4Real Forums: Menorah??

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

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Topic: Menorah??

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At_His_Feet
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Posted: March 01 2008 at 1:53am \| IP Logged

My antique loving Mum gave me a Menorah.
Is it "kosher" for Catholics to have one???

If so what do we do with it???

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Tricia
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JennGM
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Posted: March 01 2008 at 8:36am \| IP Logged

I'm hoping Kathryn will weigh in here, as I really respect her perspectives on such matters.

In the past I had asked Julia at Our Father's House about the smaller menorahs they sell. They use it as a teaching tool for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and/or learning about the Old Testament. The Jewish faith is part of our Faith's heritage.

I was just searching for images of a menorah, and I noticed some have 7 candles and other have 9. I'm wondering why the difference? (Ah, I just found out why. The 9 are for Chanukah, the 7 are the traditional form.)

It seems that it would be wrong to use it in a different way than intended. As a Catholic I would be so upset to find people using our sacred objects for other reasons, so I should apply the same ruler to other faiths.

Can Christians celebrate Chanukah?

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Jennifer G. Miller
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SimplyMom
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Posted: March 03 2008 at 3:25pm \| IP Logged

For several years our old parish "re-enacted" a Seder meal during Lent. It always sat badly for me and after some serious thought I decided that I really felt it to be the wrong thing to do. Especially since they sold tickets too it and acted out parts with a script. Which I know doesn't answer the question.

I don't think there would be anything wrong with a Catholic family owning a menorah or even celebrating Jewish Holidays, as long as it was an earnest expression and not something more like theater. But I have been known to have odd opinions on such things.

ShawnaB
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Posted: March 04 2008 at 2:56pm \| IP Logged

We have a Menorah, and we are Christians. However, dh's family is Jewish. I think what SimplyMom and Jenn say is wise. It could be offenive to misuse sacred objects in ways that they are not intended. However we use our Menorah to celebrate the legend of Chanukah. It is not an event mentioned in the Bible, however it is a God-glorifying story. My dh always celebrated Chanukah, and for his mom and sister, it brings them joy to come over during the Advent Season (what we call it!) and light the candles and eat latkas. Because the celebration is not contrary to our faith, and it honors the God that we worship, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we don't have a conflict over it.

This year, we sat by the fire with my SIL, sipping tea and watching the Menorah flames and the Advent wreath flames flicker. I read a sweet book called The Trees of the Dancing Goatsby Patricia Polacco about a Jewish family who helped their Christian neighbors one Christmas during a flu epidemic. And we also read several Advent books. The lighting of the Menorah candles has in some ways allowed a more open dialogue between our family.

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Shawna, wife of Jacob, mom to Abraham 8 Amelia 5 and Jillian & Jonathan age 3 years http://www.psalm121family.com

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