The following is excerpted from the article, “Popular Devotional Practices: Basic Questions and Answers,” published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, (03 Copyright © by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) and a continuation from last week. The full text can be found at www.usccb.org/bishops/devprac.htm

1. What are the origins of popular devotions?
Unlike the sacraments themselves, popular devotions cannot be traced directly back to the ministry of Jesus and the practice of the Apostles. Most developed over the years and even centuries as people sought ways of living out their faith. The origins of the more ancient devotions are often rather obscure. Some devotions, such as the rosary and scapulars, have come down to us as adaptations of the practices of religious orders. A few, such as devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Miraculous Medal, are considered to have their origin in a private revelation, that is, some vision or message given to one of the faithful.

2. What is the relationship between popular devotions and the liturgy?
Since the liturgy is the center of the life of the Church, popular devotions should never be portrayed as equal to the liturgy, nor can they adequately substitute for the liturgy. What is crucial is that popular devotions be in harmony with the liturgy, drawing inspiration from it and ultimately leading back to it. While the liturgy always remains the primary reference point, "the liturgy and popular piety are two forms of worship which are in mutual and fruitful relationship with each other." Personal and family prayer and devotions should flow from and lead to a fuller participation in the liturgy.
As Pope Paul VI indicated, maintaining the proper balance may not always be easy and may require patient and persistent effort. [T]here are two extreme attitudes to be avoided: scorning devotions of piety which have been recommended by the Magisterium and mixing practices of piety and liturgical acts in hybrid celebrations. [For example, when] novenas or similar practices are inserted into the very celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, this creates the danger that the Lord's Memorial Rite, instead of being the culmination of the meeting of the Christian community, becomes the occasion, as it were, for devotional practices.” Here Pope Paul VI admonished us that "exercises of piety should be harmonized with the liturgy, not merged into it."