There is a Catholic understanding of the term
'predestination', a concept that is mentioned in Holy Scripture (e.g. Rom.
8:29-30: "For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image
of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he
predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he
justified he also glorified.").
A correct understanding of the term 'predestination' does
not mean one can deny free will. Keep in mind that God foresees who will be
saved and who will not be saved. His foreknowledge, however, does not of itself
cause one to be saved or to be damned. One who will be saved may be considered
'predestined', but we do not know on earth who is in the 'book of life' (Rv.
3:5). Salvation is open to all who live according to God's will. Of course, not
all will do so.
Those who continue to pray the Rosary may be more likely to
live according to God's will, and thus be saved. Therefore, a devotion to the
Rosary may be seen as a sign of 'predestination'. Note that St. Louis de
Montfort said: "Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray.
This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood." Likewise, St. John
Vianney said: "It is impossible to meditate with devotion upon the mysteries of
the Rosary and live in a state of sin."
The following footnotes are from the Douay Rheims
translation of Holy Scripture. They correspond to the quotation above from St.
Paul's letter to the Romans. [Please Note: Items below appear 'exactly' as
they appear in the original source.]
VER. 29. For whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be
made conformable to the image of his Son, in suffering with Christ, in following
his doctrine, in imitating his life. This foreknowledge of God, according to S.
Augustin, is not merely a foreseeing of what men will do by the assistance and
graces of God's ordinary providence, much less a foreseeing of what they will do
by their own natural strength, as the Pelagian heretics pretended: but is a
foreknowledge including an act of the divine will, and of his love towards his
elect servants; (as to know in the Scriptures, when applied to God, is many
times the same as to approve and love) God therefore hath foreseen or
predestinated, or decreed that these elect, by the help of his special graces,
and by the co-operation of their free-will, should be conformable to the image
of his Son, that so his Son, even as man, might be the first-born, the chief,
and the head of all that shall be saved. Wi.--God hath preordained that all his
elect shall be conformable to the image of his Son. We must not here offer to
dive into the secrets of God's eternal election: only firmly believe that all
our good, in time and eternity, flows originally from God's free goodness; and
all our evil from man's free will. Ch.
VER. 30. And whom he predestinated, them he also called to
the true faith and to his service, without any deserts in them, nay, when all
mankind were guilty of eternal death, by original sin.--And whom he called, them
he also justified, by faith, by hope, by a love of him, and a true penance.--And
whom he justified, them he also glorified. That is, hath decreed to glorify. Yet
not all who have been justified, but only his elect, who are under his special
protection, and to whom he grants a perseverance in his grace to the end: so
that the call to faith, their sanctification, their final perseverance, and
glorification in heaven, are the effects of their free election and
predestination. Wi.
There are also a few quotes on predestination in our
Reflections (click on 'Predestination' link appearing
here).
Finally, you might search free online resources regarding St.
Thomas Aquinas' treatment of the subject in the Summa Theologica (try searching
for Predestination, Question 23). Note that the Summa covers various
predestination-related questions (e.g. Is predestination suitably attributed to
God?, What is predestination, and does it place anything in the predestined?,
Are merits the cause or reason of predestination, or reprobation, or election?,
Is the number of the predestined certain?, Can predestination be furthered by
the prayers of the saints?, etc.)
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