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Fr. Constanz Opiyo
Commission of Doctrine, Lira Diocese
Dear readers,
It has been some time since our last reflection in this series. As we continue our journey of exploring the Sacraments and sacramentals in the life of the Church, we now turn our attention to another important aspect of Catholic spiritual life: popular devotions.
Devotions are familiar to many Catholics and take many different forms. Yet, what exactly does the Church mean by devotion? What place do these practices have in the life of a Christian? How should they be understood and practised so that they truly lead us closer to God?
Let us reflect on these questions.
Popular Devotions
The Second Vatican Council, while affirming the primacy of the Liturgy as “the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed…and fount from which all her power flows” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, n. 10), emphasised that the spiritual life of the Church is not limited solely to participation in the Liturgy. It is also nourished by “the pious practices of the Christian people” (ibid., n. 12).
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that popular piety, or devotions, springs from the religious sense of the Christian people and finds “expression in various forms of piety surrounding the Church’s sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the cross, religious dances, the rosary, medals, etc.” (CCC, n. 1674).
Therefore, devotions that have been commended by the Apostolic See or approved by a local bishop can be very helpful in promoting and deepening the faith of the Christian people.
Definition
Devotions are personal or communal prayers and acts of piety that foster growth in faith and draw one closer to God. They “denote a certain ardour of affection in the things of God” (Popular Devotions, New Advent Catholic Encyclopaedia Online).
They include various forms of prayer, piety and spiritual exercises through which the faithful express their love for God, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints, and deepen their participation in the mystery of Christ.
Unlike Sunday Mass and Holy Days of Obligation, devotions, whether public or private, are not generally obligatory. Rather, they express and strengthen one’s commitment to God.
Devotions are rooted in Sacred Scripture, Tradition, the lives of the saints and the spiritual experiences of the faithful.
History of Popular Devotions
Popular devotions have developed throughout the history of the Church.
The Early Christian Period
In the early Christian period, devotional life centred mainly on the celebration of the Eucharist, then understood as the Breaking of the Bread, prayer and the reading of Sacred Scripture.
The early Christians also had a special devotion to the martyrs who had given their lives for Christ. They buried the martyrs with honour and visited the catacombs to pray and ask for their intercession.
The Medieval Period
During the medieval period, there was significant growth in devotional life. Devotions such as the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Adoration and devotion to the Passion of Christ developed and became more widespread.
The Rosary, originally consisting of 150 Hail Marys and reflecting the three groups of mysteries—Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious—developed in connection with the practice of praying the Psalter of 150 Psalms. To pray the complete Rosary, therefore, was traditionally associated with praying 150 Hail Marys. The Rosary was consequently also known as the Psalter of Our Lady.
The devotion of the Stations of the Cross, on the other hand, developed from the practice of pilgrims in Jerusalem who followed the path of Jesus to Calvary. For Christians who could not make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, similar stations were established in their local churches as a way of participating spiritually in this journey. Later, the Stations of the Cross became established within churches.
Meanwhile, devotion to Eucharistic Adoration was fostered by the Church’s teaching on the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
The Protestant Reformation
During the period of the Protestant Reformation, a number of devotional practices were questioned by the Reformers. However, the Council of Trent reaffirmed the legitimacy of venerating the saints, relics and sacred images, while insisting that such practices remain properly ordered towards Christ.
The Modern Era
In the modern era, new forms of devotion developed and became widespread, including devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Divine Mercy, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Brown Scapular, the Miraculous Medal and devotion to the Holy Spirit, particularly through the Charismatic movement.
Different Forms of Devotions
There are many different forms of devotions. We can mention a few.
Devotions to the Holy Trinity
These include prayers addressed to the Father, novenas to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit Chaplet and other prayers centred on the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
Christ-Centred Devotions
These include devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Divine Mercy, the Holy Face, the Infant Jesus, the Precious Blood, the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Adoration and Eucharistic processions.
Some Christ-centred devotions focus particularly on the Passion of Christ. These include the Way of the Cross, meditation on the Seven Last Words of Jesus, the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, devotion to the Holy Wounds and devotion to the Precious Blood.
Devotion to the Holy Spirit
In the late 1960s, the Charismatic movement developed with a renewed emphasis on the experience and action of the Holy Spirit, drawing inspiration from the Pentecost event.
Members of the movement emphasise the use of the charisms given by the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church. Today, there are many charismatic groups within the Church.
Devotion to the Angels
This includes prayers to the Guardian Angels, devotion to St. Michael the Archangel, the Chaplet of St. Michael and the Angelus.
Marian Devotions
Marian devotions include the Rosary, the Angelus, the Regina Caeli, the Brown Scapular devotion, the Miraculous Medal devotion, the First Saturday devotion, Marian consecration and May devotions.
Devotions to the Saints
These are expressed through novenas to saints, patron-saint devotions, the veneration of relics, pilgrimages to shrines and celebrations of the feast days of the saints.
Penitential Devotions
These find expression through fasting and abstinence, Lenten devotions, acts of reparation, examination of conscience and penitential pilgrimages.
Devotions for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
These include prayers for the dead, November devotions, the prayer for Eternal Rest, Mass intentions for the deceased and visits to cemeteries.
Popular and Seasonal Devotions
These include Advent devotions such as the Advent wreath and candles, Christmas novenas, Lenten devotions, May devotions to Mary, June devotions to the Sacred Heart, October Rosary devotions and November prayers for the dead.
Common Forms of Devotional Practice
Devotions are practised in different ways. Some of the common forms include:
- Novenas
- Chaplets
- Litanies
- Processions
- Pilgrimages
- Meditative prayer
- The use of sacred images and icons
- Wearing or using sacramentals such as rosaries, scapulars, medals and crucifixes
Norms Regarding Popular Devotions
There are certain norms that guide authentic popular devotions in the life of the Church.
1. Devotions must lead the faithful closer to Christ
The Church teaches that authentic devotions should lead the faithful closer to Christ and foster active participation in the Liturgy, especially the Eucharist.
If a particular devotion draws a person away from Christ or does not foster a better participation in the Liturgy, it should be corrected or, where necessary, prohibited by the competent ecclesiastical authority.
2. Devotional practices should have proper ecclesiastical approval
The established public prayers attached to pious devotions and the various acts associated with pious exercises must be properly approved by the competent ecclesiastical authority (cf. Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, 2001, n. 18).
This is why the faithful should pay attention to the approval of devotional books and materials.
Two terms are particularly important here: Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat.
Imprimatur is a Latin term meaning that permission has been given for a Catholic work to be published by the competent ecclesiastical authority.
Nihil Obstat, meaning “nothing stands in the way,” is an affirmation that, following the appropriate examination, no doctrinal or moral error has been found that would prevent the work from being published.
The faithful should therefore be careful when buying devotional books and other religious materials, especially from unregulated sources. It is important to know what a particular devotion teaches and whether its materials have been properly examined or approved by the competent ecclesiastical authority.
Some Common Abuses
The Church has also warned against deviations that can arise in popular piety and emphasises the need to evangelise and purify popular piety so that devotional practices remain faithful to their proper purpose.
Some of the deviations and abuses include:
Taking a devotion as more important than the Church’s Liturgy
There are some Christians who prefer the prayer meetings of their particular groups to the Liturgy. They may miss Mass but feel that they cannot miss the prayer meeting of their CCR group, Legion of Mary or another devotional group.
When this happens, the sense of belonging to the universal Church can gradually be replaced by an excessive attachment to a particular group. In extreme cases, this can lead to the group taking on characteristics that separate it from the wider life of the Church.
Fanatical attachment to a particular prayer formula
Some devotions may promise certain spiritual rewards after an exact number of prayers or acts have been performed. When a person becomes excessively focused on fulfilling the required number in order to obtain a promised spiritual benefit, the deeper meaning of prayer can be lost.
Prayer can then become mechanical rather than a free ascent of the heart to the Lord and an expression of a personal relationship with Him.
Elevating a saint at the expense of the sovereignty of Christ
Some Christians can become so attached to a particular saint that they unconsciously diminish the sovereignty of Christ. In such a case, the creature can appear to receive more attention and honour than the Creator.
The veneration of the saints must always lead us to God, who is the source of all holiness.
Superstitious use of devotional objects
Devotional objects can also be used superstitiously when they are seen as possessing power in themselves. When this happens, objects intended to assist prayer can be treated as if they were magical objects.
Some practices, such as burying verses written on pieces of paper, can portray such a superstitious mentality.
Devotional objects should therefore always be understood in their proper context: they are aids to Christian prayer and devotion, not objects possessing magical power.
Dichotomy between devotional practice and real life
Another danger is the separation of devotional practice from everyday Christian life.
Some Christians may spend hours or days participating in particular devotions while remaining detached from the responsibilities of daily life. Authentic devotion should not lead a person away from Christian responsibility, charity and service to others. Rather, it should strengthen the Christian to live the Gospel more faithfully in everyday life.
Conclusion
Devotions are an important part of the spiritual life of the Church. They are encouraged by the Church because they can foster growth in faith and help the faithful participate more deeply in the mysteries of Christ.
However, care must always be taken to avoid superstition, exaggeration and practices that separate devotional life from the Liturgy and from the demands of Christian living.
Popular devotions should therefore always lead us back to Christ, deepen our participation in the sacramental life of the Church and help us live our faith more faithfully.
Pastoral agents are invited to do more to evangelise and purify popular devotions so that they may truly serve their proper purpose in the life of the faithful.
As we continue journeying together through this series, feel free to send in any questions you may have regarding the teachings of the Church on the Sacraments and sacramentals for clarification in future reflections.
NB: Feel free to send in any questions you may have for clarification.
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