Dominican Friars

Aug 01 2024

The Rosary: A Private or Public Devotion

In 1961 Venerable Patrick Peyton gathered 550,000 people in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park to pray the most holy Rosary. This was a tremendous victory for promoting the praying of the Rosary as well as family prayer. Ven. Patrick Peyton was known for the maxim, “the family who prays together stays together.” He believed that the praying of the Rosary would bring so many graces into family life. Since that day in 1961 though, devotions like the Rosary have been argued to remain as private devotions so as to not shove religion into people’s faces and cause them discomfort.

This begs the question, what kind of devotion is the Rosary? It seems like the Rosary has a private devotional life for people. People pray it when they’re on their way to work, when they’re in eucharistic adoration, when they’re in a time of great need, and many other times. There is an intimacy involved in the Rosary that is brought about by private recitation. A person can come to know the Blessed Virgin Mary through the Rosary. Still, more importantly, a person can come to know Jesus Christ more intimately through the Rosary. The private recitation of the Rosary allows one to reflect on the words and mysteries they are praying at their own pace. All of these are good things, but do they warrant the keeping of the Rosary as a private devotion?

The Rosary has another dimension to it that can only be seen when it is prayed in common. The Church offers a plenary indulgence for those who “devoutly recite the Marian Rosary in a church or oratory, or in a family, a religious community, or an association of the faithful, and in general when several of the faithful gather for some honest purpose” (Manual of Indulgences). Ven. Patrick Peyton also asked families to pray the Rosary together, and not in their own separate rooms. What is it about the public or group recitation of the Rosary that is different from the private recitation?

Praying the Rosary in a group gives a person the opportunity to enter into the 3 vows religious brothers and sisters take of poverty, chastity, and obedience. A person enters into obedience by following the pace of the group praying. The pace may be slower or faster than what a person is used to. A person enters into poverty by losing control of how the group might be praying the Rosary. There might be devotions that a group adds to the praying of the Rosary that a person may not think are necessary, but this is how that group has come to pray the Rosary. A person enters into chastity through the mind while praying the Rosary. St. Thomas would call this spiritual chastity. He says that if the human mind delights in union with God, and not union with things contrary to God, this is spiritual chastity.

The public praying of the Rosary can also evangelize the world. This is why St. Pope Paul VI said that the Rosary is the “compendium of the gospel.” The general life of Christ can be explained with these simple beads that we use to pray and those beads are a helpful tool to explain to those who do not believe in Christ.

To conclude, the Rosary cannot be contained to being either just a private devotion nor can it be contained to being just a public devotion. It is both. The Rosary has transformed many people into saints. And the Rosary has the power to transform us into the saints that God has made us be.

This article was written by Br. Jerome Masters, O.P..

Photo by John Osterhoudt.

Jun 24 2024

The Rosary’s Essential Element: Contemplation

In the decades following the Second Vatican Council, Venerable Patrick Peyton wanted to increase devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. To foster this devotion, he would lead Family Rosary Crusades where he coined the phrase: “The family that prays together stays together.” Eventually, in 1971, he wrote a letter to Pope Saint Paul VI asking the Rosary to be elevated to a liturgical prayer like the Liturgy of the Hours. Many similar requests that were received by the Holy See prompted Paul VI to promulgate the Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus (On Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary) which was issued on February 2, 1974, on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is an intrinsic element of Christian worship.
Pope Saint Paul VI, Marialis Cultus

This Apostolic Exhortation is split into three sections: the liturgy and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the renewal of devotion to Mary, and reflections on the Angelus and the Rosary. In his reflection on the Rosary, Paul VI reminds us that the Rosary is “the compendium of the entire Gospel.” It is a “Gospel prayer” with a rich history that the popes have written numerous times such as Pope Saint Pius V, who “established the traditional form of the Rosary.” According to Paul VI, the Rosary makes us oriented to Christ, by its structure. “The litany-like succession of Hail Mary’s becomes in itself an unceasing praise of Christ…” In the Hail Mary, we call to mind the Savior of the world who is the fruit of Mary’s womb. Paul VI suggests that the name of Jesus was inserted into the Hail Mary to “help contemplation and to make the mind and the voice act in unison.”

Many will argue that the Rosary is not a commandment of God, nor is it found anywhere in Scripture. Why then pray the Rosary when you can go to God directly? Paul VI provides a good response to this argument both from the Rosary being a “Gospel prayer” (as stated above), but he also discusses, what he calls, the “essential element in the Rosary.” Contemplation. The Rosary without contemplation is “a body without a soul, and its recitation is in danger of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas and of going counter to the warning of Christ: ‘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’ (Mt. 6:7).” By its nature the Rosary invites us, through the intercession of Our Lady, to contemplate the mysteries of Christ’s life. Starting with the angelic greeting of Gabriel to Mary to the Nativity of the Lord, to his public ministry, to his sufferings in the last days of his earthly life, to finally “the glory of the Risen Lord which fills the Church.” Paul VI beautifully says that “this contemplation by its very nature encourages practical reflection and provides stimulating norms for living.”

Paul VI invites us into three ways the Rosary could be recited. The first is private where there is an “intimate recollection with the Lord.” The second is in community, whether that be among family or in groups, “to ensure the special presence of the Lord.” The third is publicly where “the ecclesial community is invited.” Paul VI gives special consideration to the second way, specifically the Family Rosary. He says that after the Liturgy of the Hours “the Rosary should be considered as one of the best and most efficacious prayers in common that the Christian family is invited to recite.” As the Second Vatican Council calls the family “the domestic church” so Paul VI invites all families, as Patrick Peyton did, to pray the Rosary as a family. “Families which want to live in full measure of the vocation and spirituality proper to the Christian family must therefore devote all their energies to overcoming the pressures that hinder family gatherings and prayer in common.”

Although Pope Saint Paul VI did not give Venerable Patrick Peyton exactly what he asked for in making the Rosary a liturgical prayer, he provided a wonderful reflection on how “the Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is an intrinsic element of Christian worship.” Because she points us to her son, who is both her savior and our savior. I recommend reading Marialis Cultus in its entirety and reflecting on how your devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has led you to Christ through her intercession.

This article was written by Br. Jerome Masters, O.P..

Photo by Fr. Lawerence Lew, O.P. (used with permission)

Jun 17 2024

Little Devotion, Large Graces

Further, our Order observes more spiritual exercises in honor of the Blessed Virgin than many other Orders . . . the daily Office begins with her and ends with her, hence her Compline is said last . . . again her daily Office is always and everywhere said standing, while in the other Offices the brothers are sometimes seated.
Bl. Humbert of Romans, Commentary of the Constitutions of the Order of Preachers

When I was in college, I began praying the Divine Office (also called the Liturgy of the Hours), a tremendous devotion that helped me discover my vocation to be a friar. But when I opened a breviary for the first time, it was certainly intimidating. The amount of page-flips were so numerous that I was left dizzied. I had no idea where the psalms were, or how to pray with them, and it was discouraging to pray because of how confused I was. However, once I had a grasp on the layout of the breviary, I was much more comfortable with praying it. But a new problem arose once I was out of college: I had no time to pray the entirety of the Divine Office. Thankfully, that Christmas I was gifted with a wonderful devotional, the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a devotional that resembles the Liturgy of the Hours. However, it is much more abbreviated and focuses more on the Blessed Mother, with the psalms, antiphons, and hymns taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the larger Divine Office.

The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a long history. It is unclear when exactly it was devised, but tradition has it that, in 1095, Pope Urban II made this small office required for all clergy, in addition to their requirement to pray the Divine Office. Later, it was inserted into the back of breviaries for religious orders and clerics. This included those of the Dominican Order, and if you look in the back of the Dominican Breviary you’ll find it there. The obligation was then lifted by Pope Pius V at the Council of Trent. Most recently, the Second Vatican Council reaffirmed this devotion as a public prayer of the Church by stating “They, too, perform the public prayer of the Church who . . . recite any short office, provided this is drawn up after the pattern of the divine office and is duly approved.” To look at what brothers have said in the past about the Little Office, I encourage you to check out Fr. John Sica’s article.

You will find the Little Office much simpler to pray and much less intimidating. As opposed to the current four-week psalter of the Divine Office, the Little Office has either a daily psalter or a one-week psalter depending on the edition you pray with. This translates into much less page-flipping between sections of the book and allows it to be read straight through.

In my own experience, Mary gives us many graces through praying her psalter. There are even indulgences attached to pious recitation of the Little Office. It is a simple way for the psalms to enter your life in a way that makes them accessible. The psalms are not meant just for priests and religious to pray, but also for the laity. This is a gift of Holy Mother Church, and one that can bring about some incredible graces.

This article was originally published in the dominicanajournal.org and was written by Br. Jerome Masters, O.P..

Apr 29 2024

In the Eucharistic Feast

For 39 days, we have been rejoicing in the glory of the Resurrection, recalling the wonder of the apostles in those weeks after the first Easter. Then Jesus ascends to the Father, fulfilling his mission on earth and preparing his disciples for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The hymn Alleluia, Sing to Jesus! captures the mystery of the Ascension in its cosmic dimension, while also reminding the faithful of Christ’s promise to remain always with us:

Though the cloud from sight received him
when the forty days were o’er
shall our hearts forget his promise?
‘I am with you ever more.’

One cannot help but think that, on a natural level, the apostles must have been filled with sorrow at our Lord’s “departure.” On the one hand, it would seem that the Ascension should not have been a surprise to them, since Jesus spoke of returning to the Father in the Last Supper discourse (John 14–17). Additionally, he told Mary Magdalene not to cling to him, since he had “not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17). Nevertheless, before Jesus’ final commission, the apostles still “doubted” (Matt. 28:17). When he finally ascends to the Father, we notice that the apostles “were looking intently at the sky” (Acts 1:10), as if to catch one last glimpse of him with their physical sight. Yet, didn’t Jesus promise, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matt 28:20)? What was it that caused the apostles such uncertainty or doubt regarding our Lord’s promise?

One can be tempted to fall into sadness, uncertainty, or even doubt, when considering that we are not able to see Jesus face-to-face in this life. Our hymn should offer us great comfort though, for a later verse reminds us of the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to remain with us forever:

Here on earth both priest and victim
in the Eucharistic feast.

In the Eucharist, we share in the sacrifice Christ offered for our salvation. We receive the fruits of this saving action by sharing in the sacrament of his body and blood. In the Eucharist, Jesus is truly present in our midst, under the sacramental species of bread and wine. He is not distant or remote, nor is he with us in a mere symbol. Rather, Jesus is truly present, waiting to be received and adored, offering himself continually out of his infinite love for us. His very flesh, born of the Virgin Mary, is given to us in order to nourish and refresh our spirits. By sharing his very life with us in the Eucharist, Jesus also gives us, in the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, “a pledge of future glory.”

This pledge of future glory in the Eucharist reminds us that Jesus does not abandon us. We need not go any further than the nearest tabernacle to experience the fulfillment of his promise to remain with us always. His Ascension into heaven, rather than being some sort of loss or departure, allows Jesus to be present at all times and in all places as he brings “his humanity into divine glory” (CCC 659). So that we may always be united with his risen, glorified body in heaven, Jesus leaves his body with us sacramentally in the most holy Eucharist. In this lasting, sacramental presence of Jesus, he entrusts himself to his Church as a reminder of his love and salvation. Feeding us with his body and blood, Jesus sustains us as we journey toward the hope of glory that awaits us in heaven—eternal life with the Blessed Trinity.

This article was originally published in the dominicanajournal.org and was written by Fr. Paul Marich, O.P..

Mar 18 2024

5 Ways St. Joseph Can Help Your Lent

How can St. Joseph help you this Lent? I propose five ways.

Simplicity

In John 6, when Jesus boldly declares, “I am the bread of life,” his hearers murmur among themselves and ask, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?” (Jn 6:41). Apparently, they considered Joseph to be just a regular, law-abiding Jew—an average Joe, if you will. By implication, Joseph didn’t go around Nazareth working miracles and polishing his halo; rather, he lived his holiness wrapped in simplicity.

Every year on Ash Wednesday, we hear: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them” (Mt 6:1). Our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving should be kept for God’s eyes only. Yet we should also remember Jesus’ words earlier in the Sermon on the Mount: “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:16).

The key difference is simplicity. When we act simply, we take no heed of our glory, but seek God’s alone. Such simplicity is a modesty of soul, guarding the intimacy we have with God through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Work

On May 1, we celebrate the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. He is a saint who knows how to roll up his sleeves and put in a hard day’s work. Joseph reminds us of the dignity of work, beautifully captured in Gaudiem et Spes:

Through labor offered to God man is associated with the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, Who conferred an eminent dignity on labor when at Nazareth He worked with His own hands. (GS 67)

Lent is a good time to live out this dignity of work by imitating St. Joseph. God draws us to Himself through the ordinary means of simply fulfilling our tasks. We need not search for extraordinary acts of penance or lengthy prayers, especially if these detract from our normal duties. So before we add on extra practices, we should redouble our attentiveness to the work already before us.

Rest

While Joseph shows us the dignity of work, he had some of his best moments as he slept. It was here that God spoke to him repeatedly through dreams.

We can distinguish two types of rest: physical sleep and spiritual abandonment to God. Both are critical for holiness. Sleep renews us for another day of work and love. Just ask the mother of a newborn about the importance of sleep. Abandonment increases our hope in God’s loving providence, strengthening our faith in times of trials and creating room for love to grow.

By both sleep and abandonment, we recognize our limits: we need sleep and we need God. We can see this pairing in the beginning of Psalm 127:

If the Lord does not build the house,
in vain do its builders labor;
if the Lord does not watch over the city,
in vain does the watchman keep vigil.

In vain is your earlier rising,
your going later to rest,
you who toil for the bread you eat,
when he pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber.

This psalm proclaims the futility of all-nighters and the emptiness of self-made saints. Psalm 127 is a good reminder during Lent, as we up the ante with prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These are not exercises of our sheer will-power. Our practices on their own do not make us holy. God makes us holy. And sometimes, God bids us to rest.

Remember the words of Moses to the Israelites as Pharaoh pursued them: “The LORD will fight for you; you have only to keep still” (Ex 14:14), as well as the words of Isaiah: “By waiting and by calm you shall be saved; in quiet and in trust shall be your strength” (Is 30:15).

Family

Joseph was a great man, but where would he be without his family, without Jesus and Mary? I doubt he would make many appearances in 21st-century blog posts—most 1st-century Jewish carpenters don’t.

Joseph’s holiness came through Jesus and Mary, by serving them and receiving from them. Similarly, God draws us to Himself through those around us. We do not become saints as isolated individuals, but as members of a family or community.

With their parents leading the way by example and family prayer, children and indeed everyone gathered around the family hearth will find a readier path to human maturity, salvation and holiness. (GS 48)

Lent is a good opportunity to examine our closest relationships. Is there a need to forgive? Is there love that needs rekindling? Is there gratitude missing? These are excellent ways of giving alms.

Jesus and Mary

Of course, Joseph’s family isn’t your normal family. There’s a special grace about Jesus and Mary (understatement of the year). If we compare our families to the Holy Family, we might be tempted to discouragement. But by God’s goodness, Jesus and Mary are not distant, but rather intimately close to us: Jesus is our savior and brother, and Mary is our tender mother. Joseph, for his part, can help stay close to Jesus and Mary, just as he did.

In the end, all of our Lenten practices are simply saying “yes” to Jesus, just as Mary first did at the Annunciation. May Mary pray for us, and may Jesus bring us to the Father.

This article was originally published on dominicanajournal.org and was written by Fr. Joseph Martin Hagan, O.P.