The Luminous Mysteries and Why You Should Dump Them
On October 16, 2002, Pope St. John Paul II issued his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, that is “The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. In it, he proposed a recommended new set of mysteries to be meditated on when praying the Rosary.
Those mysteries were the Luminous Mysteries. Composed of The Baptism in the Jordan, the Wedding of Canaa, the Proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Transfiguration, and the Institution of the Eucharist.
The problem with the Luminous mysteries is simply that they aren’t a requirement, but a recommendation. However, if you look at just about any Catholic pamphlet on the Rosary, they automatically include the Luminous mysteries, as if it was a new Dogma.
Upon issuing the document Pope St. John Paul II states:
Of the many mysteries of Christ’s life, only a few are indicated by the Rosary in the form that has become generally established with the seal of the Church’s approval. The selection was determined by the origin of the prayer, which was based on the number 150, the number of the Psalms in the Psalter.
I believe, however, that to bring out fully the Christological depth of the Rosary it would be suitable to make an addition to the traditional pattern which, while left to the freedom of individuals and communities, could broaden it to include the mysteries of Christ’s public ministry between his Baptism and his Passion. In the course of those mysteries we contemplate important aspects of the person of Christ as the definitive revelation of God. Declared the beloved Son of the Father at the Baptism in the Jordan, Christ is the one who announces the coming of the Kingdom, bears witness to it in his works and proclaims its demands. It is during the years of his public ministry thatthe mystery of Christ is most evidently a mystery of light: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (Jn 9:5).
Consequently, for the Rosary to become more fully a “compendium of the Gospel”, it is fitting to add, following reflection on the Incarnation and the hidden life of Christ (the joyful mysteries) and before focusing on the sufferings of his Passion (the sorrowful mysteries) and the triumph of his Resurrection (the glorious mysteries), a meditation on certain particularly significant moments in his public ministry (the mysteries of light). This addition of these new mysteries, without prejudice to any essential aspect of the prayer’s traditional format, is meant to give it fresh life and to enkindle renewed interest in the Rosary’s place within Christian spirituality as a true doorway to the depths of the Heart of Christ, ocean of joy and of light, of suffering and of glory. – Rosarium Virginis Mariae 19
Pope St. John Paul II rightly gives some history on the Rosary, but not quite enough. It is true that it was based off of the 150 Psalms, but when you pray a “full” Rosary, you pray a total of 150 Hail Mary’s. Hence the name “Mary’s Psalter”.
What Pope St. John Paul II doesn’t mention is how the Rosary was given to Blessed Alan and St. Dominic. It was given by Mary herself. Why would he want to change it? Is Our Mother’s judgment not good enough? If these mysteries were to be included, wouldn’t Our Heavenly Mother have given them to Blessed Alan and St. Dominic?
I will admit, I once prayed them every Thursday. But after realizing that in the hierarchy of the spiritual life, we have the Trinitarian God first, the Blessed Mother second and finally all other holy individuals third.
God let his (daughter/mother/wife) give the Rosary to these holy men. Had this gone against His wishes, He would have prevented it, and in her humility would have obeyed.
There are also 15 graces tied with a daily recitation of 5 decades of the Rosary. These 15 graces were given to us by Mary herself. Seeing as she only gave us the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries, it would make logical sense that the 15 graces are only tied with those mysteries. One grace for each mystery.
The other issue is that Pope St. John Paul II alludes that the Rosary is stale. He hints at this by his assessment that adding these decades would breathe “fresh life” into the practice.
A better way to breathe “fresh life” is to emphasize how wonderful the Rosary is and how much better your faith will be for it. Get people to pray the Rosary out of love for Jesus, Mary and the Church. Its a very modernist tactic to suggest that what Mary gave us is no longer good.
If you like the Luminous mysteries, go a head and pray them, but I suggest you pray the other three sets of mysteries prior to doing so.
Pray the Rosary daily. Satan hates it and he loses when you do.
Agreed. The other thing I realized is that they mess up the rhythm of the prayers, the timeline. Pre-Luminous mysteries you had birth, death, resurrection. It made sense. Now everything is kind of peppered in with each other in a nonsensical kind of way.
Just goes with the whole ‘can’t we leave anything alone anymore’ and ‘doesn’t a millennia plus of history carry any weight?’ mindset of mine as regards pretty much everything since 1962!
But, everything has to be new! The old doesn’t work!
Spoiler: The old attracts far more people than the new.
John Paul II may not have realized it, but he fell into the modernistic trap of making our own human religion instead of just accepting what is revealed by God.
Annunciation, Mary present
Visitation, Mary Present
Nativity, Mary present
Presentation, Mary present
Finding of boy Jesus, Mary present
Gethsemane, Mary not present
Scourging Mary present
Crowning thorns Mary not present
Carrying cross Mary present
Crucifixion Mary present
Resurrection Mary not present
Ascension Mary not present?
Pentecost Mary present
Assumption Mary present
Coronation Mary present
Babtism of Jesus Mary not present
Wedding at Cana Mary present
Sermon on the mount Mary not present
Transifiguration Mary not present
Last Supper Mary not present
In the Luminous mysteries Mary is absent more than she is present by a considerable degree. I wonder if this is a flaw because it was designed by
someone besides Mary herself?
Mary *was* present at the last supper. And the Proclaiming of the Kingdom is a very broad mystery, centering on all his public discourses and miracles that served to proclaim His Kingdom and His Kingship, not just the sermon on the mount. Mary was very much a part of his public life, she had no husband during his adult life, and traveled with him where he went.
You guys are right in saying that its voluntary, just like praying the Rosary to begin with is voluntary. And if you all want to decide “well, I love the originals so much I’d like to devote Thursday to them as well,” you can do that. The fact that our Church and it’s earthly head, the Pope has the authrority to bound on earth as well as in heaven is a good reason to suspect that, should we decide to pray these rosary mysteries along side the old ones, mary would respect His Holiness’s invitation to do so. The fact is, the Rosary isn’t the only chaplet we pray on her beads, not even remotely. If its acceptable to pray only one decade rather than the whole, or pray the divine mercy chaplet or the discernment chaplet. with these same bead, or even to pray without meditating at all, then it is certainly acceptable to pray while meditating on a different part of the life of Jesus Christ. Unless, of course, you don’t believe He was baptized, went to Cana, Proclaimed the Kingdom/called the disciples, was transfigured, or instituted the Eucharist.
Exactly. This is the most reasonable response I’ve read.
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin is not “voluntary.” As I heard it put before, if you will not have her as your mother, you will not have her God as your father. Mary Mediatrix of all grace, pray for us.
Very interesting, I do like this response by far the best. Thank you
You’re a Catholic of eight years standing, and you’re correcting the errors of the canonized Vicar of Christ and Supreme Pontiff? *Maybe* you’re right–maybe–but my money is on Pope St. John Paul. If you don’t like the luminous mysteries, don’t pray them. But I’d earnestly suggest you turn the arrogance down a couple of notches.
I was only trying to point out how there have been many other Vicars of Christ and Supreme Pontiffs (some who have also been Sainted) that have sided with the original three sets of mysteries. Why wouldn’t Mary give the Luminous mysteries way back when if she really wanted them? Why wait?
The Rosary is not dogma. It is a devotion and therefore optional, and there a fair number of variations.
JPII is now a saint. This does not mean he never made a mistake, but do you really want to argue that your devotion is stronger than his?
How much ink was spilled by prior pontiffs discussing the rosary and its forms?
The Rosary has been in long development. It started with the Gospel of Luke “Hail, Mary Full of Grace…”. Then it became the Hail Mary Prayer. Eventually, the Fatima prayer was added…by many…in the 20th century.
I am of the opinion that if you pray the Rosary, you may choose which mysteries you say. You may be missing something, but perhaps you gain something by choosing what suits you.
“do you really want to argue that your devotion is stronger than his?”
In his own words, it was a recommendation.
But just to humor you, I would argue that the devotion of countless hundreds of great saints who never know the luminous mysteries is stronger than St. JP 2 the innovator.
In his encyclical, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope John Paul II allowed for the freedom of the people to object to reciting the Luminious mysteries when he wrote that they are merely “a proposed addition to the traditional pattern to be left to the freedom of the individuals and communities.”
†JMJ†
The problem is that these new mysteries—which were introduced by JPII as “options,”–have become the mandatory norm while the traditional Rosary ( has been reduced to a mere preference that one can either take or leave, as eloquently pointed out by Christopher Ferrara in his book, “EWTN: A Network Gone Wrong.” Just watch EWTN and you will find the version of the Rosary given to SAINT Dominic from Our Blessed Mother, has been completely abandoned. Ferrara laments, “As always in New Church, the optional innovation becomes the norm, and the traditional practice is finally eliminated completely.” (pg. 165).
“One certainly does not see Heaven’s approval of 20 mysteries of the Rosary in the words of Our Lady, who stands outside of time and certainly foresaw John Paul II’s proposal. Quite the contrary, Heaven’s prescription for the First Saturdays, which is tied to nothing less than God’s promise of eternal salvation, conspicuously fails to endorse an innovation Heaven certainly foresaw.”
He sites Pope Paul VI’s letter to the Vatican Secretary of State in response to a proposal to alter the Rosary by Annibale Bugnini, that stated: “The faithful would conclude that the Pope has changed the rosary, and the psychological effect would be disastrous…Any change in it cannot but lessen the confidence of the simple and the poor.”
I simply cannot recommend this book highly enough. Before I read it, I was blind… but now… I can see.
” these new mysteries—which were introduced by JPII as “options,”–have become the mandatory norm”
No they haven’t.
Yes, they have. Pick up any pamphlet or go to any website that teaches how to pray the Rosary and they always say “Thursday is Luminous”. This makes it mandatory for those who have never prayed it before and do not know better.
Arrogance? It’s not arrogant to respectfully question the wisdom of introducing novelty to a practice established by the Blessed Mother herself the better part of a milennium ago.
I would suggest that the only one guilty of arrogance was he who sought to change Mary’s devotion.
Could the arrogance be on the side of the pontiffs who have ignored the warnings from heaven? We were commanded to pray the rosary, (15 decades) by our Lady of Fatima. The conciliar popes continue to create innovation after innovation, and WE are responsible to call them to make sure they only hand on the deposit of the faith. Do not follow blindly. That is an error that even the Saints wrote about, even Aquinas.
Except the rosary isn’t part of the deposit of faith, it is tradition based on POST APOSTOLIC REVELATION and is in it self an innovation. One made by Mary, true, but outside the original deposit of faith. It could drop of the face of the Earth (and though we’d lack the enormous benefits of grace that come from listening to Mary’s plea to pray this prayer) and the deposit of faith will not have lost a thing. It is merely a prayer, and a meditation *on the TRUTHS the deposit of faith TELLS US OF about His Birth, Death, and Resurrection.* A devotion, and not a doctrine.
Devotions evolve.
The Tridentine mass evolved, there were other masses before it. As a form, it was NOT a part of the deposit of faith, but a practice that flowed out of it, and practices, not the deposits, can evolve.
Does this mean that I *must* love the Novus Ordo, the next stage in our Churches evolution? (Prayed well, I love anyplace I can find the Eucharist) No. But I acknowledge that it is legitimately THE Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
I would go to Latin Mass if I didn’t live the Diocese of Albany, where Catholics amuse themselves by seeing how fast they can destroy the Coast Church on the East Coast, and where until recently His Excellency Howard Hubbard was here to join in on and applaud their shenanigans. I’m just glad nobody outright outlawed public mass and, in the name of ecumenical unity with women-priester-churches, decided communion services with female EMCs would be our only means of receiving. Okay, so I’m a bit snarky and exaggerating.
And off point. I opened a can of worms when I mentioned the Albany Diocese. Point is, I understand why you’d prefer the old over the new, but since the old was once new as well, it’s not always Old v. New in terms of whether something was good or not. Many would obviously agree that going exactly one innovation backwards with the mass would be of benefit, and yet probably feel weird at the suggestion that we go farther back than that. I think the Luminous Mysteries completing the Birth, LIFE, Death and Resurrection story of the Gospel is the Rosary’s Tridentine. I love this Rosary as a whole, and stick to it. I think it would be beautiful if more of you would open yourselves up to it’s mysteries as well.
I was trying to write “Catholic Church on the East Coast”*
“If you don’t like the luminous mysteries, don’t pray them.”
Which, oddly enough, is precisely what Jeff… oh, and St. John Paul… were saying.
But it’s not “arrogant” at all to go to someone’s blog and call them arrogant…
Nope, no irony under here.
” it’s not “arrogant” at all to go to someone’s blog and call them arrogant…”
It’s actually not, if that person is being arrogant.
I’m just pointing out the illogical nature of saying that one man comes up with some mysteries of the Rosary on his own and then decrees that they are valid meditations when Our Lady herself has appeared how many times and never once revealed them herself?
Also, you should buy a dictionary and learn what the word arrogant means.
Oh I’ve been a Catholic my whole life and my Uncle is Bishop Emeritus of Steubenville. I don’t pray the Luminous Mysteries AND I think that Jeff is absolutely correct. No pride attached to the above statement at all.
So there you go.
I second this comment.
Wow! Ordinarily, in the blogosphere being a recent convert is an automatic qualification for saying everything pre-V2 is irrelevant. Even if you aren’t a recent convert, you keep talking about your conversion as if you are.
Totally agree
You are right to oppose “The Luminous Mysteries,” they are a sacrilegeous and invalid innovation. You are not opposing a sainted pope. The canonization of JPII was invalid, because he and the canonizing “popes” were puppets of Freemasonry which took over the Church at the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958. Catholic dogma teaches that heresy automatically excommunicates even a valid pope and deprives him of office ispo facto, and if he was a heretic when he was elected, the election is null and void (Cum ex Apostolatus Officio, 6, Pope Paul IV). That JPII was a manifest heretic can be recognized by all because he openly professed religious liberty and ecumenism which were previously condemned by the Church. JPII was a revolutionary who attacked all that was Catholic, including the rosary. His canonization was done by an invalid papal claimant committing another revolutionary act. “He that enters not by the Door into the sheepfold, but climbs up another way, the same is a thief and a robber… But a stranger they follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.” (John 10: 1&5).
I have to disagree as I am not a sedevacantist, sorry.
One need not be a sede to smell a rat. This pope isn’t ever Catholic! “I believe in God but not in a Catholic God.”
SIMPLY SAID: IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT!
The Luminous so-called “Mysteries” are an arrogant attempt to fix something that is not broken. Did being the Pope give John Paul II the right to arrogantly attempt to “improve” on what the Mother of God’s Rosary?
Does the Holy Rosary, or the Church for that matter, belong to the Pope or does the Pope belong to the Church?
My family has never and will never pray these arrogantly introduced so-called “Mysteries.” Does John Paul II think he can grand stand the Mother of God just because he was Pope?
The Mysteries Our Lady gave all of us are more than adequate. Thank you.
That said, is referring to John Paul II as “saint” really necessary? As is already well known, according to Traditional Catholic teaching a canonization is an infallible papal pronouncement. However, the traditional Catholic understanding of sainthood no longer applies to modern-day canonizations performed under Pope John Paul II’s completely revamped and highly controversial canonization process; a revamped process that breaks dramatically with Catholic Tradition and is, therefore, not subject to the traditional Catholic understanding of canonizations.
May I ask how often you go to Church to see and receive Christ? How many times a month do you go to confession? Saint Pope John Paul the Great did these things at least once a DAY. This man was close to God. He was a man of devotion. A man who God USED to bring great messages upon the world. JPII was not arrogant. He was probably more humble than all of us in this comments section. Did being the Pope give JPII the right to change the rosary? No. But I propose that it was NOT JPII but Mary herself working THROUGH JPII to introduce to us a new set of mysteries. Mary was JPII’s second love, second only to God himself. I think that such a servant of God deserves our respect as not an arrogant man changing what was divinely instituted, but as a humble man bringing from Christ and his Blessed Mother new divine institutions.
Until next time,
John Martin
Arguments like this are why people quit the Catholic Church, and why I have seriously considered it (but where could I go?) It may not match the psalter anymore, but it’s adding reference to the Gospel. If you don’t want to pray those , don’t, but, for Heavens sake, can the nitpicking please stop? I support the TLM and would not hesitate to attend one if nearby, but the SAME Jesus gives Himself in the SAME Eucharist either way. Traditionalists would do themselves a favor by not coming off as whining constantly about some nitpicking thing or other. I agree with another commenter here–you may not mean it to, but it comes off as snarky and arrogant.
If defending the Truth is being arrogant, whiny and nitpicky, then so be it. If this is the worst persecution we will face (and from among those who are “of the Body” no less), I would accept this as well. That written, however, Our Lady gave us this powerful prayer to fight against heresy and it has worked in its pure and simple form for hundreds of years. Her pleas at LaSalette and Fatima to say this daily should be enough. Perhaps we should look at praying the Rosary more fervently, with greater mindfulness and love; better intentionality for all of the reasons she asks: the Pope, poor sinners and their conversion, and for a greater love for her Son and Our Lord. Only through the Rosary will our world be saved.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
First of all, the story of St Dominic is a legend, not an approved vision. Secondly, the actual mysteries presented for meditation have changed. My priest found his French grandmother’s prayer book and the fourth Joyful mystery was the Maji giving gifts not the presentation. And lastly, publically telling the faithful to reject a devotion a canonized Pope gave to said faithful is a bold move and should have been approved by your own spiritual director. This should have not been done without his permission.
As everything in the revolutionary conciliar church, things that at first are suggested, then become mandatory. That was the way how the truly abrogated the Holy Tridentine Mass. Of course , later on they said that the Mass was never abrogated.
I believe pope John Paul II came out with these mysteries from a supposed “mystic”, Maria Valtorta, that was sanctioned for heresy at one time.
Myself, I have never and I will never pray those “illuminati” mysteries. I rather listen to Our Lady than a modernist neo-pos-conciliar-saint.
I did some research on Maria Valtorta. I don’t think you are correct that these are from her. If you see a link to that idea, would you please post it?
One ought not correct a supreme pontiff who is a saint unless you have facts to back it up. Here there is only opinion. For instance, here is no historical proof that Mary gave the rosary to anyone. The historical fact is that it developed over time, and thus can continue to develop. Thus the supreme pontiff can add to the rosary.
I suggest you study for as long as St. JPII did, get your doctorates, study your history, and then, and only the try to critique a sainted pontiff.
2 Thessalonians 2:15
St. Dominic traditionally was given the Rosary. I’m not going extra-biblical here.
My gift to you from France : https://twitter.com/mezguish/status/762774302097833985
My photos of the Church where Blessed Virgin Mary gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic and the plaque where it is engraved and as I knew it all my life. There is then historical proof unlikely to what you said, especially also because there was a battle between our King and some people of our land that were proclaiming heresy. Our King won due to the Rosary’s prayers of Saint Dominic.
Can we say Pharisee? I read a lot of arrogance in this little blog. Wow. Just place yourself over the Vicar of Christ.
Mary, you are a heretic, no different than Luther was. Pray your heart opens to the Truth before it is too late for you.
Wow.
These arguments have a protestant perception. Look beyond what is written said or done.. The Vicar of christ is persona christi. All the graces of god are given to us through the church even the holy mother works through the church, look at the message of lourdes where the holy mother wants bernadette to go and tell the priest about her message. If Saint John Paul II the great added a mystery to the rosary it only adds more meditative qualities to the rosary and widens our belief in gods plan through christ, he is right to do so given he is the supreme pontiff as entrusted by jesus himself with authority. Remember that god works his plans through humans, the holy mother herself is an example of this along with the other saints so human actions are also valued and appreciated by the divine. Obey and subject yourself to the church rather than revolting and disobeying. Disobedience to the church is like disobeying christ himself.
The word “God” should be capitalized.
Exactly..!!! this is the shallowness im talking about….lol
They are also extremely banal … like everything else Post-VII
It is one thing to question new things. It is right and understandable. We want to make sure our faith is strong and true. BUT calling names and being disrespectful is not only against all our Catholic teaching but just down right childish and rude.
It seems logical and ‘comprehensive’ to add five luminous mysteries to bring out events in Christ’s life seemingly ‘omitted’, but it does disturb the tradition of 150 Hail Marys that was handed down to us. Fine, it it helps some, but I certainly don’t and will not say them – my rosary is ‘complete’ with the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious.
My thinking is it will not succeed in ‘endearing’ the rosary to modernists – who usually don’t like or say it anyway. So the JPII innovation won’t stay the course of time.
Am I not right, but didn’t JPII also add a ‘fifteenth’ Station of the Cross’ (the Resurrection) – and this certainly has ‘disappeared’.
What matters ultimately is not tradition but faith which leads to ones salvation through the church and its sacraments. The church creates new doctrines etc only to strengthen our faith which is dwindling with time. The Rosary is only a means to help you pray, contemplate and meditate on christs life and thus the salvation plan. Its not a mantra which will get you to heaven by just blind recitation and sticking to traditional formats. (remember christs teaching on the sabbath day.) Also Obedience is a virtue remember chirst who was divine obeyed his human mother at canaan. Even if one person in the entire 1.2 billion is benefited by JPII’s amendments to the rosary and the station of the cross its still something. success and failure does not necessarily depend on majority. Even during jesus’ time only 12 stood by him till the end, so numbers is not an issue.
That is 100% false. Tradition (with a capital T) given to us by Christ and His Church is to be upheld and is what leads us to salvation by strengthening our faith. The Church does not “create new doctrines etc”. She defines what we believe in a way that becomes part of the apostolic tradition that the Church has given us. This is because a large group of people divert away from the faith and teach error. The Rosary is a Marian devotion, in which we reflect upon the life of Jesus through His Mother and Our Mother Mary. To lose 100 souls by adding something in order to save 1, is a huge loss. Would you spend $100 to save $1?
All i can say is by disobeying JPII and revolting against him you are indeed revolting against the magisterium of the church, after all he is an appointed vicar of christ, Tradition is ofcourse the essence of catholicism but tradition alone will not save you. Faith thru tradition is the key of catholicism therefore sticking to the old format of the rosary citing tradition and on the other hand disobeying the church, you seem to contradict in this because church in itself is a tradition. Full and unconditional obedience to the church is the only means to salvation, you lot can come up with your own theories and likes and dislikes, but the church knows best since its stood the test of time and is out of time.
Except I am not disobeying him. He said to take them or leave them. I am leaving them. Thus I am obeying him. I am likewise advising others who are praying that I have found them to not be beneficial. You don’t like what I have to say, so instead of actually attacking the argument, you try to manipulate me by suggesting that I am not Catholic.
It is every Catholics choice in what you choose to pray. Every prayer is a gift and it is your choice to receive the benefits of those gifts. It may be a spiritual, insightful gift or it may just be for comfort and routine. Many enjoy the rhythms and carefully thought out processes in which prayers are traditionally prayed.
The three mysteries of the Rosary are beautiful and I’m happy to hear so many of you are devoted to the Blessed Mother. I, too, enjoy the rosary. However, I think there is a major point into which you may be forgetting… Every generation is different and although life remains a mystery, as we all don’t know our future, it is clear that God speaks to each generation differently. I remember Pope John Paul II brought great joy to a generation that needed rejuvenation and direction back to Christ and back to the traditions of the Faith. The luminous mysteries are a gift to the 80s and 90s generation that needed a ‘refresher’ or ‘restart’. I think many of you are reading into the luminous mysteries with a very closed mind. We had a generation of youth that was starved for Christ. Gays started coming out, marriages were being torn more apart, Hollywood stars were beginning to bring in a negative/evil entity of life. And look now, our own government is allowing the persecutions of Christians to continue, who new that this would be a path the US would be encountering.
Back to thought, the luminous mysteries, as I understood it when presented, were put in place to open the eyes of the new generation to come. Pope John Paul II converted thousands back to the faith just because of his insightfulness to the Youth. He spoke to them with love and compassion. He helped our generation to understand the fullness of the rosary! I believe he added this mystery to bring a light to the rosary. Not to enhance the rosary but to bring an understanding or ‘new light’ to the rosary! Why would you say Not to pray this?? God spoke to each group of people in their own language. Jesus was the fullfilment of the Old Testament. His miracles attested to His Greatness over nature (earth), sin and death. Jesus’ ministry, death and resurrection Presuppose His divine authority! Many of Christ’s followers did NOT understand the depth of sin. I believe that Christ already designated the successors (priests) and gives them a true “spiritual fruit” that we, lay people, are not given. This is why they are able to consecrate the host and we cannot. There is an enlightenment! Just as Pope Benedict was chosen (maybe for his writings?), Pope John Paul brought a refreshing start for the Youth to fall in love with the scriptures. And of course, we believe, through His Mother is a powerful avenue!!! He only led his sheep to her Son! And that was his intention. Maybe those mysteries weren’t for you? But now we have Pope Francis! What a Blessing! A leader who has been able to capture, not just the hearts of Catholics but of all Christians! It’s a big task!!! There are hundreds of post where many non-Catholics have said, “this Pope is truely different”! And as for the presence of Mary? Where did it say in the bible Mary wasn’t present at some of these events? It was John the Baptist who was the forerunner. He is the one that announced Christ was coming. Your scripture of “I am the light…” Hadn’t happened yet. Many didn’t believe Him at the time! After reading your argument– these things are not important. This was a devotion and Pope John Paul II was just renewing this devotion. It’s ashame you wouldn’t say an extra set of prayers, in addition too! Why are you so concerned about Grace points? Saying the name of Jesus is a prayer in itself. Are their less graces in that then praying the rosary? Are you judging others and telling us, your prayer is so perfect that you receive better grace without the luminous mysteries?? That’s awfully shallow in my opinion. How can the luminous mysteries hurt your graces? Honestly, if I pray the prayers alone without any mystery, I don’t believe God will give me less graces. Any prayer said with the heart is a perfect prayer. How about praying the Only Perfect prayer taught us by Christ Himself? The Our Father? Cut out the Rosary? Why pray anything else? See? It sounds silly! Choose what you want but right now I think we need to kneel down and thank God we can pray, because our government is allowing Christians to be beheaded. Do the luminous mysteries really discourage you from having faith? Do they take away your graces? Well I pray you rethink and pray everything you can because if we were to be beheaded, are you honestly ready to die for your faith? I love the luminous mysteries. They are scriptural and Beautiful. Your loss for such harsh judgement.
There is something to be said about every generation. And yes, every generation may be different, but Christ is unchanging. He does not care whether there are differences or not, because He is the same as He was 2000 years ago as he is today and as He is in 2000 years from now. You are right, all of those things happened. But a question I have for you is, where were the priests, bishops, cardinals and even Pope John Paul 2 in rightfully condemning their sin? Jesus rebuked everyone for their sin, but loved them. Many of the clergy and those in authority let it go. They gave them excuses. Instead of helping them up out of their sin, they allowed them to stay in their sin. Even today with President Obama taking away rights from us, what does Cardinal Dolan do? Invites him for a dinner and an evening of jokes. The small c church has failed the laity.
If someone is hungry and asks you for food, do you give them bread, or do you give them a stone? The problem with what Pope John Paul 2 did, was that instead of giving people the Rosary as given to us by Our Mother Mary, yes, Mary herself, he *added mysteries himself*. On top of this, Popes throughout the ages have said “Do NOT change the Rosary”. Mary has given us the Rosary, Mary who is perfect and without sin. She appeared in several apparitions at Lourdes and Fatima saying “Pray My Rosary”. And Pope John Paul 2 comes along and *adds* to it? Was it not perfect before? Mary who already is perfect can’t get the Rosary right?
Yes, I would gather that the Luminous mysteries do not preclude the graces that Mary promised for those who recite *her* Rosary. The Pope can not alter certain things. This is reiterated in Vatican 2. Pope John Paul 2 should have given the people of the 80s and 90s true appreciation for the faith, including the return to the Latin Mass. There is plenty of devotions already in the deposit of faith that has been brushed under the rug and forgotten about. We need more of those devotions, not the creation of *new* ones.
I agree with the Rosary being perfect already, however, the point of the Rosary is to direct all thoughts to Christ, Himself! The luminous mysteries are about Christ, Himself! Pope John Paul II gave people the choice to add this to the prayer. Not to say it’s a required part of the Rosary! He never changed the Rosary!!! The luminous mysteries are an extended set of prayers designed to fit along side the Rosary to directly focus on Christ specific ministry! Something to follow the story of Christ through the eyes of the Blessed Mother. I’m sure the Blessed Mother greatly approves of Pope John Paul II’s addition that recognizes her Son, Jesus Christ, and the appreciation of His “completely human/divine” walking ministry in which many people neglect to remember He was Fully Human! Pope John Paul II never changed the Rosary! That is a false statement! It was the publishers of the Rosary that decided whether or not to include those set of prayers whenever they updated their pamphlets! You don’t have to say them, but please… He NEVER changed the Rosary!
Why not just call this directly an “Illuminati Mystery”. So very clear that it was formulated by them and for them.
Our Blessed Mother would defer to the Vicar of Christ and follow his request regarding the Church and its devotions, because it is the Will of Christ and the Holy Spirit that she would be following, not the will of Karol Józef Wojtyła.
Reading comboxes makes me lament the state of the Church. Most Catholics today are just protestants, they are all their own pope, their own bishop, a church unto themselves. Sad.
You do realize that there have been additions and changes to the “traditional” rosary? Like the sentence “Holy Mary mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death”. This was added by St. Peter Canisuius.
This kind of legalism is not about faith. Remember the function of prayer is not some sort of spreadsheet accounting where X number of prayers X number of Catholic points. It is about mystical meditation on the mysteries and how they can bring us closer to holiness.
My main critique on the luminous mysteries besides how they confuse the rhythm of the three mysteries, is that Saint John Paul II intention, seems to have been to include them in order to have a chronology of our Lords life according to the gospel. Something which would be better served through lectio divina.
However Saint John Paul II understood how important contemplation and meditation is and how it is the core of the rosary, going so far as to say that a rosary without meditation is like a body without a soul. Other great saints and doctors of the Church like Saint Peter Canisius, Saint Louis de Montfort, Saint Padre Pio, Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa de Avila have all referred to how meditation and contemplation are key to true prayer. There is far more merit in praying one decade reverently, slowly and affectionately then 100 decades hurriedly. Likewise a Christian who genuinely meditates and applies the luminous mysteries to their souls will benefit more than a Christian slavishly going through any of the other mysteries.
Also setting up Saint John Paul II as anti-Mary is ludicrous, I’d advise you to read up on the man and how much he loved our Lady. While the world lauded him with standing staunchly against communism, it was he that gave that honor to our Lady, even calling her the queen of Poland, and dedicating the bullets that were fired into him from a crazed Islamist to her.
The luminous mysteries are a spiritual aid or crutch to lead some of us closer to Christ.
I think there is plenty wrong with the post-council direction the church has taken, but this is absolutely the very smallest and non harmful of things.
Just because the Rosary was given by Mary herself does not provide sufficient reason not to change it nor does it question Mary’s judgment. There were no bells or Roman Canons at the Last Supper but we would be fools to see these worthy additions to the Sacred Liturgy as a questioning of Christ’s judgment. It is meant to emphasize and bring out certain aspects of the Mass, just as the Luminous Mysteries are meant to “bring out fully the Christological depth of the Rosary”.
My thoughts.
Luminous – “Light Bearer” “Illuminati” from mere man not God. Catholics need to wake up. Stop the papal worship. Our Lady said to St Dominic “One day through the Rosary (Her Rosary not JP II) and the SCapular I will save the world”…..The time is now,