The Society of the Holy Rosary

The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and the first 24 days of December fall during the liturgical season known as of Advent, which is the beginning of our liturgical year.

ADVENT

The first 24 days of December is the liturgical season known as of Advent, which also is the beginning of our liturgical year. It is a little Lent to prepare us for the coming of the Lord.

We are not yet in the Christmas season.

Advent is a penitential season which we participate in through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

There is an Advent Fast, also called 20-days St. Andrew Fast which commence on Nov. 30. There is an Advent tradition in the practice of fasting, but it seems that our western world today are more focused on the many Christmas parties all through December.

Try to do the traditional 40-days St. Martin (of Tours) Fast.

Both the fasting periods lead up to the December Ember days with its abstinence. Until 1966, every Friday was a day of mandatory fasting and abstinence from meat. 

Not all of us have the chance to go full into the fasting period for various reasons but do the best they can to carry the intention. Sometimes you have to compromize. The fast is not a sugar detox and if you have illnesses, you need to speak to your doctor of what to do and how to do it. 

• The 40-day St. Martin Fast commenced after the Feast days of the St. Martin of Tours (Nov. 11) and Pope St. Martin I. (Nov. 12) and we hope you have found a good discipline. 
  
  
• How you decided to do your fasting is up to you. There are different approaches depending on your ability and level. Some wants to be "hard core" and some have never done it.
  
  
• We believe we have come up with a good level to introduce you of how we do it. This is our way that we like, it is a learning experience and what we have learnt during these three attempts, (2023 is our fourth go). It is a marathon run and not a 100 m sprint in learning the way of fasting if you are new to it.

One important aspect and discussion is for us the virtue: Moderation.

We have come to realize that the virtue Moderation is fighting many of the deadly sins during the 40-days fasting. It becomes Moderation vs Excessive (excessive eating, drinking, shopping, or laziness). Just take the small and simple fast of not eating or drinking anything one hour fast before receiving Holy Communion. This was apparently, before 1964, a fast that began at midnight before Mass, but since then was reduced to an hour before Mass.

Advent is the waiting for our newborn King.

The Catechesis states under the section of the Precepts of the Church CCC #2043 ...:

"The fifth precept (“You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities."

CHRISTMAS EVE

Christmas is celebrated with a triduum of Holy Masses and each Mass is distinct and highlights a different aspect of the Christmas story.

1. The Midnight Mass is the Angels' Mass, as the darkness of midnight reflects on our spiritual darkness as the world awaited the birth of the promised Messiah.
   
   
2. The Mass at dawn is the Shepherd's Mass as the sun begins to rise over the darkness of the land. The newborn child Jesus, the Light of the World, dispelled the darkness of sin and death at His birth.
   
   
3. The Christmas Day Mass is the Three-Kings Mass is celebrated in the fullness of daylight, signifying that the promised Son of God has now been revealed to the whole world.

Our Step-by-Step Rosary community consist of several Step-by-Step community partners and share the visions of our founder. There are today Rosary booklets in six languages and it is an on-going project since its start in 2015/2016. More than 400 consecutive Saturday Rosary prayers are under the umbrella making the Step-by-Step Rosary an advanced "beginners Rosary" with the understanding that it is difficult to learn of how to pray the Rosary. The hundreds of Rosary prayers makes the Step-by-Step Rosary a useful tool for the ones who know of how to pray the Rosary, but wants to deepen the meditation and understanding.

Besides the our website, PrayRosary.info, the group consist of:

• The Commander Cross Rosary
• The Society of the Holy Rosary
• Pray-Rosary.church
  
• The Art of Christianity Collection

The Commander Cross Rosary launched online on Sept 13, 2019, due to the call from Cardinal Leo Burke and Bishop Athansius Schneider of the need of prayers before the Amazon Synod. It aims to reach men who wants to pray the Rosary. Bishop Athanasius Schneider asked for Knights to step forward in 2019.

The Society of the Holy Rosary launched online on December 6, 2019 in response to the call made by four Catholic exorcists for a day of fasting, prayer and repentance. It was intended to carry a deeper journalistic touch and it had a trending article about St. Maximilian Kolbe.

The Pray-Rosary.church offer Step-by-Step Rosary community Rosary prayers in other languages than just English, such as: French, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish, and Ukrainan. The Japanese- and the Portuguese versions are under construction. 

The PrayRosary.info had the intention to become the actual database for the Step-by-Step community. It is currently under revision of how we can structure the database in a better manner.

The Art of Christianity Collection, Stockholm has purchased more than 300 etchings, which are used within our Step-by-Step community. The vision is to be able to tell the story we want to share when praying the Rosary.

Adorations and Rosary prayers are vital in our prayer-life and there is a need for priests who ought to focus the evangelization on the 80% of the catholics who do not believe it is the body of Christ during the communion but just merely a symbolic touch. 

Praying the Step-by-Step Rosary is one way to create the formation. It is wonderful tool for the ones who wants to convert and it is a wonderful way for the ones who seek assistance by praying. 

The Devil celebrates your "victory" but leaves you alone with the consequences. And, these consequences are not good.

Evil wants to alinate you from others. The more alone you are, the more darkness is around you, which is why we include all in our Rosary prayer community, even if you are alone while praying, you are not alone.

... through the 9 Ways We Participate in Other People's Sins:

1. By Counsel
2. By Par-taking
3. By Consent
4. By Provocation (to instigate others)
5. By Praise or Flattery
6. By Silence to Conceal the sin
7. By not Punish the Sinner
8. By Command or appeal/request
9. By Defence of the ill done

The modern Catholic Catechesis states in Article 8, Number 5, Point 1868: "The Proliferation of Sin".

"Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
- by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
- by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
- by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
- by protecting evil-doers."

In the point 1869:

"Thus sin makes men accomplices of one another and causes concupiscence, violence, and injustice to reign among them.

Sins give rise to social situations and institutions that are contrary to the divine goodness.

"Structures of sin" are the expression and effect of personal sins. They lead their victims to do evil in their turn.

In an analogous sense, they constitute a "social sin."

The points 1868 and 1869 are the nine ways of how we participate in others sin, regardless if we understand that we are used by others.

That is also why the nine mentioned ways are of importance to put the foot down and say NO or STOP.

The word consequence is interesting as Merriam-Webster defines it as "a condition or occurrence traceable to a cause".

Are there consequences of your actions?

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