Traditional Catholic Teaching

Appendix: Oratory Items.

The Location and Setting

1. If you have a choice, you may like to include a particular view which for you is meaningful and helpful. This could be one of houses, gardens, sea views or none at all.

2. Again, if you have a choice, you may be able to arrange it that you have morning or afternoon sun — or both — or neither.

3. The above two aspects may have some influence on a third consideration as to lighting, heating and fresh air. Usually, most people prefer subdued lighting but adequate for reading without strain. Attention to our bodily needs is legitimate when the motive is to improve one's concentration in prayer.

4. Noise, movement, traffic, telephone and other possible distractions also need to be thought about in advance. Prayer-time is not a licence to escape to an impregnable fortress where we can forget the world and its needs. However, provided one has taken reasonable steps to provide for the needs of others, then one can quite justifiably retreat to a quiet place and give focused attention to the Lord. It is not going too far to utilise a telephone answering message system so that you are not out of reach for those who depend on close contact with you.

Furnishings and Equipment

1. If your oratory is just a corner or small space in a lounge which is used for other activities, then it is really only a matter of adapting things at hand to meet your needs.

2. If you are designing an area for specific use as an oratory there are various possibilities depending on your own custom and practice. For instance:

a) using a suitable chair, with no other necessary furniture;

b) using a chair and table;

c) using a "prie dieu" — a kneeler desk;

d) using a floor cushion or pad to sit and / or kneel on.

3. Everyone needs to make their own decision about whether to have a clock of some sort visible. An excellent alternative is to have a timer (preferably with a subdued or dignified bell) which allows you to allocate yourself a time slot and then relax and forget the time.

4. Some people like to play appropriate music as part of their prayer time. So a player of some sort could be at hand. There is no reason to avoid electronic equipment if this genuinely supports our devotional practices.

5. We recommend as a very helpful item in every private oratory, a Church calendar indicating the seasons and feast-days of the Church year. One can get by with information available on the Internet. However, to have one's own source at hand is preferable.

Devotional Articles

1. We have noted elsewhere that from the very beginning of the Church, Christians have decorated their places of worship with beautiful imagery. The oldest extant image of our Lord is a representation of him as the Good Shepherd painted on one of the catacomb walls where Christians gathered to offer the Eucharist. We have also noted elsewhere that this was not by accident, nor without a strong theological foundation. Thus, buildings used for traditional Christian worship have always been decorated with Biblical imagery via paintings, frescoes, statues, icons and later, stained glass windows.

It is perfectly natural, therefore, for us to draw on this beautiful custom, and incorporate these aids to devotion in our household oratories.

These can include:—

a) a crucifix (or image of the crucifixion);
b) a statue of our Lord — especially a Sacred Heart statue; (There are many to choose from. We highly recommend this particular devotion which can also be found in icon form.)
c) a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, either alone or holding the infant Jesus;
d) a statue of St. Joseph — again, alone, or together with the child Jesus;
e) a statue, (or image) of any favourite Saint.

2. The use of art in one's oratory is likely to vary according to personal taste and background. The same is likely to apply with the selection of books one wants to have at hand. We can therefore, give only a guide and leave it to individuals to consult their clergy. We would anticipate the following as being helpful:—

a) a daily Missal (which comprises mainly Bible passages amd related prayers);

b) a Bible; Note: It is strongly recommended to have at hand a full Bible as authorized formally by the Church. There are many modern English translations available and some of these are very unsuitable. They are often poorly translated and can be quite misleading..

c) prayer books;

d) approved commentaries on Scripture;

e) spiritual reading:

f) spiritual topics;

g) lives of the Saints.

Note:
We recommend a priest be consulted as to which items should be blessed. These can be used as "sacramentals" which means they can be channels of grace for the user.

Other Sacramentals

1. Sacramentals are objects we use in our devotions which, to a degree, have the force or efficacy of a sacrament. The use of blessed images, statues, icons and other such objects do help restore our spiritual equilibrium in a world which is increasingly antagonistic towards traditional Christianity.

2. We recommend the presence of:—

a) a Holy Water stoup, either made for the purpose — otherwise a small dish or nice shell to hold Holy Water;

Note:
This could be at the entrance to the oratory, or sitting near you at your place.

b) a Rosary;

c) candles;

d) votive lamps (coloured or plain).

Click here for one model of an oratory blessing.