Texas High School Student Told Rosary Is 'Gang Symbol'

Nope, you did more than "buy some sacramentals".

In your previous message, you defended the Bayside crowd by saying that their fruits were good, and also attacked the bishop who condemned them (at the very least by implication) by noting that a bishop of your acquaintance poo-pooed the Rosary. And you're still defending them by repeating their claim that the Brooklyn Diocese never investigated them. The bishop, however, says in his letter that there was an investigation. Somebody's lying here -- and it's probably not the bishop.

My response was to that, not to your purchasing sacramentals (although by giving them money you are supporting their behavior).

And by the way, the "this is America and I'm free to believe whatever I want" is the same argument made by Nancy Pelosi et al.

One is free to believe whatever you want, but one may not publicly subscribe to beliefs condemned by the Church and still remain an "ardent Catholic" as Nancy put it. As C.S. Lewis said, a man is free to drink but cannot at the same time be free to remain dry.

I don't know if this Bishop is a liar or TLDM.org are liars. What I do know is that I've never been attacked by anyone with such passion in all the years I've been on FreeRepublic, and that reflects more on you than it does on me. Your responding posts have probably made more people curious to find out what the fuss is all about.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Bayside got me praying the Rosary, whereas the Church drove me from doing it. The Church itself drove me away from being "an ardent Catholic." That is just a fact and a result in my life, and in the lives of many who have credited Bayside--and Medjugorje--for bringing them back to seeking the Lord with fervor.

You are welcome to call us all liars or deluded by the Devil if it makes you feel better. You have said your piece, so our blood is not on your hands. If I'm technically excommunicated from the Catholic Church, that's already happened by my marrying a divorced Protestant. I've made my Confession and they haven't thrown me out.

God will use who He will use, whether the Church sanctions the visions of Mary or not. They are worldwide--Bayside is just one of many. The message is always the same: Mary points to Her Son as the Supreme Authority and to do what He tells us. When He wants to put a stop to all of it, He will.

Meanwhile, pray the Rosary and be blessed, and thank you for the free links.

If you think that's a passionate attack, you haven't spent much time around here.

It was a measured, factual response to your own words.

If you're uncomfortable with that, I'm sorry. I see that you have other reasons to be unhappy with the Church, and I am sorry for that also.

I'm happy to pray for you, and I'm glad you're praying the Rosary.

If you think that's a passionate attack, you haven't spent much time around here.

Maybe so...you may have more experience on that perhaps, than I do. ;)

I think we can all agree on one thing: more prayers, atonement, fasting and sacrifice are needed. We all need to pray, and pray some more for our Nation, for world peace and to end abortion forever.

I've not heard if it's specifically forbidden by the Church, but if wearing a Rosary around the neck will help to remind believers to pray more, maybe that isn't a bad thing. The Cure d'Ars said all he needed to do was get his Rosary around a sinner's neck and that sinner would not escape him.

My opinion is that if unbelievers and scoffers wear the Rosary as jewelry, it desecrates what is holy that is not what it is meant for.

Thank you, for your prayers.

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