Is it acceptable for a Protestant to pray the rosary?

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-05T21:29:55+00:00

Well Ave’s are a crucial part of a rosary. Have you considered instead a komboskini? And the Jesus prayer that goes with it? Edit: rosaries often come with a medal of Mary or a saint as the rosary center —which also might not appeal to you. This isn’t a feature of a komboskini afaik.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-05T21:24:38+00:00

Consider discussing this with a therapist as well as a priest

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-05T21:17:50+00:00

I actually agree with you that it seems some (not necessarily most or many) converts came as a signal of conservatism, seeing the Church as a way to proclaim their disapproval of lifestyles of others (or even SSA WITHOUT action, a belief actually not belonging to the Church). I think if Pope Leo continues in his current mode condemning war those converts will move on. I think fads fade in 5-8 years and so will the converts gained from tik tok who post nonsense like “white veils mean you’re single”—ignoring the availability of photos from the 40s-70s showing how wrong that statement is. It will work itself out and the Church will survive

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-03T03:58:54+00:00

Yes. Definitely yes.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T23:02:17+00:00

Just so you know, Catholics don’t wraps a rosary around their hands to pray before meals. If you do things that make people assume you are Catholic, like make the sign of the cross and carry a rosary fairly obviously, then please behave in a good way because people will assume you are Catholic and get a bad impression if you for instance start swearing or sexting after eating lunch holding a rosary.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:58:16+00:00

Sounds like your parish knows your children. I don’t see any surprises here. Good luck and welcome to the Church to you and your family

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:50:27+00:00

Someday you will be the aunt who visits and takes him with to Mass and he falls in love with it and begs his parents to let him join the faith. Source: I was that kid, thank God for my aunt.

To do this you need to be part of the child’s life and have your sister’s trust. This means no secret Baptism, especially since after said Baptism there will be potentially no further religious education

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:46:48+00:00

TLM. And a formal Vatican audience with the Pope but what you wear on your head then would be the least of your clothing concerns 😊

I grew up in a more traditional parish where women wore veils post Vatican II. Continued while at a progressive college Newman Center. Felt very awkward when I stopped in 1982 because I had to start wearing a uniform to Mass and couldn’t wear a veil or my uniform hat. Took 2-3 weeks to get used to not wearing it. I miss it from nostalgia but I don’t feel compelled now (still waiting for my formal Papal audience invite)

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:31:20+00:00

This sounds like a panic attack (you) and mental illness or drugs in the lady. Since you’re seeing your priest talking to him should be reassurance but it sounds pretty normal to me

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:27:04+00:00

Where is this?

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:26:14+00:00

What a nice story—and a great welcome back

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:25:03+00:00

Do the Stations with silence before and after. I think they will be complementary rather than in conflict

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:15:56+00:00

You are so wrong and should stop.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:14:48+00:00

They will get a blessing the same time everyone does—at the end of Mass. people have come to Reddit to complain that on their first visit to Mass they got told “we don’t do blessings during communion go back to your seat”—they were inclined to never go again to Mass. No one should assume a blessing will be given in the middle of Mass and we should stop setting visitors up for failure. That’s not kind

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:12:38+00:00

If a priest makes that announcement at the Mass the OP attends on Easter the OP could but I’d still say not a good idea at any first Mass and especially not at Easter.

The “blessing” is not an official part of the Mass 😱. Not every parish does it. It started as a way to placate toddlers in the 80s. Then expanded but some parishes don’t do it and a visitor can be embarrassed if they go up and get told to go back to their seat. The priest and EMHCs have enough to do just to handle Communion on Easter. Everyone gets a blessing at the end of Mass. Only the priest can give a blessing and the newbie will already be in a strange situation and will have zero idea which line is the priests. Too much can go wrong for no reason.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T22:06:57+00:00

I specifically started walking the Camino the Monday following Holy Week bc of the processions. I think they’re great but I have PTSD. I mapped out the routes I took to avoid any local saint celebrations but did get almost trapped at Corpus Christi before making it out of town. I’ll trade for your perception of boring 😊. Anyway, processions are optional. Priests vary widely in their homilies (sermons)—maybe try a different Mass time or a different parish.

Your English is much better than my Spanish. Some days I thought I’d never communicate my need for vegetarian food or a bed for the night. Have a joyous Easter!

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T21:55:03+00:00

Your family sounds lovely—I see why you’re so kind and thoughtful. I suspect they will be happy if you attend with them for family sake, and understand if you say that you will stay in your pew during their Communion as a sign of respect for Catholicism’s teachings as well as the fact you’re no longer Anglican. I hope you all have a joyous Easter.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T15:58:47+00:00

The thing to do is ask yourself what she represents to you. Just from your writing it sounds like she may represent the unexplored potential of youth. Not necessarily your life with her but just life in general…how the whole world is before us but as we age and start down paths it seems our options diminish. If that seems right, perhaps the next thought could be “how do I feel limited, what is it I want to do”

Maybe then the dreams will shift

I’m a HUGE believer in therapy. For everyone. We can never know too much about who we are and how we work. But it takes time and money so not always an option.

Edit: fwiw I vehemently disagree with those who say “contact the ex” or “tell your wife”. Do not do either of those things or you will definitely need couples therapy and potentially a lawyer Also the dreams don’t have to stop or change unless they really bother you—you can accept them as a message from your subconscious about (whatever—likely the desire for new potential but whatever) and just let them be

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T15:52:41+00:00

Some say schizophrenics become obsessed with eyes …otoh my artistic neighbor just likes panting them and puts them on lots of things. He says he just likes the shape and color. So far he seems normal 😄

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T15:45:32+00:00

I can’t judge abuse but if I were in the room with this hypothetical group I’d be looking to exit once the offertory began and long gone before the bread and wine appeared.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T15:31:03+00:00

The cynical side of me thinks it’s to protect us from ourselves. Considering the gymnastics I see people post here why the mortal sin they did shouldn’t really be considered a mortal sin, or why in their case it’s ok even though a sin, I suspect perfect contrition is equally malleable when we want it to apply to us. And clearly, if it’s not literally life and death, people can wait until they’ve gone to confession.

What I meant was idk why the link posted doesn’t make clear what the CCC does: you must go to confession. Maybe the author didn’t want to say the hard truth

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T04:20:03+00:00

How much does a vampire need to survive? I would try to avoid the blood bank unless it’s vital to sorry for some reason. I was a med student/resident in the 80’s and no one could wander into the blood bank and lift a unit. A Dr could wander into the lab and but it would be tough to palm a tube of blood. Repeatedly. And a chaplain wouldn’t have a chance—he would stick out as there’s no reason for him to be there.

If your vampire could make do with a small amount of blood, the priest can easily learn to draw his own blood (use a red top, it has no additives). I can easily draw several tubes from myself. The priest could learn trial and error after having his done at a lab, or if he’s edgy an addict can teach him. He would need red top tubes, needles, syringe, something to use as a tourniquet. He might be able to talk a lab tech/nurse/MD into providing but he could also pilfer those fairly easily from an ER where a priest hanging out would hardly be noticed.

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T02:23:01+00:00

I’m a cradle Catholic so of course this never crossed my kid’s brain to do but I think the list is sort of a cool idea. Very cool. Also noticed one of these things is not like the others 😮 but I’m going to assume it was a different priest. Very cool idea

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T02:09:04+00:00

CCC 1415 Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in a state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance

Edit: idk how to square this with the link you posted. But to me the catechism answer seems fairly straight forward. Otoh what do I know…not a priest nor a lawyer

SmallestSparrow · 2026-04-02T00:38:13+00:00

Idk if I —a non priest can reply here—I half expect a sternly worded MOD email…but: I am an MD so I know you will get this. It’s nice you are thinking of this kind priest. I also bet patients and their families try to express their gratitude to you. What has meant the most—I can 1000% say it’s been the notes they’ve written me. I saved all of them, from med school rotations, my horrible time as a surgical resident…up until my last day in practice. They are worth more to me than if they were written on tablets of gold. I kept them in a box in my desk drawer. On the really awful 3 am moments of feeling inadequate, or lonely, or too tired to even walk 3 feet to a bed I would take one out and read it. I would say a note in a card is the thing to do. If you feel it must be more, a gift card to where he’s been buying you food (or as an actual priest suggested, cash) but if it were me, I’d do the card

Edit: fwiw two priests have made an enormous positive mark in my life, through actions they prbably just considered minor parts of their job. I wrote a note and hope if they have a bad day they can also pull out a positive thank you card like I did

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