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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Rosary-Fifteen Promises	Mike	Thursday, July 9, 2015
Question: From time to time the "fifteen promises" for reciting the Rosary resurfaces. It can be found immediately doing a net search. I realize this is definitely a "private revelation," but is it even approved by the Church at all? Some of the promises are so generic as to mean anything or nothing; others are quite specific and I can't understand how relying on them can't be considered superstition or at the very least misplaced faith.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC Dear Mike: The fifteen promises are indeed a private revelation, which means the Faithful are not required to believe them. As it is with any "promises" such as this, the promises attached to the Brown Scapular, etc., just the recitation of the Rosary has no effect. The Rosary must be prayed with devotion. Even then the promises do not come from the Rosary, but from the lives of the people who recite is devoutly and practice that devotion in their lives. What such "promises" really indicate is that a person who devoutly prays the rosary will be more likely to live that devotion in his life, to live the Christ-life, and thus more likely receive the graces offered in the promises. But, this is not magic. The rosary is not a talisman. It is, rather, a sign of our devotion to our Blessed Mother and to God. As to approval from the Church, there does not seem to be. Here is an article that goes into that question, "Are the 15 Rosary Promises Reliable?" by Jimmy Akin. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Rosary-Fifteen Promises

Mike

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Question:

From time to time the "fifteen promises" for reciting the Rosary resurfaces. It can be found immediately doing a net search. I realize this is definitely a "private revelation," but is it even approved by the Church at all? Some of the promises are so generic as to mean anything or nothing; others are quite specific and I can't understand how relying on them can't be considered superstition or at the very least misplaced faith.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), CCL, LTh, DD, LNDC

Dear Mike:

The fifteen promises are indeed a private revelation, which means the Faithful are not required to believe them.

As it is with any "promises" such as this, the promises attached to the Brown Scapular, etc., just the recitation of the Rosary has no effect. The Rosary must be prayed with devotion. Even then the promises do not come from the Rosary, but from the lives of the people who recite is devoutly and practice that devotion in their lives. What such "promises" really indicate is that a person who devoutly prays the rosary will be more likely to live that devotion in his life, to live the Christ-life, and thus more likely receive the graces offered in the promises. But, this is not magic. The rosary is not a talisman. It is, rather, a sign of our devotion to our Blessed Mother and to God.

As to approval from the Church, there does not seem to be. Here is an article that goes into that question, "Are the 15 Rosary Promises Reliable?" by Jimmy Akin.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum