, died, and rose again just for our sins...I think that is pretty sweet!  Even when you don't think He's there, He is always there.  He is always present.  Just have a chat with Him, and you will be able to see that!

So, to leave this post, I have the perfect song and bible verse:

This is from my home page, right at the top, but in case you have never noticed it:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
-John 3:16

For the song, click here.  It's "Jesus Loves You" by Brian Littrell.

It's true.  He does love you.

Don't be afraid to utilize the "Ask Emily" section, I love helping you all out!  And feel free to leave comments on this note as well.

Really, ask me a question.  It's really not that hard, and when I get a question, it makes my day!

God bless you all (or y'all for my Southern friends)!

Your sister and witness in Christ,

Emily

Answer to: "So what does the Church think of fictional books?"

Hi everyone!  Thanks for reading : )

Today's topic is the Church's thoughts of fictional books, such as the Harry Potter series, the Da Vinci Code, etc.

The Da Vinci Code

I did some research about this, and found some really interesting stuff.

This next bit is from here, a site that answers questions, somewhat like I do.

Why should a Catholic be concerned about the novel?

Although a work of fiction, the book claims to be meticulously researched, and it goes to great lengths to convey the impression that it is based on fact. It even has a "fact" page at the front of the book underscoring the claim of factuality for particular ideas within the book. As a result, many readers-both Catholic and non-Catholic-are taking the book's ideas seriously.

The problem is that many of the ideas that the book promotes are anything but fact, and they go directly to the heart of the Catholic faith. For example, the book promotes these ideas:

• Jesus is not God; he was only a man.
• Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene.
• She is to be worshiped as a goddess.
• Jesus got her pregnant, and the two had a daughter.
• That daughter gave rise to a prominent family line that is still present in Europe today.
• The Bible was put together by a pagan Roman emperor.
• Jesus was viewed as a man and not as God until the fourth century, when he was deified by the emperor Constantine.
• The Gospels have been edited to support the claims of later Christians.
• In the original Gospels, Mary Magdalene rather than Peter was directed to establish the Church.
• There is a secret society known as the Priory of Sion that still worships Mary Magdalene as a goddess and is trying to keep the truth alive.
• The Catholic Church is aware of all this and has been fighting for centuries to keep it suppressed. It often has committed murder to do so.
• The Catholic Church is willing to and often has assassinated the descendents of Christ to keep his bloodline from growing.

Catholics should be concerned about the book because it not only misrepresents their Church as a murderous institution but also implies that the Christian faith itself is utterly false.

Should other Christians be concerned about the book?

Definitely. Only some of the offensive claims of The Da Vinci Code pertain directly to the Catholic Church. The remainder strike at the Christian faith itself. If the book's claims were true, then all forms of Christianity would be false (except perhaps for Gnostic/feminist versions focusing on Mary Magdalene instead of Jesus).

So, to summarize:

The book takes such a hard blow at the Catholic faith, you can't step around the fact that it is "just fiction".  They have a "facts" page at the beginning of the book, and talk about how they have done so much research.  It seems as though they believe these allegations are true.  Yet, if you read the above list, some of the things they are saying are just absurd!  The Christian religion would not exist if this was true.  Yes, it is fiction, but why write a fictional book that demoralizes God and makes people question their beliefs?

Therefore, if you want to read the book, read it.  I have.  Just know that what you are reading is entirely false, and it mocks all Christianity.  Wow, what a great book...

Harry Potter Series

I have not found as much research about the Harry Potter series, but it still comes up in religious discussion.

The Harry Potter novels are based on a plot of good vs. evil, with magic as a way of battling between the two.

I agree with many others in saying that the subject matter is so fictional and so fake, that you cannot believe it to be true.  To believe in magic/witchcraft is a sin:

"All practices of magic and sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion."

-The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2117

I have also found some interesting research in a book titled Looking for God in Harry Potter.  It brings up some very interesting points, but I am not quite sure if any of them are true.  It takes the books as a Christian battle between God and Satan.  It's a very intriguing idea, and much research has been used.  If anyone would like to borrow it, just let me know.

I, however, after reading the research, am not sure what the intentions were behind the Harry Potter series.  I believe they are meant just to be a fantasy series.

The Left Behind Series

To read what I have read, click here.

Really, it's pretty interesting.  I will sit here and wait for you...

Waiting...

You still don't want to read it?  Just read the section at the end titled "Where The Church Stands"...

Have you read it yet?

...

Ok.

This series as well is to be taken as entirely fictional.  Make sure to note that if you choose to read it.  I have read the series, but did not know that it was fictional.  It can be really misleading, so take caution!

To summarize everything said here:

If a fictional book sounds appealing to you, read it.  But, beware of its message. 

And if it makes you question your faith, don't read another book ever like it again.  Because if something fictional makes you question your faith, you need to strengthen your beliefs.

Any further questions you may have I would love to answer.  Ask them here.

From now on, I will take comments about my writing at the bottom of this article, and further questions at the "Ask Emily" section of the website (just click the link above).

May God bless you all, and help you to see the truth.

Your sister and witness in Christ,

Emily

New Features of the Site

Hello everyone!  Thanks for reading!

So, this post is just to let you know some of the cool stuff that's going on with the site.

If you are reading this on facebook, check out the actual blog here.

Then you will understand what I am talking about.

So, I have like my own personal web designer named Brian.  He is such a great help.  He has helped me create this site, and helped with all the new features.  Thanks Brian!

Now, to the moment you have waited for:  The explanation of the new features!

So, first gigantic new feature.  We have added an "Ask Emily" section!  Hooray!

This is for all you lazy people who just read the posts on the front page and don't leave comments...just kidding.  I love you all!

This is a tab on the left side of the page.  Just follow the directions there.

Very important: I can't post if you don't write any questions to me!

I am also working on finding more "Favorite Sites" for you to check out, but for the moment, check out lifeteen.com.  It is an awesome resource!

And, we are taking suggestions for the site to make it better for all of you!  Don't forget to ask questions, and if you have suggestions for the site, please leave comments soon!

Coming soon:  These are the topics I will post about in the future:

Purgatory (fun stuff!)

the Rosary

Sacraments

Fictional Books and their relationship with the Church...Why all the fuss?

I need more topics, please ask me them at the new area!

I love you all!  And now I leave you with song lyrics to one of my favorite songs.  It's called "Tell the World That", and the artist is Hillsong.  Check it out on YouTube here.

"Don't want to stand here and shout Your praise
And walk away and forget Your name
I'll stand for you if it's all I do
Cause there is none that compare to You

Cause all I want in this lifetime is You
And all I want in this whole world is you, you, you

Tell the world that Jesus lives
Tell the world that, tell the world that
Tell the world that he died for them
Tell the world that he lives again

No longer I but Christ in me
Cause it's the truth that set me free
How could this world be a better place?
But by thy mercy and by thy grace

Cause all I want in this lifetime is You
And all I want in this whole world is you

Tell the world that Jesus lives
Tell the world that, tell the world that
Tell the world that he died for them
Tell the world that he lives again

C'mon, c'mon we'll tell the world about You
Tell the world that
Tell the world that
C'mon, c'mon we'll tell the world about You
Tell the world that
Tell the world
About You"

I love this song, and I'm sure you will too!

God bless you all!

Your sister in Christ,

Emily

Answer to: "What's so special with Mary?"

Hello everyone!  Thanks for reading, I really appreciate it  : )

I get this question a lot:  "What's so special with Mary?  Why do you worship her, shouldn't you be worshipping God?"

Let me make this clear:  We do not worship Mary, we honor her!

Very important point there.  So why do people think that we worship her?

(There are two main forms of "worship" that we use.  Adoration and veneration.

Adoration is reserved only for the Holy Trinity, that is, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  This is the highest form of worship in the Catholic church.

Veneration is quite different.  It is honoring someone, not worshipping.  We honor this person and, by honoring them, honor God who made them in His likeness.

For Mary, she has a special type of veneration.  We believe that she is the Mother of the Church; she is also a saint.  That is why we pray to her.)

-Inserted from post "A Study of the Differences between the Christian Religions (Catholic, Lutheran, and Methodist)".

Now I will explain the "Hail Mary" prayer, a main prayer we use to honor her.

It started from these two Bible verses:

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women" (Luke 1:28) and "Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" (Luke 1:42).

The prayer, titled the "Hail Mary" or "Ave Maria" in Latin, incorporates both of the passages from above.  Those passages are part of the greeting that Gabriel gave Mary when he was explaining that she was about to be the mother of Jesus.  Other words have been added to the prayer, such as Mary after "Hail" at the beginning, and even a petition at the end:  "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen".  That passage was added in the mid-1500s around the time of the Council of Trent.

So, the full prayer sounds like this:

"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

As Catholics, we use this prayer a lot.  We use it sometimes as a prayer for help, and we also use it when we pray the Rosary, which I will post about soon.

Thank you all for reading!  We are working on some changes to the site so it will be easier to post questions!  You can also comment on this note; that would be swell!

God bless you all!

Your sister in Christ,

Emily