Dear Mason & Teo, I’m Catholic and my friend is a Christian. We went to the mall in my car last weekend. In my car, I have a rosary hanging on my rearview mirror. She says that it’s idolatry to have a rosary hanging in my car. Is hanging a rosary in my car idolatry? Is it a bad thing? What does the church say? (Rosary Hung up)

Dear Hung up,

Wow! What an excellent opportunity to find out more about your Catholic faith and to share your Catholic faith with joy. First, we must clarify that Catholics are Christians, in fact, the first Christians. The word Catholic comes from the Greek word “katholikos” which means “universal.” This clarification is necessary so we can place ourselves in the right frame of mind when sharing our love for the Lord with others. We are not in opposition to one another.

The rosary began in imitation of the monks’ or priests’ Office (also called the breviary or Liturgy of the Hours) by which the Psalms, of which there are 150, were prayed daily. Jews and Christians have always prayed the Psalms. Most common people could not read, so they substituted 50 or 150 Hail Marys for the Psalms, often using a cord with counters or beads to keep count. The rosary, as it was called, became a popular devotional prayer.

Devotions such as the rosary are highly recommended by the church and “should be drawn up that they harmonize with the liturgical seasons, in accord with the sacred liturgy, are in some fashion derived from it, and lead the people to it …” (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, #13). Ultimately, all prayer is directed to the Father, through Jesus Christ. The source and summit of the Catholic Church’s prayer is the Mass, the Eucharist. Our personal prayer then must flow from and into the church’s prayer.

Encouraged by the Blessed Mother Mary through a number of apparitions, the rosary is a prayer guided by her, directing us toward her son, Jesus Christ. We must remember Jesus’ warning not to let our prayers become repetitious babbling or empty phrases (Matthew 6:7). Reciting the words slowly will help us to pray, not just say, the prayers.

Idolatry, by definition, is worshiping an image or other object as a god. Anything we place before God, such as money, fashion, careers, family members, etc., is idolatry. We worship God alone, in the form of the Trinity — Father, Son and Spirit — no one and nothing else. We sometimes use images to help us express our worship of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Since the Word became flesh in assuming a true humanity, Christ’s body was finite. Therefore the human face of Jesus can be portrayed … The individual characteristics of Christ’s body express the divine person of God’s Son. He has made the features of his human body his own, to the point that they can be venerated when portrayed in a holy image, for the believer who venerates the icon is venerating in it the person of the one depicted.” (CCC 476-477)

Hanging a rosary on your rearview mirror is not against church teaching. However, you must answer why you do it? It is wrong to have your rosary hanging in your car while you use vulgar language and gestures while driving. It is not a “good luck charm” to keep you out of accidents. It is not decoration. It is a statement. It is an invitation for people to have their beliefs about the Catholic Church affirmed, or misconceptions proved false by your example. It is a reminder that we must drive Catholic and to treat others around like Christ.

The rosary is a prayer. We should be praying it, not thinking about it. It is probably best used in your hands than on the rear view mirror. If you don’t want a rosary on the mirror, ask yourself, if it is because you do not want the accountability or you are embarrassed by it?” If you do put a rosary around the mirror, ask yourself, “What am I truly saying about myself?” “Am I imaging Christ?” Now that you’ve heard what the church says about prayer and images, what are you saying about your prayer life and your image?