Feel Bad About Praying For Mary's Intercession, Help.

[MarysLittleFlower]

I feel like I should add here that St. Louis de Monfort is considered... very intense. For someone who is not very well versed in and comfortable with intense Mariology, True Devotion is often perceived as being too much. Even by Catholics. Common consensus is that it very much is not a book for 'beginners'.

I would agree that True Devotion is not for beginners unless you receive some sort of a grace to understand it. Actually in any case, it would take grace to understand it.. :) I`m not saying I understand it well or anything. I mentioned about it because the OP brought up the topic of personal consecration. Prayer helps to understand the True Devotion book.

 

Thanks for replies. About 'true devotion to Mary', Nihil is right in his observation, i think. Tried to read it some time ago, but its just too much. Which is the part i do not get, because if something is good you're supposed to handle the extremity of it. Either you can say totus tuus, or you cant. In any case, 'true devotion' and other stuff (cf. fifthmariandogma.com) is the type of stuff that i find more or less offensive. I will check out the book by Sheen though, i like him alot, thanks for the recommendation!

 

On the picture of Mary, Nihil, thanks. Im into icons bigtime. It so happens i ordered a handpainted byzantine icon of Mary two weeks ago by an orthodox priest ive ordered from before. Cant wait for it to be finished, because ive found icons to be of great help and use before. 

 

Also, on eucharistic adoration Gregorii, its an insightful recommendation. Its probably my #1 favorite practice of RC spirituality. 

 

Tab'le and Papist; i am familiar with the rosary prayer. Thanks. My 'problem' doesnt come from its content, but the focus that it eventually will give to your spiritual life (as i wrote in the first post). Im not wondering about whether or not it is okay to say a hail mary or praying to a saint or so, but about the consequences that a consistent devotion to Mary does to your spiritual life over time. 

Some of you wrote about how a devotion to saints can be idolatrous. But i dont think i got an answer to when, or how, i know that my devotion to a saint (eg. Mary), is true or not. You say that it is then my fault, and not Mary's. Okay. But when do i err in this regard? Again, how do i know when i (and not Mary) messes up devotion to Mary? Perhaps she will straighten it out over time, as some of you implied.

 Regarding True Devotion - I think with some things, we can only handle the extremity, as you said, after being used to it in some way or understanding other things about it :) with True Devotion, even St Louis says that God needs to a give a grace for the person to understand it... so don`t worry, just keep praying about all this :) start simply with your questions, perhaps not with True Devotion, if that`s not something you`re ready for.

Edited April 7, 2013 by MarysLittleFlower