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| First Friday/Saturday Devotions | |
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| Topic Started: Monday, 30. July 2007, 23:12 (455 Views) | |
| KatyA | Monday, 30. July 2007, 23:12 Post #1 |
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Does your Parish actively encourage devotions by arranging for Mass at suitable times on the First Friday and Saturday of the month? This Friday will be the first Friday in August, the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary so it seems a good time to ask. My Parish has regular daily Mass at 9.30 and a 12 noon Mass on Saturday so it is possible for those able to attend daily Mass at 9.30 to attempt to complete the First Fridays, but not for those who work and can only attend evening Mass during the week. What happens in your parish, and have you completed the First Friday or First Saturday devotions? |
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| newminster | Tuesday, 31. July 2007, 21:34 Post #2 |
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Last parish priest but three was the last one to have any truck with such matters. The last one sneered at the idea (as he did at quite a lot of things, some of his parishioners included) while I don't think the present incumbent would know what you were talking about (convert, ordained in the mid-80s). I've lost interest in the First Fridays since the whole thing became far too easy and that seems to be the general consensus in the parish as far as I can tell. Pity, really. And as for Saturdays, we don't even have Mass. |
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| Emee | Tuesday, 31. July 2007, 21:54 Post #3 |
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Sadly I have voted "No" because even though I have completed both devotions myself and was happy to do so our parish does not actively encourage such devotions. I am sure many parishioners unless they read up on the Devotion of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady's appearances at Fatima would have no idea how many consecutive First Fridays they should attend Mass and receive Holy Communion (9) and how many consecutive First Saturdays (5) they should go to Confession and receive Holy Communion while still in a state of Grace. Having said that our PP is wonderful in many other ways so I wholeheartedly forgive him as being a casualty of modern thinking. The beauty of these devotions are that they are very private devotions (many people these days learn about them as a result of personal seeking - "seek and ye shall find") and if you want to carry them out quietly, individually as I did, the important thing is that you have / are given the opportunity to do so. |
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| PJD | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 17:38 Post #4 |
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On reflection the 9 first fridays is quite an exercise. My brother and I did it, and I remember arguing with one another if one had missed or not. You see you cannot miss one. Even now I think I may have missed; but don't think so. Extraordinarily difficult - don't know about now, but at the time when nicking a £1 was a mortal sin etc. [no I never actually nicked a pound; but other things.......] PJD |
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| nelly k | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 17:49 Post #5 |
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Ive allway wanted to do this but was never sur how and what the significance was, so may be I can do it now. Is it a case of going to Mass every Friday or Saturday for 9 consecutive weeks, and is there a requirement to go to Connfession as ? many thanks Nelly. I let you know how I get on once I know what I am doing. due to work commitements I could possibly manage this just now. |
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| Emee | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 18:42 Post #6 |
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Hi Nelly They are two separate devotions. 1. The first one is this - Our Lord Jesus's promise to St Margaret Mary Alacoque; "I will grant the grace of final repentence to all those who shall communicate on the first Friday nine months consecutively. They shall not die in mortal sin, nor without having received the last Sacraments. My Divine Heart will become their secure refuge at that last moment.". 2. The First Five Saturdays devotion is Our Lady's request at Fatima. She would like sinners to attend Confession on the First Saturday of the month for five months consecutively with the intention of making reparation for the sins of the world. The penitant should then receive Holy Communion while in a state of grace afterwards and within eight days. Hope that helps Nelly. It certainly helped deepen my relationship with God :) . God Bless. |
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| nelly k | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 19:29 Post #7 |
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Hi Emme, thanks that great, so I should attend Mass for 9 consecutive Months not weeks and at the same time attend on a Saturday Confession first then Mass, for 6 consecutive months, can you let me know if this is right. nelly ps do you do the 2 together |
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| Gerard | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 20:09 Post #8 |
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Nelly, Do you do the 2 together ? Its up to you. These are different devotions given at different times. Doing one at a time will be hard enough but if you can manage both then more power to your elbow. The Sacred Heart visions were given to Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1675. Jesus made twelve promises of which the 12th was the one concerning first fridays of the month.
And your intention should be of making reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for all the sinfulness and ingratitude of mankind. There is some good background here: http://www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/fatima/sacredh.html And the twelve promises are here: http://www.dailycatholic.org/promises.htm And an in-depth teaching on the 12th promise here: http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2junepro.htm Finally, this devotion (to the sacred heart of Jesus) is closely conncted to or similar with the Divine Mercy devotion. http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/index.htm Gerry |
| "The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998). | |
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| Ned | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 20:23 Post #9 |
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Back in the late 1940's, when I was an altar-server, Devotions meant Evening Devotions - there were no afternoon or evening masses in those days. And the First Fridays were called 'the First Fridays'. The Evening Devotions were three or four evenings a week: Benediction, Compline, evening prayers - but always, or almost always, with a sermon from the pulpit. The length varied with the day of the week. When Catholics went to church for the Evening Devotions they were going to a service which usually included a solid sermon. My memory of that parish then is that the longest sermon, about 30 minutes, was on Friday night when the Devotions were a few short prayers. I should explain that there were five or six priests in that parish, Oblates of Saint Charles, and so the workload was spread. I wish we still had those solid sermons. I know that the Mass is important but so are sermons - and so is private prayer, which is what the congregation used to practise at the Tridentine Low Mass. So they would have something to think about during the week, and they were being constantly reinforced in their prayer-life. |
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| nelly k | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 21:43 Post #10 |
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Gerrard, I was a bit worried , I thought you had to do both
:unsure: so I am glad you have made that clear, that it is only the one, also I find confession really difficult. I think I shall start this Friday, and then Ill note on my Calendar the the next ones, it will be more difficult now though doing the 9 months, if it had been weeks it would have been easier as I could predict my work load in my Job better, but then I suppose thats the challenge and commitement, Ive not looked at all the links you gave, but can I say something, it seems a bit self centered, in that its about my state of grace when I die, rather than a specific intention, mind you maybe I need it and I just not aware that I do. The Sacred Heart intention for others does appeal to me, then I am sharing the commitement. nelly |
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| Emee | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 21:43 Post #11 |
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Hi Nelly Gerry has just about covered the First Friday devotion. Yes I also have it written as the last (12th) promise on the back of my Sacred Heart picture. Personally I undertook both devotions separately - purely because I had not read about the First Saturday devotion when I undertook the First Friday devotion several years ago now. I think I may have found it difficult to undertake both at once, but then two devotions a month isn't a huge amount so maybe it wouldn't have been that bad after all... I also undertook the Novena to the Devotion of the Divine Mercy this year for the first time - but that is 9 consecutive days!! And I don't want to confuse you, so I'll say no more about that at present. Just as a quick pointer the First Saturday devotion is 5 consecutive months not 6! All the best - because it is only once a month, keep a record where you are at any one time then you won't lose track. After the first couple of months I had got into the habit of booking the Friday morning off work and I actually found it very easy to do and certainly no hassle. God Bless in your endeavours :) . |
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| nelly k | Wednesday, 1. August 2007, 21:49 Post #12 |
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Thanks Emee, we posted more or less at the same time, I ve got all day tomrrow to prepare myself and do some reading, nelly |
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| Gerard | Thursday, 2. August 2007, 06:28 Post #13 |
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Nelly, If you ever do any life saving training (swimming, mountain rescue etc) the first thing you are told is to save yourself or make sure you stay safe and dont end up in the same position as the person needing saving. Remember the talk on an aeroplane before take off. They say "if the oxygen masks drop down would parents please put their own mask on before helping their children (so that they actually are able to help their children). Well think of it like that. Perhaps, more importantly, Jesus wants to have a relationship with YOU. Thats what it is really about. And He is asking you to make up for the coldness of other people. As for confession being difficult - yes it can be. I have no answers except perhaps to find a sympathetic priest. Nowadays thats most priests - and those Redemptorists sound particularly compassionate. Gerry |
| "The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998). | |
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| Jamie | Thursday, 2. August 2007, 07:22 Post #14 |
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I remember making the nine first Fridays with my parents when I was about 11. I remember it seemed to me to be a pretty impressive "insurance policy" and that I might as well do them at that time, because I could see that later on in my teens I might want to be down at the Youth Club on a Friday night.....so we all did them, straight off, first go, and I had all but forgotten about it since...... |
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| nelly k | Thursday, 2. August 2007, 07:52 Post #15 |
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That makes perfect sense Gerrard, so my mind set is better placed now to do this... Jamie I think what your Prents did was great, and it sounds a realy positive experience nelly |
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3:44 PM Nov 23