Jewish actor converts to Catholicism: the Virgin Mary ‘is my most beautiful love’

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/252786/jewish-actor-converts-to-catholicism-the-virgin-mary-is-my-most-beautiful-love ^ | November 10, 2022

[lowbridge]

The famous Jewish actor and humorist Gad Elmaleh, beloved in France, announced his conversion to the Catholic faith, a process in which he says the Virgin Mary played a crucial role.

Elmaleh, 51, was the partner of Charlotte Casiraghi, the daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco, with whom they have a son named Rafael.

His conversion to Catholicism is depicted in his new film, “Reste un peu,” (“Stay a while”).

The Jewish actor, who according to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo will take the name of Jean-Marie when he is baptized, has studied theology in Paris, and in 2019 he participated in a musical in London about St. Bernadette Soubirous, the visionary who saw Our Lady of Lourdes.

Elmaleh told the French newspaper Le Figaro that “the Virgin Mary is my most beautiful love” and expressed his surprise that in France the “vast majority of Catholics don’t live their faith openly.”

As a child, he recounted in the interview, he entered a church and saw an image of the Mother of God.

“It wasn’t a vision, just a simple statue, but I was petrified. I began to cry and hid for fear of being discovered by my family, for fear of curses and superstition. I kept it a secret for my entire childhood,” he recalled.

[Elsie]

While the rosary, the Memorare, and other prayers are wonderfully powerful ways to intercede for others, Our Blessed Mother decided, in 1840, to help us get a little more creative in regards to how we pray for healing and spiritual conversion for the people in our lives.

 

 https://www.romancatholicman.com/guide-green-scapular-powerful-devotion-covert-operations/

 

Exactly six years later, Mary appeared again, and Sr. Justine asked her these important questions. Our Lady’s reply was surprisingly simple and rather intriguing:

“This scapular is not like others [it is not based on a religious habit] but merely two holy images on a single piece of material. Therefore, no special formula is required to bless it or enroll someone in its use. It suffices that it be blessed by a Catholic priest and worn by the one whom we desire to benefit by Our Lady’s intercession. If, on the other hand, the person is unable, or even unwilling, to wear it or carry it, it may even be slipped, unknown to them, into their clothes, possessions, home or work environments, etc."

 

 

 

 

[Elsie]

Sure you do, but mostly to attack Catholics. 😉

Haha!

You brought it up to attack we nasty PROTS!

[Elsie]

You’ve got circular logic perfected!

[grey_whiskers]

Good for a lot of people, actually.

Instead of just playing “Hunt the Papist” try to go read up on some of the real live heresies over the centuries, and realize just how much they could have screwed things up if they’d been allowed to fester.

[grey_whiskers]

One improves with practice.

Something that surprised me about it (I’m an adult convert, sort of); in the various pamphlets containing the Rosary Prayers, they list a spiritual fruit/benefit of meditating on the specific mysteries for that day; perseverance, or love of neighbor, etc.

A fair number of times, while going through the prayers, I have had recalled to my mind a sin from a few days before, or a realization of how I might have missed an opportunity for something good I could have said or done...and when I get down to the bottom of the prayers, I find the topic of what occurred to me, is right in line with the fruit listed for that day.

Kinda surprising, and encouraging.

[grey_whiskers]

I’m pointing out the essential logical contradiction in the strictest form of Sola Scriptura, that’s all.

[grey_whiskers]

This reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 5:43 and following: 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

How Merciful of God, if you think about it. That reply to Sr Justine, implies God is willing to be merciful even to people who are not seeking Him, or even unwilling, if believers take the step of stowing the scapula among that person's home or belongings. Surely it takes faith in God to do something so contrary to "common sense", and how generous of God to allow the prayers of others to move Him regarding even a nonbeliever.

[MayflowerMadam]

“As the closing prayer for the rosary comes out and says,”

You’re making the assumption that the rosary prayer is Divinely inspired.
The rosary was invented by man. Using that as as apologetic for its own words is not logical.

I could make up any outlandish narrative. If someone questioned it, I could reply, “Well, as the closing sentence says...”. I’d be ridiculed.

[MayflowerMadam]

Hmmm. That’s a keeper. Thanks.

[MayflowerMadam]

“when one prays the rosary, one is supposed to be meditating on specific events in the lives of Christ and the Apostles.”

I can do that without tchotchke.

[grey_whiskers]

You're giving a really good impression of somebody who isn't really paying attention. You wrote in an earlier post to me: Sort of a hilarious accusation when you consider “Say twenty Hail Marys”, or mumbo-jumbling while fondling plastic beads.

And my response was to quote the prayer after the Rosary.

I didn't claim that the prayer proved it was divinely inspired.

I was pointing out that the Rosary booklets themselves don't tell you to mumbo-jumble while fondling plastic beads, but to meditate on specific things in the lives of Christ and the Apostles. (The last decade on Fridays one recalls Jesus being nailed to the cross, each of the phrases He said on the Cross, His being pierced with a spear, and His body being handed over to His Mother.)

And, indirectly, by the words of the prayer, to point out that it isn't worship of Mary.

It's not a desperate ex-post-facto backpedaling expedient, either, the prayer's right there in every Missal I've ever seen.

[grey_whiskers]

OK.

And some people find the beads a great help; and offer the sacrifice of time and effort (and of pride) in praying the Rosary, to ask for specific favors of God.

[MayflowerMadam]

“the prayer’s right there in every Missal I’ve ever seen.”

Show me in the Bible, not a man-made “Missal”.

The Mormons believe stuff in a different man-made book.

[JesusIsLord]

I applaud your ecumentalism here, but how do you fellowship with those who adhere to a LOT more 'doctrine' than what you've written here?

Good question. I believe the Apostle's Creed is a good summary of what Christians believe. However, as I state in other posts, just as people and churches can skew and misinterpret scripture, they can do so with any written word to justify their beliefs. There are so-called Christian churches that I would not consider Christian. Among other false doctrine, the Mormons teach that Jesus had “inherited divine powers” from the Father. Mormons deny the historically Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is equal with the Father in essence and substance. Jehovah witnesses do not believe Jesus is the Son of God.

One might ask, "At what point do we not have Christian fellowship with another person"? By "not have" I do not mean shunning any human being but rather the inability of my spirit witnessing with another person's spirit - that they are a born-again Spirit-filled Christian. I.e., judging by the Word and spiritual discernment. How a person perceives Christ in the scripture and whether they have communion with Him in their heart witnesses to me - confirming in my heart that they are followers of Christ, i.e., they are Christians. A Christian's Spirit of discernment needs to be exercised. We can only be born-again when we receive Jesus for who He was and is according to the scripture and I would add, traditional orthodox (small o) church, teaching about Christ. Apostle's and Nicene creeds come to mind.

In summary, any church or person who diminishes or skews who Jesus is past, present, future according to scripture - is not saved and therefore impossible to have fellowship in Christ with that person. Why, because the Spirit of Christ is not abiding with that person. Religion, doctrine, quoting scripture, argument - do not equate being born-again and filled with His Spirit.

[Albion Wilde]

Stuff it and buzz off.

[Albion Wilde]

Awww. Poor L.C.

[grey_whiskers]

You made an insulting catcall about the Rosary -- in Post #148, you said Sort of a hilarious accusation when you consider “Say twenty Hail Marys”, or mumbo-jumbling while fondling plastic beads.

so I quoted from the "Pray The Rosary" booklet which showed it wasn't mumbo-jumbling as you said.

That has nothing to do with whether praying the Rosary is mentioned or practiced in the Bible.

It's just not mumbling, that's all I was saying. The Mormons believe stuff in a different man-made book.

Uh-huh, so does my auto mechanic...

Mormons don't have historical roots and a chain of succession going back to the Church fathers (i.e. the generation following the 12 Apostles); nor did they splinter off from a historical church over a difference in some doctrine or other, or over corrupted day-to-day practices, like the Protestants did. They came in entirely out of left field.

[MayflowerMadam]

Yawn.

[Elsie]

...go read up on some of the real live heresies over the centuries...

The first century works for me.

Anyone can read up on the wonderful Catholic teaching that took place in seven churches in the first 3 chapters of Revelation.

History has shown they didn't have ears to hear.

[Elsie]

One improves with practice.

Does that mean you can do fewer decades now?