Praying the rosary becomes easy with a bit of practice and understanding. Prayer involves opening oneself to God, and it can take many forms. Here are three basic, formal methods of prayer:
1. Vocal Prayer: This involves speaking, singing, chanting, or silently expressing words to God. Most group, liturgical, and private prayers fall into this category.
2. Meditative Prayer: This involves mentally engaging with an event or concept while possibly engaging in vocal prayer. It’s an active mental process.
3. Contemplative Prayer: This involves silently experiencing God's intimate presence, often without words.
A specific set of arranged prayers is known as a chaplet, with the rosary being the most popular. The rosary is not just vocal prayer; it is meditative, involving repetitive prayer while focusing on key events in Christ's life. This practice helps integrate body and mind in prayer, using physical activity to aid spiritual focus.
The use of beads in prayer has ancient roots. The word "bead" means "prayer." While "rosary" commonly refers to the set of beads, it properly refers to the prayers themselves. Christians have prayed the rosary for over 500 years to draw closer to Jesus Christ through meditation on key events in salvation history. Catholics believe that frequent meditation on Christ's life can transform us to be more like what God intends us to be. The rosary is a sacramental or popular piety, meaning it is a blessed object and a highly recommended religious activity, though not necessary for salvation.
The rosary has historical ties to the Liturgy of the Hours, a practice involving the Psalms and Scriptural readings. Traditionally, the rosary had 15 sets of ten prayers each, representing the 150 Psalms.
The most common type of rosary is the Dominican rosary, named after St. Dominic, who, according to tradition, received it from Mary, the mother of Jesus. The full Dominican rosary has 166 beads, including 153 "Hail Mary" beads and 16 "Our Father" beads. These beads are arranged in sets of ten (decades), each preceded by one "Our Father" bead. Each decade centers on a mystery from Christ's life. Due to time constraints, most people use a shorter rosary with five decades.
There are fifteen traditional mysteries of the rosary, divided into three sets: joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the "Mysteries of Light" or "Luminous Mysteries."
Praying the Rosary
1. Find a Quiet Place: Start by reciting the Apostles' Creed while meditating on the crucifix.
Apostles' Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day, He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there, He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
2. Introductory Our Father: Pray the Our Father while holding the first bead above the crucifix.
Our Father:
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
3. Three Hail Mary’s: Pray three Hail Mary’s considering the virtues of love, hope, and faith on each of the next three beads.
Hail Mary:
Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
4. Glory Be: Pray the Glory Be.
Glory Be:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Optional Fatima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy.
Mysteries of the Rosary
The rosary’s prayers focus on different meditations or mysteries, traditionally prayed on specific days:
Joyful Mysteries (Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays during Advent/Christmas):
1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation in the Temple
5. The Finding in the Temple
Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays):
1. The Baptism in the Jordan
2. The Wedding at Cana
3. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
4. The Transfiguration
5. The Institution of the Eucharist
Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays during Lent):
1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion
Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays, Sundays outside Advent/Lent):
1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption of Mary
5. The Coronation of Mary
While contemplating each mystery, pray one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and a Glory Be (with the optional Fatima Prayer). Repeat this pattern for each mystery.
Conclusion
When finished, conclude the rosary with the Hail Holy Queen prayer:
Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.