Fish Eaters: The Whys and Hows of Traditional Catholicism


``Where the Bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be;
even as where Jesus is, there is the Catholic Church'' Ignatius of Antioch, 1st c. A.D



Spiritual Bouquets

 




A "Spiritual Bouquet" is a gift of prayer or some other devotional sacrifice for another's intentions. This gift is given to another usually by giving them a card describing the sacrifices the giver will be making on the recipient's behalf, and then, of course, following through and making those sacrifices.

The sorts of sacrifices that can be offered to God for another are endless -- from performing specific good deeds and services; praying certain prayers, Novenas, the Rosary, or Litanies; making certain votive offerings, such as the lighting of candles; offering Masses; making the First Saturdays or First Fridays devotions; fasting; the offering of alms and corporal acts of mercy; time spent in Eucharistic Adoration, etc.

Spiritual Bouquets are given at special times, such as at Baptisms, First Communions, Confirmations, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, Name Days, St. Valentine's Day, other feast days special to the recipient, etc., or when the recipient is going through trouble, such as sickness, depression, or mourning; or for no special reason at all.

They can be made by or offered to individuals or groups -- for ex., the siblings of a family might make a spiritual bouquet for their sick Aunt, or an individual might make a spiritual bouquet for the women of her parish who are starting a new pro-life group. When a spiritual bouquet is made by a group, the individuals of that group might make their own, different sacrifices for the recipient, which makes for a very colorful bouquet indeed.

Special Spiritual Bouquet cards can be bought at Catholic stationers or downloaded from the internet, but Catholics who are crafty have a lot of fun making their own, getting as creative with glue, glitter, tissue paper, fabric, thread, beads, charms, stickers, scrapbooking doodads, and what not, as they like.
The text of such a card might read, for example,

I, Joan, will be praying
the Novena to St. Therese of Lisieux
and lighting a candle
for your intentions.

or

We, the women of Holy Rosary Parish's Altar Guild,
will be offering the following for your intentions:

Seven Rosaries
Seven hours of Eucharistic Adoration

We hope you'll feel better soon!

or

I want you to know
how much you mean to me.
Please accept this Spiritual Bouquet
in which I commit to pray for your intentions.
May God watch over you
and  bless all that you do.

or

A Spiritual Bouquet for you

The offering of

_____________________

is being made by

_____________________

for your intentions.




See also the pages on Mass Intentions, Votive Offerings, and, more generally, Redemptive Suffering.


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