My One Mass with Pope Benedict - It Brought Me into the Catholic Church!

Canterbury Tales ^ | February 28, 2013 | Dr. Taylor Marshall

[NYer]

A photo from the Mass I attend with Pope Benedict

In 2006, when I was still an Episcopalian priest, Joy and I visited Rome. Intellectually we were coming to recognize that the Catholic Church was the true Church, but we needed the emotional push to bring the decision to fulfillment.

In Rome, we were able to take the Scavi tour underneath Saint Peter's Basilica. At the end of the tour, we saw the bones of Saint Peter. I prayed earnestly that I would soon enter into full communion with Saint Peter and his successor on earth, Pope Benedict XVI.

After the tour, the Belgian priest, who had been our tour guide, stayed behind and struck up a conversation with us. We had been so excited and impressed by the tour. When I told him that we were not Catholics, but that I was an Episcopalian priest, his face lit up. He was writing his dissertation in Rome on some ecumenical matter. 

Then he surprised us with a question: “Would you like to attend Holy Mass with the Pope this evening?” The answer to that question was obvious. The Belgian priest was pleased to make arrangements. We walked from the Scavi entrance on the south side of Saint Peter’s, across Saint Peter’s Square, and then up a staircase to the north. At the top were two Swiss Guards with pikes. The Belgian priest told us to wait there. He mumbled some Italian to the guards and disappeared.

A few minutes later he returned with two orange tickets, which were marked with that evening’s date and were issued by the Palazzo Apostolico Vaticano. The Belgian priest told us to return to Saint Peter’s an hour before the Mass with those tickets. We had a nice chat, and the priest went about his business. To my shame, I don’t know his name. (Father, if you're out there, let me know!)

That evening, my wife and I attended the Holy Mass of the Purification with Pope Benedict. At this particular Holy Mass the Holy Father recognized the various religious orders of the world. We were in line with hundreds of nuns, friars, and monks. We were clearly out of place—a married Episcopalian priest in a cassock with a pregnant wife. My dear! I hope we did not scandalize all those nuns.

The Holy Mass was glorious. It began in total darkness. Pope Benedict XVI entered the back doors with only a candle. From this candle was lit all the candles of the nuns, monks, and friars. For the whole Mass, we were near the bronze statue of Saint Peter. I could see the Holy Father clearly. I knew that His Holiness was the true successor of the Fisherman, and recalling that just that morning I had been deep underneath that altar at the bones of Saint Peter, the connection between the ministry of Saint Peter the First Pope and that of Benedict XVI the present Pope was made manifest right before my eyes.

When it came time for Holy Communion, I knew that I could not go forward to receive. Although the Basilica was now lit with glorious light and joy, my soul remained in the darkness.

I was not a Catholic. I was not in communion with the Holy Father. I was in schism. It was a sickening feeling. I was out of communion with the Vicar of Christ, and I knew in that moment that my relationship with Christ was impaired. I also knew what I had to do. I had to resign the Episcopalian priesthood and become a Catholic.

That Mass was one of the most important events in my life. When we got back from Rome, the process began. When I think of Pope Benedict, I'll always recall that Holy Mass on February 2, 2006 - a Holy Mass that changed my life forever. Viva Il Papa!

[NYer]

Can't make it to Rome but want to take the tour - you can do a virtual tour at THIS LINK - Pilgrimage to the Tomb of St. Peter

[Sioux-san]

These are the feelings I have been having more and more - I watch in great expectation that a Great Defender of the Gospel of Jesus will be chosen and not a Great Compromiser. I truly believe the next Pope will be the last Pope. But, then Paul thought the end times were going to happen during his life, too. ;o)

[delchiante]

Someone has to explain to me how the 15 promises below is part of the ‘true church’

15 Promises Our Lady gave for praying the Most Holy Rosary

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 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 lift 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 in reciting 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.

[Campion]

Private revelation (at best, if it's not just pious tradition).

Catholics are free to believe it or not. However, the Rosary is a meditation on the events of the lives of Jesus and Mary. How could that not be "a powerful armor against hell"? What better topic to contemplate?

[delchiante]

How can I square the last part of this with the Bible? I offer this Rosary for the purpose of knowing the Truth (?)and obtaining contrition and pardon for my sins(?)

Prayer Before the Rosary

Queen of the Holy Rosary, Thou didst deign to come to Fatima to reveal to the three shepherd children the treasures of grace hidden in the Rosary. Inspire my heart with a sincere love of this devotion, in order that by meditating on the Mysteries of our Redemption which are recalled in it, I may be enriched by its fruits and obtain peace for the world, the conversion of sinners and of Russia, and the graces which I ask of Thee in this Rosary. (Here mention your request.) I ask this for the greater glory of God, for Thine own honor, and for the good of souls, especially for my own. Amen.

I offer this Rosary for the purpose of knowing the Truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for my sins. Amen.

[NYer]

Someone has to explain to me how the 15 promises below is part of the ‘true church’

The rosary is a devotion in honor of the Virgin Mary. It consists of a set number of specific prayers. First are the introductory prayers: one Apostles’ Creed (Credo), one Our Father (the Pater Noster or the Lord’s Prayer), three Hail Mary’s (Ave’s), one Glory Be (Gloria Patri).

The Apostles’ Creed is so called not because it was composed by the apostles themselves, but because it expresses their teachings. The original form of the creed came into use around A.D. 125, and the present form dates from the 400s. It reads this way:

"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, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. From thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen."

Most Protestants embrace the Apostles’ Creed without reluctance, seeing it as embodying basic Christian truths as they understand them.

The next prayer in the rosary—Our Father or the Pater Noster (from its opening words in Latin), also known as the Lord’s Prayer—is even more acceptable to Protestants because Jesus himself taught it to his disciples.

The next prayer in the rosary, and the prayer which is really at the center of the devotion, is the Hail Mary. Contrary to popular belief of non-catholics, the prayer is from scripture.

The prayer begins, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." This is nothing other than the greeting the angel Gabriel gave Mary in Luke 1:28 (Confraternity Version). The next part reads this way:

"Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." This was exactly what Mary’s cousin Elizabeth said to her in Luke 1:42. The only thing that has been added to these two verses are the names "Jesus" and "Mary," to make clear who is being referred to. So the first part of the Hail Mary is entirely biblical.

The second part of the Hail Mary is not taken straight from Scripture, but it is entirely biblical in the thoughts it expresses. It reads:

"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

The fourth prayer found in the rosary is the Glory Be, sometimes called the Gloria or Gloria Patri. The last two names are taken from the opening words of the Latin version of the prayer, which in English reads:

"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." The Gloria is a brief hymn of praise in which all Christians can join. It has been used since the fourth century (though its present form is from the seventh) and traditionally has been recited at the end of each Psalm in the Divine Office.

The purpose of praying the rosary is to meditate on a series of events in the life of Jesus Christ and look at Him through the eyes of Mary. When Catholics recite the twelve prayers that form a decade of the rosary, they meditate on the mystery associated with that decade.

It is the meditation on the mysteries that gives the rosary its staying power. The Joyful Mysteries are these: the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), the Visitation (Luke 1:40-56), the Nativity (Luke 2:6-20), the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:21-39), and the Finding of the child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-51).

Then come the Sorrowful Mysteries: the Agony in the Garden (Matt. 26:36-46), the Scourging (Matt. 27:26), the Crowning with Thorns (Matt. 27:29), the Carrying of the Cross (John 19:17), and the Crucifixion (Luke 23:33-46).

The final Mysteries are the Glorious: the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-12), the Ascension (Luke 24:50-51), the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), the Assumption of Mary into heaven (Rev. 12), and her Coronation (cf. Rev. 12:1).

With the exception of the last two, each mystery is explicitly scriptural. True, the Assumption and Coronation of Mary are not explicitly stated in the Bible, but they are not contrary to it, so there is no reason to reject them out of hand.

[Campion]

You don't have to. As I said, private revelation. Not required to be believed.

But why is praying for knowledge of the truth and contrition for sins contrary to the Bible?

[delchiante]

So the assumption and coronation aren’t in the bible? Good. That’s what I am finding too.. looks like just enough Jesus and a lot of Mary to get someone in trouble... now I am starting to understand how the idol worshipping command of the ten commandments in the Catholic church is implied and not written down at places like Boys town...

[NYer]

How can I square the last part of this with the Bible?

See my post #7

the conversion of sinners and of Russia

I grew up during the Cold War. As a child, catholics were asked to pray for the conversion of Russia. During those years, churches were taken over by the government. Parishioners desperately tried to salvage precious sacramentals and risked their lives to hide these items in their homes or bury them in fields. It was forbidden to celebrate any form of worship. A network of priests was formed. They would travel by night to a particular village where they would say mass in that home. Oftentimes, that home had a safe room where the priest would be hidden should a neighbor tip off gov't officials.

Shortly after the Berlin Wall came down, communist Russia collapsed. Today churches are being restored and reconsecrated. This is the power of prayer!

[delchiante]

I am no bible scholar by any stretch but Jesus himself taught us how to pray and it didn’t start with ‘queen of the holy rosary’.. I never knew any of this until I received this rosary and instruction manual a few weeks ago from who I believe to be a good honorable Christian man.
I really am concerned that this stuff is more important to do for some than what Jesus did at the cross or at least a supplement to it...

[NYer]

looks like just enough Jesus and a lot of Mary

Perhaps you missed the details posted in my previous post:

It is the meditation on the mysteries that gives the rosary its staying power. The Joyful Mysteries are these: the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), the Visitation (Luke 1:40-56), the Nativity (Luke 2:6-20), the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:21-39), and the Finding of the child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-51).

Then come the Sorrowful Mysteries: the Agony in the Garden (Matt. 26:36-46), the Scourging (Matt. 27:26), the Crowning with Thorns (Matt. 27:29), the Carrying of the Cross (John 19:17), and the Crucifixion (Luke 23:33-46).

The final Mysteries are the Glorious: the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-12), the Ascension (Luke 24:50-51), the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4), the Assumption of Mary into heaven (Rev. 12), and her Coronation (cf. Rev. 12:1).

So you are suggesting that meditating on the Life of Jesus Christ is idol worship?

[NYer]

I am no bible scholar by any stretch but Jesus himself taught us how to pray and it didn’t start with ‘queen of the holy rosary’.. I never knew any of this until I received this rosary and instruction manual a few weeks ago from who I believe to be a good honorable Christian man.

What a beautiful gift, albeit disconcerting for someone who is not familiar with this form of meditative prayer.

I really am concerned that this stuff is more important to do for some than what Jesus did at the cross or at least a supplement to it...

On the contrary, the Sorrowful Mysteries actually place you at the foot of the cross. You are there with Mary and the Apostle John. If you are a parent, you can imagine the agony endured by Mary as she watched her Son endure the agonizing death of a criminal.

Take out your Bible, open to the scriptural passages and read each one. Then read it again ... slowly. Then, once again, very slowly. Place yourself in that scene and look around. This is a form of contemplative prayer. Standing at the foot of the cross, Jesus is looking down at you. Does He speak to you? What does He say? The rosary is simply a vehicle to guide you from one event to another, from one reflection to the next. And, YES, it is a powerful weapon against the devil.

Scott Hahn, a protestant convert, once broke his grandmother's rosary. Like you, he also saw it as a form of idol worship. He is a scripture scholar and, today has written a wealth of books on these aspects of the Catholic life, that were once so disdainful to him. Perhaps his explanation here, would provide a more insightful perspective than either Campion or I can give.

I hope this has been helpful but should you have any additional concerns, do not hesitate to ask. God bless you!

[Salvation]

Mysteries initiated by Pope John Paul II are the Luminous Mysteries -- all founded in Scripture. We mediate on these mysteries as we say the rosary.

The Luminous Mysteries or Mysteries of Light
(Thursdays) see Rosarium Virginis Mariae
1. Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan (II Corinthians 5:21, Matthew 3:17 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Gratitude for the gift of Faith]
2. Jesus' self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana (John 2:1- 12) [Spiritual fruit - Fidelity]
3. Jesus' proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with His call to conversion (Mark 1:15, Mark 2:3-13; Luke 7:47- 48, John 20:22-23) [Spiritual fruit - Desire for Holiness]
4. Jesus' Transfiguration (Luke 9:35 and parallels) [Spiritual fruit - Spiritual Courage]
5. Jesus' institution of the Eucharist, as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. (Luke 24:13-35 and parallels, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25) [Spiritual fruit - Love of our Eucharistic Lord]

[Salvation]

What a beautiful story. Thanks, NYer.

Now back on topic?

[Salvation]

Please offer your prayers on the thread for the Conclave and Cardinal Electors.

[delchiante]

Power iof prayer isn’t discounted by me. I will continue to pray to the Creator and not the created.. unless it is believed Mary was there from the beginning ...

[Boogieman]

” The second part of the Hail Mary is not taken straight from Scripture, but it is entirely biblical in the thoughts it expresses. It reads:

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” “

The only thing biblical about praying to someone other than God, or communicating with the spirits of those who have passed on, are the biblical condemnations and prohibitions against the practice.

[delchiante]

I am suggesting the worshipping of Mary is idol worship. And the church buying into Fatima miracle.. yup.

[Salvation]

You are mistaken.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Now please get out your Bible and turn to Luke's account of the Visitation.

How does Elizabeth greet Mary? Mother of my Lord

If your bible does not have these words, then it has been changed from the original Bible -- the Catholic one!