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Gauracandra

Visited a Catholic Church

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Not that this is a particularly exotic travel story, but today I stopped in for 10 minutes or so at a local Catholic cathedral. I was looking to kill some time, and thought I might as well gain some spiritual benefit. So as I was walking along, I came across a nice Catholic church and went on in.

 

It was very nicely laid out. I particularly liked all the deities with votive candles in front of each. Does anyone know the history behind these candles and the Catholic church? It seemed a very nice way to allow the lay people to engage in direct worship of the deity. There were deities of Mother Mary, various saints, and a manger scene for Christ.

 

I also really liked the stained glass work. The colors really shine through, and there was a very respectful and introspective feel to the entire church.

 

Like I said, its not the most exotic spiritual travel story, but it was nice to enter this house of worship. Several years back I had been to this church for mid-night mass on Christmas. It was just nice to revisit. All for now.

 

Gauracandra

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...It was very nicely laid out. I particularly liked all the deities with votive candles in front of each. Does anyone know the history behind these candles and the Catholic church? It seemed a very nice way to allow the lay people to engage in direct worship of the deity. There were deities of Mother Mary, various saints, and a manger scene for Christ.

 

 

Gauracandra

I do not know the history. I do know however, that in Catholicism when a person dies and has some venial (small) sin and/or the effects of sin on his/her soul he/she is sent to purgatory.

 

Purgatory is a place or state where (departed) souls are purified before they can enter Heaven

 

However when on Earth if a person prays or offers a candle to Jesus, Mary or any of the saints that person gains some purification and thus spend less time after death in purgatory - because of venial sins and/or the effects (or residues) of sins committed in this life - (In Catholisism the residues of sins are believed to remain even after the sins are forgiven and reconciliation has been made).

 

But the candle bit goes deeper than that. In Catholicism, the saints (especially, or more specifically Mary) is/are one’s “advocate” to Jesus and to God. By praying to, and offering a candle, one is developing (and/or reinforcing) a relation of love and faith in such an advocate.

 

But that is not all. The choice of saint to whom one will offer a candle is more complex. Although one may offer a candle to any saint (and many do), usually a person offers a candle to a favourite saint. That saint’s religious example, relationship with the Catholic Church or with God or Jesus or Mary usually holds special significance and is especially meaningful to the person lighting the candle. The favourite saint functions as a role model for the religious actor. For instance at the time of “Confirmation” a person is encourage to seek out a saint who holds special meaningfulness to him/her. With this in mind the person will take the name of that saint as his/her “Confirmation name” as a sign of that special relationship.

 

 

[This message has been edited by suryaz (edited 01-13-2002).]

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My favorite saint is: St. Francis of Assisi.

 

I guess that I'm attracted to him not only because of his purity but also I studied for 8 years with nuns when I was a child and we used to go through the back gardens of the school to the Church that was run by the Franciscans or Capuchinos. Originally they were vegetarian as St Francis was. In one occasion St Francis acknowledged that he ate lard for Lent. He was very strict in his vows but also very understanding and forgiving when some of his followers "fell down"

I highly recommend the movie "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" made by Zefirelli about St Francis. I saw it in few temples and some devotees were so taken by it that one of them named his son Visnujana Franchesco Posted Image

 

Here is a little about him:

Also known as

Francis Bernardone; Poverello

Memorial

4 October

Profile

Son of a rich cloth merchant. Misspent youth. Street brawler and some-time soldier. During an imprisonment in Perugia, he had a conversion experience, including a reported message from Christ calling him to leave this worldly life. Upon release, Francis began taking his religion seriously.

 

He took the Gospels as the rule of his life, Jesus Christ as his literal example. He dressed in rough clothes, begged for his sustenance, and preached purity and peace. He visited hospitals, served the sick, preached in the streets, and took all men and women as siblings. He began to attract followers in 1209, and with Papal blessing, founded the Franciscans. In 1212 Clare of Assisi became his spiritual student, which led to the founding of the Poor Clares. Visited and preached to the Saracens. Composed songs and hymns to God and nature. Lived with animals, worked with his hands, cared for lepers, cleaned churches, and sent food to thieves. In 1221 he resigned direction of the Franciscans.

 

While in meditation on Mount Alvernia in the Apennines in September 1224, Francis received the stigmata, which periodically bled during the remaining two years of his life. This miracle has a separate memorial on 17 September.

Born

1181 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy as Francis Bernardone

Died

4 October 1226 @ Portiuncula, Italy

Canonized

1228 by Pope Gregory IX

Patronage

against dying alone, against fire, animal welfare societies, animals, Assisi Italy, birds, Catholic Action, Colorado, archdiocese of Denver Colorado, dying alone, ecologists, ecology, environment, environmentalism, environmentalists, families, fire, Italy, lacemakers, laceworkers, merchants, needle workers, peace, archdiocese of San Francisco California, Sante Fe New Mexico, tapestry workers, zoos.

Audio

Saint Francis of Assisi,by G. K Chesterton, RealAudio @ Broadcast.Com

Representation

birds; deer; fish; skull; stigmata; wolf

Additional Information

Open Directory Project links to sites devoted to or with information about Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis Screensaver, by Divine Mercy Secular Franciscan Fraternity

Rule of Saint Francis

Mira circa nos, Pope Gregory IX

Auspicato Concessum, Pope Leo XIII

Sacra Propediem, Pope Benedict XV

Rite expiatis, Pope Pius XI

Meditation on Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope John XXIII

Homily on Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope John Paul II

Homily on Saint Francis of Assisi, Pope John Paul II

God's Troubadour, by Sophie Jewett

Lives of the Saints for Every Day of the Year

Lives of the Saints, John J Crawley

The Will of Saint Francis

Letter Written to all the Faithful

 

Prayers

Canticle of Brother Sun

Immaculate Conception Novena Prayer by...

Novena to Saint Francis of Assisi

Prayer to...

Prayer I by...

Prayer II by...

Prayer for Animals

Prayer for the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

Prayer in Honor of the Sacred Stigmata

Way of the Cross by...

 

Reading

Alms are an inheritance and a justice which is due to the poor and which Jesus has levied upon us.

 

Saint Francis of Assisi

--

Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.

 

Saint Francis of Assisi

--

It was through his archangel, Saint Gabriel, that the Father above made known to the the holy and glorious Virgin Mary that the worthy, holy and glorious Word of the Father would come from heaven and take from her womb the real flesh of our human frailty. Though he was wealthy beyond reckoning, he still willingly chose to be poor with his blessed mother. And shortly before his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples. Then he prayed to his Father saying: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup be taken from me."

 

Nevertheless, he reposed his will in the will of his Father. The Father willed that his blessed and glorious Son, whom he gave to us and who was born for us, should through his own blood offer himself as a sacrificial victim on the altar of the cross. This was to be done not for himself through whom all things were made, but for our sins. It was intended to leave us an example of how to follow in his footsteps. And he desires all of us to be saved through him, and to receive him with pure heart and chaste body.

 

Let us also love our neighbors as ourselves. Let us have charity and humility. Let us give alms because these cleanse our souls from the stains of sin. Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve. We must not be wise according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God's sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father's children who do his work.

 

from a letter written to all the faithful by Saint Francis of Assisi

 

"Jesus is happy to come with us, as truth is happy to be spoken, as life to be lived, as light to be lit, as love is to be loved, as joy to be given, as peace to be spread."

 

Saint Francis of Assisi

 

 

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About Gauracandra mentioning candles in the Church. They are offerings for the deities, in the same way that we offer the ghee lamps to the deities at the temple. Actually for Catholics it is very easy to become a devotee. You accept deities, offerings, prayers, incense, candles, love God about everything else, love your neighbour(seing Paramatma in everyone), follow the commandments, etc. With the knowledge of Krsna consciousness you get the whole picture, with only the Bible they are too many questions left unanswered. That's why one more let me offer my eternal gratitude to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada that tought me who God is and how can I develop love for Him and His associates.

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Dear Atma prabhu, what is meant by "Patronage against" and "Representation"?

 

We must not be wise according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God's sake. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on all who live in this way and persevere in it to the end. He will permanently dwell in them. They will be the Father's children who do his work.

 

from a letter written to all the faithful by Saint Francis of Assisi

 

"Jesus is happy to come with us, as truth is happy to be spoken, as life to be lived, as light to be lit, as love is to be loved, as joy to be given, as peace to be spread."

 

Saint Francis of Assisi

------------------

Radhe Radhe always Radhe!

amanpeter@hotmail.com

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Hi, hari bol, Atma, I am going to get back into emailing soon, just been way under the weather lately and today is sunny so lookin' better....

 

Funny thing about Catholics though (I too was raised one) is that the ones who don't become devotees think we are pagans to have statues and personal worship, and they don't even seem to notice that they have similar customs and mysticism, too. It's strange to me.

 

I too love St Francis, and the movie too, with wonderful sound score by Donovan. I also favor St Therese of Lisieux, who expressed her faith through her paintings, writings, and acting. She was inspired greatly by the awareness that being little was what caught God's eye. Humbleness was her central focus, and surrender to the greater, the Lord. Her writings are candid and entertaining in addition to being inspiring and encouraging.

 

Jayaradhe

 

 

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Dear Valaya prabhu, as far as I understand it the 'patronage against'means to pray to him for not dying alone and not to have fires. He is the "patrono" for all those things mentioned before. He is the protector of Assisi, the animals, environment, etc,etc. BTW, Assisi has many saints from that time. I'm sorry that I can't explain it any better with my limited knowledge of English. As suryaz said before, you have certain saints that hold special significance and is especially meaningful to the devotee.

 

Dear Jayaradhe, I miss your letters and I just finished watching the movie. Love it. Now I'm off to the beach for some good air. More later.

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