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Papal Address on the Rosary as a Weapon of Peace
Zenit ^ | SEPT. 29, 2002

Posted on 10/01/2002 2:49:23 PM PDT by nickcarraway

At Castel Gandolfo

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 29, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address John Paul II gave today before reciting the midday Angelus with the faithful and pilgrims gathered at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo.

* * *

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

1. We are already at the threshold of the month of October, which, with the liturgical Memorial of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary, moves us to rediscover this traditional prayer, which is so simple yet so profound.

The rosary is a contemplative view of the face of Christ carried out, so to speak, through Mary's eyes. Therefore, it is a prayer that is at the very heart of the Gospel, and is in full harmony with the inspiration of the Second Vatican Council and very much in keeping with the indication I gave in the apostolic letter "Novo Millennio Ineunte": It is necessary that the Church "go into the deep" of the new millennium beginning with the contemplation of the face of Christ.

Therefore, I wish to suggest the recitation of the rosary to individuals, to families and to Christian communities. To give force to this request, I am also preparing a document, which will help to rediscover the beauty and depth of this prayer.

2. I wish to entrust once again the great cause of peace to the prayer of the rosary. We are faced with an international situation full of tensions, of incandescent dimensions. In some parts of the world, where the confrontation is stronger -- I am thinking in particular of the martyred land of Christ -- we can see that, although always necessary, the political attempts are worth little if spirits remain exacerbated and there is no ability to demonstrate a heartfelt disposition to renew the line of dialogue.

But, who can infuse such sentiments, save God alone? It is more necessary than ever that prayers for peace be raised to him throughout the world. Precisely in this perspective, the rosary reveals itself as a particularly appropriate prayer. It constructs peace also because, while appealing to God's grace, it sows in the one reciting it the seed of good, from which fruits of justice and solidarity in personal and community life can be expected.

I am thinking of nations, but also of families: how much peace would be assured in family relations, if the holy rosary was prayed by the family!

3. [John Paul II then greeted pilgrims in French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Italian. In English, he said:]

I extend a warm greeting to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, and invite you to make the month of October a time of special attention to the recitation of the rosary, the great prayer of intercession to Mary. Upon you and your families I invoke the joy and peace of the Lord.

[Finally, the Pope said in Italian:]

4. The prayer we are about to recite, begins by recalling the Archangel Gabriel's declaration to the Virgin Mary. Indeed, today is the feast of the holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael: May these powerful ministers of God help us to correspond always with generous love to his will.

[Translation by ZENIT]


TOPICS: Activism; Catholic; Prayer; Theology; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; rosary
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1 posted on 10/01/2002 2:49:24 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Lady In Blue; ELS; Desdemona; Salvation; NYer; JMJ333
ping
2 posted on 10/01/2002 2:54:12 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
Pope Preparing Apostolic Letter on Rosary, Vatican sources say
3 posted on 10/01/2002 2:55:22 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
Thank you. Prayer is a great thing. I do it daily. That doesn't change that evil is out there. I have a hard time justifying some of the sentiments right now, especially the ones that put the world at risk.


4 posted on 10/01/2002 3:02:09 PM PDT by Desdemona
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To: nickcarraway
I keep one rosary under the pillow. When the dogs wake me up during the night, I pray the rosary and fall back to sleep.

Science has now proven that prayer (albeit in the form of a rosary) is one of the most powerful methods for curing illness. How good to know that the pope has our best interests at heart.

5 posted on 10/01/2002 4:30:13 PM PDT by NYer
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To: nickcarraway
The Holy Rosary in Latin and English

A few months ago I found a CD of the Pope praying the Rosary in Latin in the sale bin at a local bookstore. It is wonderful!

6 posted on 10/01/2002 8:17:35 PM PDT by ELS
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To: nickcarraway
You may want to consider Jesus's words concerning counting or repeating prayers:

Matt. 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

7 posted on 10/02/2002 9:15:16 AM PDT by Onelifetogive
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To: Onelifetogive
Matt. 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

<> Jesus repeated the SAME prayer in the garden at Gethsemane. U calling Our Lord and Saviour a heathen?

8 posted on 10/02/2002 9:34:46 AM PDT by Catholicguy
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To: Catholicguy
U calling Our Lord and Saviour a heathen?

My entire statement consisted of: "You may want to consider Jesus's words considering counting or repeating prayers:"

All other words in the post were direct quotes from the Bible.

How then would I be calling anyone anything??

9 posted on 10/02/2002 10:48:09 AM PDT by Onelifetogive
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: Onelifetogive
You may want to consider Jesus's words concerning counting or repeating prayers...

Matt. 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

A valid consideration indeed for everybody and all prayers! However, I don't see how this applies to the Holy Rosary when prayed correctly, particularly when this passage is read in context. Chapter 6 of St. Matthew's (whose feast day was recently celebrated) Gospel begins with Our Lord stating as a "thesis" statement:

Matt. 6:1 (RSV)

1. "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

He then proceeds to explicate that thought to the three major practices of Jewish piety lived out in the Covenant: Almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Note that each statement begins with "When you...", and not "If you choose to...". After covering almsgiving, Our Lord turns to prayer, covered in verses 5-15, ending with Him giving His disciples the "Our Father"

Matt. 6:5-15 (RSV)

5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 "And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread; 12 And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; 13 And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Our Lord seems interested in pointing us to the importance of prayer from the heart, the core of our being, rather than merely performing the external aspects of vocal prayer divorced from the heart. He is here revealing God as His and our Father and pointing out that 1: God already knows all our needs, and 2: Prayer involves a personal dialogue with God whereby we cannot "force" God's hand by "paying" Him a set amount of external prayer not from the heart ("vain repetitions", "empty phrases") thereby "exacting" a result from Him. Also, that the purpose of prayer is our relationship with God, and therefore not to be done for vainglory.

The Lord's Prayer is then given to teach us what to ask for and the order in which we are to ask for it. It is no mistake that this vocal prayer plays a significant part of the Holy Rosary.

The Holy Rosary is a meditative prayer centered on the Gospel consisting of meditation on the Incarnation of Our Lord and all that He has accomplished for us in the Father's Will and Power of the Spirit. These meditations help us to situate our lives to the Life of Christ and thereby allow the Power of Grace to conform us to Him. The meditations include the Conception, Birth, Life, Passion, Death, Ressurrection and Ascension, Gift of the Holy Spirit, and anticipation of Creation's future Glory in Heaven - preeminently that of Christ's (and our) Mother, Mary. These are meditated on through the 15 decades (corresponding with the 150 Psalms) which are the external vocal prayers.

Because the Holy Rosary is a meditative prayer, it is always a personal prayer, even when prayed in public, as opposed to a communal prayer. The "Apostle's Creed", "Our Father", "Hail Mary", and Glory Be" are the vocal prayers said as meditation is (or should be) occurring. I would point out that each of these prayers, as well as the more important meditations, are all Biblical coming from Holy Scripture.

11 posted on 10/02/2002 6:44:02 PM PDT by TotusTuus
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To: Onelifetogive
<> "Get thee behind me, Satan"<>
12 posted on 10/03/2002 4:23:07 AM PDT by Catholicguy
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To: Bud McDuell
I guess there no repetitiveness at the local Assembly of God. Do you just make it up as you go along?

I am unaware of any repetitive prayers at the A/G (other than in the training of children). We actually make up prauer as we go. Actually we also make up conversation with each other as we go, as well. None of that is prewritten, either.

Prayer is "conversation with God." Are your conversations with other people similar to your prayers to God?

Or does a priest say something, then you chant something to the effect of "Lord, hear our prayer." Or do you say a statement, then proceed to the next bead and make another statement, proceed to the next bead....

13 posted on 10/04/2002 6:46:22 AM PDT by Onelifetogive
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To: Catholicguy
<> "Get thee behind me, Satan"<>

Have I been elected pope???

14 posted on 10/04/2002 6:57:59 AM PDT by Onelifetogive
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: Bud McDuell
God is not a person, he is the Almighty Creator of the Universe. I have too much respect for God to try to bring him down to the level of a human and treat him as such.

Interesting perspective.

God wishes to be close to us, "down at our level". It would seem, to me, to be a rejection of His wishes to keep Him at a distance.

16 posted on 10/04/2002 8:50:09 AM PDT by Onelifetogive
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Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: Bud McDuell
Source?

I assume you mean a Scripture source for the first sentence. I'll get back to you on that. As for the second sentence (i.e. It would seem, to me,...), I am the source.

18 posted on 10/04/2002 9:50:26 AM PDT by Onelifetogive
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: Onelifetogive
I am unaware of any repetitive prayers at the A/G (other than in the training of children). We actually make up prauer as we go.

Prayer is "conversation with God." Are your conversations with other people similar to your prayers to God?

MATTHEW: CHAPTER NUMBER TWENTY SIX

36 Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray.

37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad.

38 Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch with me.

39 And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as thou wilt.

40 And he cometh to his disciples and findeth them asleep. And he saith to Peter: What? Could you not watch one hour with me?

41 Watch ye: and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42 Again the second time, he went and prayed, saying: My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done.

43 And he cometh again and findeth them sleeping: for their eyes were heavy.

44 And leaving them, he went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word.

<> The ball is in your court, Ace. <>

20 posted on 10/04/2002 10:28:27 AM PDT by Catholicguy
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