Just heard about the rosary....

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axle12693

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I just recently heard about the rosary, and the 15 promises of Mary. This isn't something my religion practices, nor have I ever heard of it before. I had a few questions on it.

First of all, these are the promises I saw. If this isn't the official text, please direct me to it, so some things might become a bit clearer.

1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against Hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities and will lead them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just, he shall remain in the grace of God and become worthy of eternal life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in Paradise.
9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons, and brothers of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

And my questions:

1. What exactly is the rosary?
2. When did Mary give these 15 promises? And where is this recorded?
3. What are signal graces, and where are they mentioned in the Bible? (Preferably the KJV, though if you can find an older English version I'd love to see it.)
4. Promises 2, 5, and 11 seem to indicate that the blessing(s) in that promise will be given simply because of recitation - no faith or obedience to any other commandments required. This includes "special protection," not perishing (I take this to mean not going to Hell), and "obtaining all you ask." That's a lot to gain simply by reciting words, without any faith or obedience required. Why is this? (Again, this is based on the assumption that the above is the official text of the promises)
5. What is the "special protection" promised in #2?
6. Promise #6 says that a person may gain eternal life based on what I take to mean repetition and meditation. Why is that?
7. What is Purgatory mentioned in promise 9?
8. In promise 11, it says we will obtain all that we ask of "me" (me being Mary). Why would you pray to Mary at all? Isn't that idol worship?
9. Who is the "Celestial Court" mentioned in promise 13?
 

marksman

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Without being too unkind to to roman catholics, the rosary and the worship of Mary was invented by the RC church as one of the means they use to control their membership and to keep them working for their salvation so that they are tied to the authority of the RC church and its leadership.

Neither the rosary or praying to Mary, who by the way is dead, is commanded in scripture so you can ignore both.

The only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ and his blood, and the only person you pray to is the Father through Jesus Christ his son and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 

jiggyfly

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Without being too unkind to to roman catholics, the rosary and the worship of Mary was invented by the RC church as one of the means they use to control their membership and to keep them working for their salvation so that they are tied to the authority of the RC church and its leadership.

Neither the rosary or praying to Mary, who by the way is dead, is commanded in scripture so you can ignore both.

The only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ and his blood, and the only person you pray to is the Father through Jesus Christ his son and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Very good post Marksman :)
 

rockytopva

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I got some rosary beads after donating to some charitable cause. I like to pray with those beads in hand along with the Bible Broadcasting Network. But I pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. I like the way the Catholics do up their mass... But I can find no scriptural justification other than praying the Father in the name of Jesus.
 

aspen

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If you are interested in learning about the rosary from a Catholic - let me know. I wouldn't go to a Mormon to learn about Sola Scriptura because they have no idea what it is all about besides their own prejudices.
 

Justinian 1

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The rosary is unnecessary. We need no helps in retaining God's word, nor to talk to God.
Actually we do. Translators were a very important part of figuring outnwhat the Bible said. Before Martin Luther came along, no one really understood the Bible because they did not know the language it was being spoken in.
 

Lively Stone

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Actually we do. Translators were a very important part of figuring outnwhat the Bible said. Before Martin Luther came along, no one really understood the Bible because they did not know the language it was being spoken in.

We don't need any help outside of Hoy Spirit Himself to understand scripture or to pray. Never did and never will.
 

aspen

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The Rosary is a prayer / meditation
 

aspen

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That's what is put out about it, but in actuality, the rosary is a thing, and the prayer associated with it is not true prayer, but is a recitation and not directed to God, but to Mary, who cannot receive prayer.

Well, I guess you would know, not being Catholic or praying the Rosary, right?

How did you get this expertise?

And who said Mary cannot hear prayers? Is she deaf? Seems to me Jesus proved that Moses and Elijah could hear His prayers during the Transfiguration, why not Mary?

I agree with Paul that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses and that the body of Christ includes the living and those who have past on to greater life.

Finally, the meditation of the Rosary that Catholics are sharing with Mary is on the life and ministry and death and resurrection of Christ.
 

Lively Stone

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Well, I guess you would know, not being Catholic or praying the Rosary, right?

How did you get this expertise?

And who said Mary cannot hear prayers? Is she deaf? Seems to me Jesus proved that Moses and Elijah could hear His prayers during the Transfiguration, why not Mary?

I agree with Paul that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses and that the body of Christ includes the living and those who have past on to greater life.

Finally, the meditation of the Rosary that Catholics are sharing with Mary is on the life and ministry and death and resurrection of Christ.

Mary cannot hear prayers, and they are not to be directed to her or anyone but Jesus, our ONLY mediator between God and man. Likenoing talking to a dead womnan is nothing like what Jesus was doing speaking to His faithful servants...that was plain one-on-one speech and not prayer.

Yes, we are surrounded by a 'cloud of witnesses'---a crowd of those who have gone before us and have borne testimony to the truth as we have---examples in the faith---which is what it means. They cannot hear us, for they have ears and eyes only for their Lord.

The rosary is a subtle and spiritually damaging form of idolatry. God will not share His glory wth another.
 

aspen

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Mary cannot hear prayers, and they are not to be directed to her or anyone but Jesus, our ONLY mediator between God and man. Likenoing talking to a dead womnan is nothing like what Jesus was doing speaking to His faithful servants...that was plain one-on-one speech and not prayer.

Yes, we are surrounded by a 'cloud of witnesses'---a crowd of those who have gone before us and have borne testimony to the truth as we have---examples in the faith---which is what it means. They cannot hear us, for they have ears and eyes only for their Lord.

The rosary is a subtle and spiritually damaging form of idolatry. God will not share His glory wth another.

Hmm...

Well, your interpretation of the rosary sure sounds scary! I think I will stick to the version taught by the Catholic Church.

Peace!
 

Lively Stone

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Hmm...

Well, your interpretation of the rosary sure sounds scary! I think I will stick to the version taught by the Catholic Church.

Peace!

It is what the word of God teaches. Rather than the fear of a church, one needs the fear of the Lord in this matter. If God has not taught the tradition of the rosary or even anything similar, then one needs to re-evaluate.
 

aspen

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It is what the word of God teaches. Rather than the fear of a church, one needs the fear of the Lord in this matter. If God has not taught the tradition of the rosary or even anything similar, then one needs to re-evaluate.

Hmm - so does that mean we need to re-evaluate the canon of scripture too? How about the Creeds of the Early Church? Doctrine of the Incarnation? Church on Sunday? Sola Scriptura?

And, how often are we supposed to re-evaluated them?