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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Nov 6th, 2007 01:11 pm |
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Dave Armstrong wrote:
Yep, I'm new. Today's just my second day. CHNI has hired me as a sort of apologetics advisor. I'll be doing various things. It's actually a bit slow so far. I'll have to ask for more work, because I'm used to working at a pretty fast pace! That's different, isn't it?
Hi, Dave,
I'll pick up the pace of your late morning a tiny bit.
Would you please present (and perhaps comment on) the procedure
involved for praying in the cemeteries this week? A cradle Catholic
mentioned the practice, but there has been no literature, no reference
to it from homilists I've heard in the last few weeks.
Is this no longer a common practice? I noticed some other cradle Catholics
looking a bit uncomfortable as this lady was talking about it.
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 1227 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Nominal Methodist / evangelical non-denom / "Bapticostal" / Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Nov 6th, 2007 05:01 pm |
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Can't say that I know much about it (my work has heretofore been to defend such practices as permissible in the first place, from the Bible and reason), but I found some stuff in a search (good ole Google!):
"Visiting a Cemetery on All Souls Day, Memorial Day, or on the Anniversary of Death or Burial" (Catholic Culture)
http://www.catholicculture.org/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=739
"All Souls' Day ideas for the family", Maria Augusta Trapp, of Sound of Music fame (Catholic Culture)http://www.catholicculture.org/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=401
"Customs and Traditions of All Souls Day"
http://www.theholidayspot.com/all_souls_day/customs.htm
All Souls Day and the Month of November (My Domestic Church blog)
http://mydomesticchurch.blogspot.com/2007/11/all-souls-day-and-month-of-november.html
Reflection on All Saints Day and All Souls Day (Pope Benedict XVI)
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=2706
I fear I have too much baggage from my Protestant days on this issue, too. One still learns many things, years after conversion. Like I said, I am always defending the practices against objections, but I should do them more myself. Lifelong Catholics (those who really knew their faith from childhood) resonate much more with these traditional practices, I think. It is an extraordinary advantage to grow up in Catholicism, and learn the beliefs and practices and take them in like mother's milk. Nothing can replace that. Converts are always celebrated for zeal, etc., but I always say that committed cradle Catholics have at least as many worthy traits as converts.
Anyone interested in my apologetics articles on this and related issues can go to my web page:
Saints, Purgatory, & Penance
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 1900+ papers & web pages (absolutely free) & 16 apologetic books (for sale):
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Nov 6th, 2007 05:32 pm |
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All Souls Day and the Month of November (My Domestic Church blog)
http://mydomesticchurch.blogspot.com/2007/11/all-souls-day-and-month-of-november.html
Thanks, Dave. I like this one.
I am trying to let go of the "safety handrails" and move to the deeper waters of Catholicism. As you say, some of these customs can be a bit of a challenge for the former Protestant.
Yesterday I visited the cemetery where my husband and several friends are buried. Having no book of instructions with me, I reflected that I had been to confession within the last few days, I had celebrated Mass, I was in a state of grace. So I made the Sign of the Cross, asked God to be merciful to me as a new Catholic still learning so many things, and prayed for mercy and blessings on the souls of my loved ones and of all others buried there and in need of mercy.
It was a childish first effort, made in good faith. I'll do better next year. I will share that I found it a touching and lovely spiritual exercise. We former Protestants have to work a little harder at embracing the Communion of the Saints.
I would welcome instruction and correction from those who know more about it.Last edited on Wed Nov 7th, 2007 12:35 am by Intercessor
____________________
"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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Credo Catholic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1212 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Nov 6th, 2007 08:16 pm |
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Intercessor wrote: It was a childish first effort, made in good faith. I'll do better next year. I will share that I found it a touching and lovely spiritual exercise. We former Protestants have to work a little harder at embracing the Communion of the Saints.
Some of my favorite gifts are from my children, made when they were little, crude little drawings and pasted construction paper. But the spirit they were made in is priceless. So it is with your effort in the cemetary. God loves you as His little child, and the saints do too!
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Intercessor
Member
| Joined: | Tue Sep 25th, 2007 |
| Location: | Southcentral, Kentucky USA |
| Posts: | 859 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Southern Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed Nov 7th, 2007 12:26 am |
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| Thank you, Marsha, for blessing me with your sweet spirit.
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"If our charity is arrested by the difficulties encountered in dealing with our neighbor, . . . our relations with our brethren are not regulated by our love of God, but by our love of self." Divine Intimacy p. 781, Fr. Gabriel, O.C.D.
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