This is the email I recieved: Today begins the ninth of the apparition of the Virgin of Fatima : When you receive the email say a Hail Mary and ask for a special favour
"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
(your request)
Please do not break the Novena, send it to 12 people you think deserve justice, peace, love, health, prosperity and truth.
"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
(your request)
Please do not break the Novena, send it to 12 people you think deserve justice, peace, love, health, prosperity and truth.
Okay, that's nice, I have nothing against a Novena. The prayer is wrong, there is a prescribed prayer for each day to be followed by three Hail Marys, three Our Fathers and three Glory be's.
The only thing that puzzles me is why this email is forwarded to me by someone who is a dyed in the wool Baptist and always has been?
I get these things also, in the snailmail as well as by Email. They are usually anonymous, and I assume that they are sending it to me as antagonism. Everyone who knows me, knows that I am Baptist, non-Catholic, non-superstitious, that I don't pray to dead people, and I consider this sort of thing to be paganism and idolatry. I am happy to break the chain, delete the Emails, and throw the printed material in the trash.
ReplyDeleteit's all superstition. just different flavors.
ReplyDeletejim, in answer to your question, as someone who has been an ultra-fundie baptist, a wishy-washy catholic, and now undecided, i think it's because your average church goer has no clue about the doctrines of their church. what they do know about is social issues, and they will work with any other nominally christian group who shares their social positions. hence, a baptist might take part in catholic rituals, because both share similar views about big issues like abortion or homosexuality.
Wheeler is probably on the right track with his comment.
ReplyDeleteNot every Protestant is like Realist. Not everybody that sits in a pew really pays attention, or has a truly firm, informed, and (to use my old pentecostal term) "prayed through" set of beliefs.
Now, I'd disagree with Wheeler that it is all superstition...but I know where he's coming from with the thrust of what he's saying.
Personally, I've never known a Baptist that takes part in Catholic rituals just because they agree on abortion or homosexuality issues...well, except for attending a Catholic wedding, or funeral (insert your own joke there).
I can't remember ever seeing one go into a confessional booth, or kneeling before a statue, or lighting a candle, or saying the rosary deal, or trying to partake of communion from a priest, etc.
And, I've known a lot of Baptists.
But, they will work with others that share common social concerns, regardless of their religion, or creed.
Speaking as A Catholic I have it on good authority if do this Novena your blog traffice will increase a HUNDRED FOLD :)
ReplyDeleteMight be worth a shot, Jim.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'...