Quote from: Guest

Can someone explan how this would be better than say an act of mercy? It seems prideful or wasteful to cause self pain like this. Wouldn't a better way would be to help someone in need, shovel the driveway? Clean their house? Build a brick wall?

We are making rosaries to be given away, as a work of mercy. Next year, we may sew scapulars for the same purpose. There is so much good to be done.

Even if you can't make something or aid in some way...offer things up that save money and give alms to poor Catholics. I can think of at least five traditional families that I know right now, one especially who is in desperate need of help.

I agree. It seems more useful to help others rather than hurt oneself.

There are mental conditions that make people want to hurt, cut, prick themselves. Is this process of mortification have any sanctioned grounds to do so?

Does anyone have a reply for that? What of the works of the Saints on these types of Mortification? Are the Saints wrong?

Does anyone have a reply for that? What of the works of the Saints on these types of Mortification? Are the Saints wrong?

St Theresa of Avila used to practice scourging with a flail to suffer what Christ did at the scourging of the pillar. St Therese de Lisieux was directed to mortification such as picking things from parts of the garden full of thorns. St Paul wrote also that he disciplines his body and forces it to obey him. St John the Baptist lived on insects. I also saw part of a program on the discovery channel one time about these Catholic men in Mexico who willingly got crucified by the community as a way of doing penance, but after the pain were taken down from the cross.

You should seek some other kind of mortification.

Reading ten of soulguard's comments every day is a great form of Lenten mortification. It promotes healthy peristalsis, too—something you really need to attend to if you're eating a lot of insects!

Saint John Paul II used to whip himself and sleep on the floor even when he was Roman Pontiff.

Any idea whether other Popes mortified themselves?

Say what?

Quote from: Tridentine MT

Saint John Paul II used to whip himself and sleep on the floor even when he was Roman Pontiff.

Any idea whether other Popes mortified themselves?

Where'd that come from? :pop:

It was mentioned in 2009 -2010 and there are several articles about it.

CNS Story

Edited to indicate that Tridentine MT is the poster.

Here are two easy mortifications that won't hurt your health or injure you.

Mix foods that don't usually go together. This way you only mortify your sense of taste without doing any harm to your health. For example, have your morning coffee or tea mixed into a bowl of soup. No one needs to know.

Another simple one is not to scratch when you have an itch. That's actually beneficial.

I'd like some more ideas like this.