The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-03-21
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and are only used that we may more
wildly realize our Saviour's anguish
and the greatness of our debt to Him,
The Stations are fourteen in num-
Der. For some hundreds of years
there was a diversity of practice in
this regard, the number varying from
eleven to sixteen in different places;
but the Church finally ruled that they
must not be more nor less than four
teen.
Some of the scenes depicted in the
Way of the Cross are described in the
Gospels; others are transmitted to us
by tradition. Thus we have no
scriptural authority for the falls OF
Jesus under the cross, nor for the
beautiful story of Veronica; but these
and several other details of our Saw
iour's Passion are based on pious be
liefs which have probably been handed
down from the times of the Apostles
The Stations are generally affixed
to the interior walls of the church, al,
though in Catholic countries it is com.
mon to see beautiful Stations erected
in the grounds of religious institutions
and in cemeteries. 1t is an edifying
sight in the latter to witness the pub
lie devotion of the Way of the Cross
and the number of the faithful who
practise it privately for the benefit OF
their departed ones whose bodies are
buried there.
The reader may have noticed that
the Stations do not always begin on
the same side of the church. There
is no fixed rule in regard to this, but
they are always so arranged that our
Saviour is represented as moving for
ward; so that the place of beginning
and ending depends on the manner in
which He has been depicted by the
artist Therefore in some churches
you will find the first Station on the
Gospel side, in others on the Epistle
side of the main altar.
The. 1nduIgences.
What are the indulgences granted
to those who perform the Way of the
Cross? Strange to say, we do not
know While we are assured that no
other devotion is so highly indul-
genced, there is considerable uncer-
tainty as to just what indulgences we
gain when we ego around the Sta
tions." For many other devotions we
have an exact list of the indulgences;
but we can only say, in regard to the
Stations, that the person who de-
voutly performs this devotion and is
in the state of grace gains the same
indulgences as if he had visited the
actual Way of the Cross in Jerusa-
lem. The precise number or amount
of these indu1gences is not specified
in any extant decree of the Church !;
and all that we know is that no other
practice of our holy religion is SO
earnestly recommended or so plenti-
fully indulgenced for us and for the
souls in Purgatory.
How Do We Gain Them?
We are not bound to read a medi-
tation at each Station. We are not
obliged to recite any prayers. Those
that are customarily said, such as the
Our Father, the Hail Mary, ETC., are
commendable and meritorious, but
are not necessary. We must merely
go around from the first Station to the
Fourteenth, stopping at each for a
short time, and meditating on the
Passion of our Lord in general or on
the particular event which the Sta
ton represents. If we cannot &C
around, on account of the crowded
condition of the church, or if the
Stations are being performed pub
licly, it is sufficient merely to turn
towards each Station. The two es
sential points of the devotion are the
making of a journey, as it were, in
company with our Blessed Lord from
His trial to His tomb, and the medi
tation on His sufferings.
For those who cannot go to the
church, it is sometimes permitted tC
gain the same spiritual benefits by
using an indulgenced crucifix, which
is to be held In the hands while the
Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be
to the Father are recited fourteen
times, followed by the same prayers
repeated six times-the last being
for the intention of the Holy Father.
1t may be we'll to mention that pic
lures of the Stations, such as are
found in prayer-books or printed sc
as to form a sheet or chart, cannot be
used for gaining the indulgences Of
the Way of the Cross. Many of the
faithful, with sincere but mistaken
devotion, pay great reverence to sucf
representations of our Lords suffer
ings, and imagine that by praying be
fore them they are making the Sta
tons" There is specially objection
able device which has been widel!
sold and is proudly displayed in man!
Catholic homes, consisting of series
of gaudy pictures mounted on rollers
so that they can be successfully eZ
posed to view; the purchaser is as
sured that this can be used ito maxi
the Stations at home"-which is en-
tirely untrue. No indulgences can b.
gained except by visiting the Station
which have been lawfully erected
and meditating on the Passion of GU
Lord.
For Ourselves and for the Souls.
We see, then, how our holy Churc
&c roado If oaCv for l1S tO gain prna