Being Catholic offers the remarkable gift of an expansive celestial community, with countless friends and role models in heaven. Depending on one's geographical location or parish, familiarity with certain saints may vary. However, when your puzzled nephew asks about why St. Sebastian's candle rack is adorned with a vibrant array of melted wax while St. Francis of Assisi's remains mostly bare, it makes you wonder. Moreover, witnessing a procession for a saint on Corpus Christi Sunday raised contemplation regarding the extent of our devotion to these holy figures.
Is there a possibility that our veneration of saints has traversed beyond its intended purpose, veering into the realm of obsession? These musings prompted me to reflect upon the imbalance between reverence and potential excess in our interactions with these heavenly intercessors and deliberate how church leaders/pastors can help.
Diversify the Nomenclature
The Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore and the Diocese of Chingleput have 25 Antonine churches between them. If we cast our nets a little wider, we will encounter a refreshing set of patrons and thereby redeem many saints and Marian titles from obscurity.
My aunt and I visited a majestic church under the patronage of the Divine Mercy and didn’t find an image or statue of St. Faustina, the mystic who witnessed the Divine Mercy apparitions. When we asked the sacristan where we could find one, it turned out he didn’t even know who Faustina was. However, the same church had a statue of St. Anthony (and three other saints) on the altar.
Dioceses could insist that no more than ‘n’ churches should bear the same title. Even though St. Anthony is a Franciscan saint, Franciscan churches and establishments can afford some healthy variation. After all, their order has the highest number of saints, not to mention the longest canonisation queue.
Switch Up the Devotions
Many Catholic churches in Chennai dedicate certain days of the week or month to the veneration of particular saints. While it’s wonderful to acquaint people with their friends in heaven, care should be taken to moderate the devotion lest it should morph into superstition and cultish adoration—especially in churches dedicated to St. Anthony and Our Lady of Good Health. In the worst cases, Mary and the saints lapse from intercessors to demigods and brand ambassadors, and the church begins to toe the line of commercialism. If you feel stuck in a rut, popularise different novenas, litanies, and prayers. Rotate some, replace others.
Some regulars might make themselves scarce due to disappointment and lopsided faith, which might not be entirely their fault. It would help to identify the no-shows, reach out to them, and help them articulate their faith the right way.
Make the Church Christ-Centred
I visited a shrine with a downstairs chapel where St. Anthony occupies centre stage (directly behind the altar table) while the tabernacle is sidelined. People ascended the altar, revered St. Anthony, and walked past the Tabernacle without so much as a glance or a bow.
Architecture and décor influence how we perceive and interact with a space. The size and spatial coordinates of statues and pictures matter. As far as possible, reserve the altar and its immediate vicinity for Jesus. Place saint statues along the side walls and ensure they do not outsize those of Jesus or stand at a higher elevation.
Place Christ at the Heart of the Liturgy
The Catholic liturgy honours Mary and the saints through solemnities, memorials, and optional memorials. The missal prayers, read aloud during the mass, honour the saints succinctly and memorably without detracting from the focal point of the liturgy—Jesus.
Although the rosary is the most prevalent and powerful personal devotion, we do not interrupt the mass with it. So should be the case with other devotions. Interpolating intercessory prayers to a popular saint in the liturgical elements can fuel the perception that the mass is for the saint. And instead of treating all masses equally, masses on certain days of the week become more ‘auspicious’ because they give prominence to saints. Non-liturgical devotions can always take place after the mass. Those who are interested can participate.
The actions of sitting, standing, and kneeling at mass are not arbitrary. We kneel during the Liturgy of the Eucharist and after communion out of reverence for the real presence of Christ. Kneeling during prayers to saints (in the middle of the liturgy) is an unconscious way of equalising veneration and worship, the latter of which is due to God alone.
A friar-friend told me a joke about someone receiving communion, making a beeline for St. Anthony’s statue, and praying to the saint for Baby Jesus. While this simplicity can be occasionally amusing, it is a cause for concern. Personal interactions, homilies, and Sunday announcements are the best times to catechise the people about aligning their personal devotions with Catholic beliefs and teachings.
Regulate Religious Articles and Prayers
A shrine to St. Anthony in South Chennai was selling yantras featuring St. Anthony, St. Michael the Archangel, St. George, and Our Lady of Good Health on four corners of a sacred geometric diagram. When my aunt and I enquired about it, one of the storekeepers informed us it was a good-luck charm to be placed at the house entrance. Her face darkened when she realised we were not prospective buyers but offended Catholics. ‘If you have a problem, complain to the priest. He’s standing just outside!’
Aside from yantras, there are pamphlets and the occasional WhatsApp message linking specific actions (novenas, pilgrimages, prayers, etc.) to potential positive or negative outcomes. Vetting devotional materials is a way for the pastoral team to protect the faithful from spiritual harm. It allows them to identify and address any materials that may contain erroneous teachings.
By carefully reviewing these materials, the priests can guide the people towards authentic and trustworthy resources, reducing the risk of spiritual manipulation and preventing the proliferation of beliefs and rituals deviating from genuine Catholic spirituality that could confuse, divide, or mislead the faithful.
Don’t Err on the Side of Diplomacy
Troublesome beliefs and practices with regard to saints are often ignored or even defended because they have become part of the local culture or because they are financially advantageous. Disrupting the ‘norm’ might cause a massive upset. While inculturation is desirable, all efforts in this regard should be in line with the broader teachings and directives of the Catholic Church.
A gentle, non-confrontational approach will help people—Christians and non-Christians, educated and uneducated, young and old, cradle Catholics and recent converts—develop a balanced and reasoned approach to the faith. You’ll see the fruits of your labour when, instead of treating the saints like genies and vending machines, your people desire to emulate their ardent love for Christ.
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