Its History. Manner of Observance.
Without a doubt the Way of the Cross is a most acceptable devotion in the eyes of God. It is said that Our Blessed Lady daily visited the scenes of her Son's passion and death. Quite naturally, too, the pious Christians who could do so made pilgrimages to Jerusalem, to visit the places made sacred by the suffering Saviour. The Church could not do otherwise than encourage a devotion so fruitful and wholesome for the souls of men. Accordingly she granted numerous rich indulgences to those who visited the sacred scenes of Christ's passion, and meditated upon the sufferings of the Lord. However, very many Catholics were unable to go to Jerusalem, and when the Franciscan Fathers, in 1686, petitioned the Holy Father, Pope Innocent XI, for permission to erect indulgenced stations of the cross in their churches, the request was granted. Subsequently this privilege was extended to all Christians, so that today there are very few churches or chapels without the stations of the cross. In our churches we gain the same rich indulgences that were granted to the pilgrims who visited the actual scenes of the passion.
Of course, in order to gain the indulgences one must be in the state of sanctifying grace. But even if we should be unfortunate enough to be in mortal sin, this should not deter us from making the stations. On the contrary, there is all the more reason to undertake the pious little pilgrimage. For no man can devoutly meditate on the passion of Our Lord, portrayed as it is so vividly in the stations, and still desire to remain in sin. Indeed, as those scenes of suffering are reenacted before your eyes, the greatness of God's love is forcibly brought home to you. Your sins are no longer looked upon as defects of human nature, but they loom up before you in their true light, examples of monstrous ingratitude and selfishness.
The fourteen stations of the cross represent the following episodes in that original way of the cross:
The indulgences are not attached to the pictures, but to the crosses above the pictures. Consequently the pictures are not necessary, but serve to aid the Christian in meditating devoutly. Neither is it necessary to say any particular prayers at the various stations. But there should, if possible, be a separate meditation on every one of the fourteen scenes.
We begin at the first station, try to picture to ourselves the scene it represents and its significance. The lesson that it teaches may apply to ourselves and may reveal to us the malice of some fault. Then we kneel down and say some prayer, for instance, the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father, Every prayer-book contains prayers suitable for making the way of the cross. But no certain form of prayer is prescribed.
From the first station we go to the second, meditating again and praying, and thus from station to station until we have completed the entire course. Knowing that very rich indulgences are attached to this devotion, we should previously strive to dispose ourselves properly by an act of perfect contrition and by making the intention to gain all the indulgences.
Thus far we have presumed that the individual is making the way of the cross alone. But during Lent, and sometimes during missions, the priest, accompanied by two or four altar boys, goes from station to station, whilst the faithful remain in their pews. However, they gain the same indulgences, by devoutly following the meditation and prayer of the priest, that they would obtain if each and every one made the stations individually.
Realizing that the sick, the aged, and many others who cannot go to church would be deprived of one of the richest devotions of our religion, the Church, our benevolent mother, has provided also for these. A crucifix blessed for the purpose by a priest having the faculties is indulgenced just as are the stations of the cross. The conditions are that you hold the crucifix in your hand and say the Our Father, and Hail Mary fourteen times, then the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father five times, then again once each for the Pope's intention. If one person holds the crucifix, others present may, by fulfilling the same conditions, gain the indulgences. What a boon this indulgenced crucifix is to Catholic prisoners, soldiers, mariners, and invalids!
It is a very salutary practice to say the stations of the cross frequently. No better preparation can be made for holy communion. Indeed, the fact that we know that the Church has enriched this devotion with richer indulgences than any other pious practice, demonstrates that it is considered one of the most beneficial for the soul. If only we could frequently lead the men and women of the world on the journey of our Lord's sorrows, how much better they would be, and how much more happy and peaceful would be this world of ours! We Catholics, at least, ought often to be seen making the stations of the cross. There we are strengthened to withstand the temptations that daily assail us. There, too, we can repair the wrong that hourly is being done to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by the wholesale crimes of a material, unbelieving world.
- from The Principal Catholic Practices: A Popular Explanation of the Sacraments and Catholic Devotions by Father George Thomas Schmidt, 1920