I was doing some research today and came across while questioning the validity of the Pieta Prayer Book and the promises accompanying many of the prayers, it's from the EWTN website: http://www.ewtn.com/v/experts/showmessage.asp?number=438371 Different perspective of the Pieta Prayer Book Question from Catholic on 5/5/2005: Hello Father Gantley, This is a follow up to the topic of the Pieta Prayer Book. I agree that there are great promises throughout the book regarding some of the prayers. I would like to point out, however, that The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is also mentioned in the book. Jesus' promises that come with saying the Chaplet are not even mentioned in the Pieta book yet the Catholic Church approves the Chaplet of Divine Mercy as a proper Devotion. One of Jesus' promises for those who say the Chaplet, for example, is that if the Chaplet is recited in the presence of a dying person, that person is not subjected to the Justice or Judgment of Jesus but is taken into His Divine Mercy at the moment of Death and their sins are forgiven. Does the Church encourage Catholics to say the Divine Chaplet of Mercy but also teach that the promises are not to be considered? I can't speak for everyone but in my case I have used this book to enrich my Faith the last few years and I believe it has brought me to a deeper understanding and belief in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It has helped me to focus with greater intensity and reverence on the Miracle of the Holy Eucharist and Jesus' true presence within. The book also contains reasons why we should pray the Rosary daily and go to Mass as often as possible and how to make a perfect Holy Communion. Do the promises behind the prayers motivate me? Absolutely. I have also passed the book to others in the past in hopes of enriching their faith. Now, I think I'm hearing that this may be wrong to do and if it is, I don't plan on doing it anymore. However, I must say it is disappointing to think that you could be helping to spread the Faith to others only to find out later that this approach may not be acceptable. Thank You. Answer by Rev. Mark J. Gantley, JCL on 5/5/2005: The Church has condemned these "promises" because they are, basically, superstitious. It is gravely wrong to mix superstition in with the truth of our faith. Submit your intellect and will to the mind of the Church, and the truth will set you free. AND... http://www.ewtn.com/v/experts/showmessage.asp?number=438199 Pieta Prayer Booklet Question from Kelli Beaumont on 5/2/2005: I am/was a Methodist youth minister and am coming home to the Catholic Church. My RCIA teacher gave me a copy of the Pieta Prayer Booklet published my the MLOR Corporation in 2004. I am very uncomfortable with much of the booklet. The actual prayers are not the problem, but I am bothered my many of the promises made for saying the prayers or even carrying a copy of some of them. I feel this booklet presents itself as formulas for manipulating God, and I get a sick feeling in my stomach when I read it. Please review this booklet thoroughly and comment on it in relation to Catholic teachings. If my mother came across this booklet she would surely think I've joined a cult. -Kelli Answer by Rev. Mark J. Gantley, JCL on 5/4/2005: I was not familiar with the specific booklet that you have. Immediately, however, I agreed with your healthy instict about the faith. Here is the text condemning the booklet: A Monitum from the Holy Office: In certain places a booklet has appeared with the title “The Secret of Happiness: Fifteen Prayers Revealed by Our Lord to Saint Brigid in the Church of Saint Paul in Rome,” published in various languages at Nice (and elsewhere). Since it is asserted in this booklet that certain promises were made by God to Saint Brigid, and it is by no means certain that these promises were of supernatural origin, Ordinaries of places [bishops of dioceses] must avoid giving permission to publish or to reprint works or writings which contain the aforesaid promises. Given at Rome, from the Holy Office, 28 January, 1954 (Acta Apostolicae Sedis 46-64, as contained in Canon Law Digest, Vol. IV, p. 389, Milwaukee: Bruce Publishing Company, 1958) Anything published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis is official and binding. As of reading these two documents, I question all promises guaranteed at the end of many of the prayers contained in this book. This isn't to say some of the promises aren't true but it doesn't appear the Church endorses many, much less all, of them. Do you have anything to add or other thoughts? I'd appreciate it. Thanks. LMBB
I have found the pieta prayer book to inspire me to pray more often and LOVE God more faithfully. I have read the promises listed in this book and have found those promises listed in the actual source stories written by or about the saints, at least for some of them. I think the promises, which are given to saints or religious, to be like messages given by Our Lady to various seers. You can believe it or not. However, these prayers and those promises are probably much less that we actually receive for I think the generosity of God will astound us all. I do not think it would offend God in any way for us to believe in these promises. It is child like to believe in these promises. That is my opinion and my experience with the book and I have been praying out of one for almost my whole life.
