Saturday 16 April 2005

Rosary Beads and Saints

Maureen C from Kemmaur's Corner (check it out, she is doing a good series of posts for beginning CQ people), posted the comment below, and I have brought it up to the top again, as I am having serious thoughts about these beads, and was wondering what others think.

Maureen wrote:

I've been reading your various postings on the Rosary beads with interest. I have several sets of Rosaries (complete and broken!) some of which date back to the 50s(1950!!)Funny though,I could never use the broken ones in my CQ........just doesn't seem "right"And I won't bore you on how I cringe when I see people wearing them,most inappropriately in my opinion, as jewellery/personal adornment with all sorts of get-ups that defy description.
BTW:some of my "old" holy pictures do translate rather well to being printed on fabric! [End of Maureen's voice]

I am not a Catholic, so I know I could not have the same feeling about Rosary beads. And I have been wondering if my sending them to people unasked, or putting them on RR pieces unasked, could actually be offensive to people. Firstly to those who, like Maureen, could not bear to see them made into anything other than a Rosary (and I totally respect that feeling).

And, secondly, there are those out there who may have had an unfortunate experience with the Catholic Church (no details necessary), who may be hurt or offended by receiving them unasked. So far there is one on a RR piece, and I shall check with that person if that is okay, but I am now tending towards not giving them to people unasked.

But I do still feel it is okay for me to take them from the bottom of a basket of junk in an Op Shop and restore them to being something precious, although in a different form - maybe even in conjunction with people feeling they may be blessed by the prayers said over them.

What do other people think???? I don't know if the Catholic Church has some form of "finalisation" for a Rosary???? Such as the only way to "finalise" a flag is to burn it with respect???? Are there any other items out there that are "sacred" (in both meanings of the word) that should NOT be used in CQ??? Or used only after very careful thought?

And, a PS for Maureen - have you had a look at the Catholic Church site of Saints??? Heaps of lovely pictures there, and already digitised. I was going to write that I just wished St Phocas (Patron Saint of Gardeners), looked, well, more gardener-like. But I see they have a new picture on there.

Although the one of St Clare of Assisi (one of the Patron Saints of Needleworkers) doesn't excite me. However the one of Rose of Lima (also for Needleworkers) is a nicer picture. There are a few patron Saints for Needleworkers - take your pick.

1 Comments:

Blogger Sharon said...

I had been thinking about your rosary beads since reading your earlier thread...

Now I will make it quite clear that I DO NOT have any particular leaning towards any religious denomination...

In saying that though I don't like to see anything destroyed just for the sake of it whether it be rosary beads, a old church or a magestic tree...

However, I think the sentiment behind what you are planning to do with the rosary sounds wonderful...

And perhaps, the idealistic side of myself here, likes to think that each bead would be received in the manner it was given...

Now from what I have been observing - passing something around, whether it be a block or the baggie (such as I received last week) there is care and consideration which go with it... Perhaps this could be looked at in the same way...

And if someone chose to donate the rosary to the op-shop then they themselves obviously had little feeling attached to it...

To leave it unwanted with the chance of it becoming more damaged until possibly worthless to my mind is far worse...

I think that the word 'intent' here is an important one...

And from what I read the intent is to share this 'gift' with others...

I, again the idealistic side of myself, likes to think that all the prayers that went into that rosary will be 'extended' to all those who receive a piece and that they may take comfort - what ever that means to the individual- in the 'gift' which was given to them...

5:05 pm  

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