How do you get comfortable with the rosary?

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katpants

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I still haven’t prayed it. I just look at it and am like…another day. Do you pray the whole thing? I have a book on how to do it but it’s just really complicated.

One thing I have still is an issue how much prayers we have as Catholics, I mean of course it’s a good thing but I’m amazed at it! Protestant prayers are like boom! and then done. It’s definitely something I’m having to get used to.

Any newbie tricks for getting comfortable with the rosary?

Thanks!

Kat
 
I’m a cradle Catholic, 50-something, and I don’t like doing the Rosary. I never have. I can’t remember the last time I’ve done it myself, but I will do it in social gatherings when others start it and I don’t have good reason to miss it. Like at funerals, I pray it with others.

Others – all my life – would have me feel “less Catholic” about not doing the Rosary. Finally I asked my pastor about it and he said it’s totally optional. It is not a required devotion. That’s why we have so many choices. He loved the Rosary, but was not going to put me down for not liking it or tell me my prayer life is lacking without it.

The other day I was at a meeting with some Catholics in a formation class, and mentioned my dislike for saying the Rosary. This lady next to me got all bug-eyed and said, “oh it’s very important that we say the Rosary. Our Lady told us to.”

Then I realized she was talking about some apparition. Frankly I have no use for reports of apparitions, and I appreciate that the Church does not require me to even believe the ones that are supposedly legit. Personally I “smell” some types of bureaucratic agendas that end up filtering through, and if the idea that I have to say the Rosary to be a good Catholic sounds like a sales pitch to me. But I don’t want to get into it; like I say I’m just glad the Church doesn’t “require” me to believe in them.

So I kind of opened my eyes like she just enlightened me and I said, “oh, yes that’s right.” Really there was no point in even trying to have a discussion because by her reaction you’d think that Catholic without Rosary is like Eucharist without transubstantiation. It’s not the case, though.

The last thing Mary was actually documented as saying to us on behalf of Jesus, was “do what He tells you.” There was no such thing as a Rosary then; it was invented later. As far as I’m concerned, I have not received any notice or “calling” to change on this. The main reason I wanted to learn to like the Rosary was to feel like conformist. But the path to the kingdom is narrow; I’m not going to get there by group identification and following the crowd, but by doing what’s true to my heart.

Some say I should do it for the discipline of it. I get a whole lot more out of a 20 minute contemplative prayer, than any number of recitations of vocal prayer. If you haven’t heard of contemplative prayer, you should. It’s not as “western” as prayers where we do all the talking. CCC 2700-2724

Here’s a book on prayer, from a Jesuit and used at seminary intro prayer classes, that cover all types of prayers including the rosaries. It covers three stages of prayer:

1.) Talking at God,
2.) Talking to God, and
3.) Listening to God. (contemplative)


Mark Thibodeaux S.J.

MS
 
katpants said:
One thing I have still is an issue how much prayers we have as Catholics, I mean of course it’s a good thing but I’m amazed at it! Protestant prayers are like boom! and then done. It’s definitely something I’m having to get used to.
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Like trying to become fit after being lazy.

Do you go out for a long jog a couple of times per week or walk to your next door neighbour’s house and back? You won’t get fitter doing the second one will you?

When I hear the Protestant’s I know pray, it seems like they are chatting to their mate but when I hear Catholic’s (including myself) pray it seems like they are praying to God (which of course they are), seeking His Mercy rather than having a chat.

As for the Rosary it does seem hard at first, like the first time I started running again, I struggled to run half a mile but now can run a lot further with less effort. You start to enjoy the Rosary, it feels smoother after a while. I do not pray it every day as I like different prayers but do pray it every Sunday.
 
What I finally realized is that praying the Rosary is *work. *It’s very good work, don’t get me wrong, but it is not a relaxing thing to do.

So many saints , but not all, have prayed the Rosary and recommended the Rosary; the Church has officially attached so many graces to the Rosary, that it is very worth one’s effort to pray it. In addition, I believe praying the Rosary has some “secular” benefits for us as well.

I tend to start things little by little, so I would recommend starting by praying one decade each day, then moving up to 5 (the usual number people pray each day.

Another way to start off is to use recordings and to pray along. We learned how to pray the Rosary in Latin that way in a really short time. There are downloadable MP3s online fir free.

At the beginning, it will be hard to meditate on the mystery *and *pray the prayers, so just think about the mystery a bit before starting to pray the Hail Mary’s. Once you have the Hail Mary’s down, then you will be able to meditate through them.

And I made sooooo many mistakes when starting out: moving to the next bead half-way through the Hail Mary (move only on the Amen), getting the mysteries mixed up, etc. *Do not worry about mistakes. *And don’t worry about correctling them or praying them perfectly!
 
Mystical_Seeker said:
Others – all my life – would have me feel “less Catholic” about not doing the Rosary. Finally I asked my pastor about it and he said it’s totally optional. It is not a required devotion.
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This is quite true, and it is certainly *not *an obligation to pray the Rosary, and it it never acceptable to look down on others, especially from a high horse of spiritual pride.

In fact, before I say any more, OP, I want to point out that I also have trouble praying the Rosary, although I will hold up my hands and admit most of that is due to personal laziness.

But I must also, in good conscience, point out that there are plenty of things which are not **obligations **in our Faith, which are certainly optional, but which I could never recommend that a person actively avoid.

To list a few:
  • Confession more often than once a year
  • Receiving the Eucharist more often than once a year
  • Going to Mass more often than on Sundays and other holydays of obligation
  • Going to Eucharistic Adoration or Holy Hours
  • Reading the Bible
  • Reading the writings of Saints
  • Praying, to some extent, the Liturgy of the Hours
  • Spending time learning more about the Faith each day
  • Doing anything at all spiritual that’s out of our comfort zone
My view is that, given the amount of saintly evidence for and recommendation of the Rosary, and while it is not an obligation to do so, we should nonetheless strive to pray it somewhat regularly.

In point of fact, I would argue that the Church’s Magisterium, in a certain sense, has endorsed the spiritual benefits of praying the Rosary quite extensively; not only is there the example of many popes, but there is the very fact of the plenary indulgences which can be gained.

As for “newbie” tricks, I would recommend this: rosary-center.org/howto.htm#loaded

At the top of that page, you’ll find links to various mysteries, for example, the Sorrowful: rosary-center.org/sorrow.htm

Each brief reflection is something you can focus on while praying each Hail Mary.
 
Practice makes perfect (usually).

My family did not pray the rosary, but one of my friend’s family did. They prayed together in the evening as a family, and when I was over there with my friend I joined in, so that is how I became familiar with it. Many parishes have groups who pray the rosary together, so that might help. There are also recordings you can acquire and pray along with. I think EWTN still broadcasts recordings of the rosary, and that can help too. And there is nothing wrong with just praying one decade of the rosary (one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and one Glory Be). I sometimes still do this when I am pressed for time. Some prayer is always better than no prayer.
 
Initially, the Rosary to me seemed a bit of a chore.

Two things turned it around for me.

One, another poster already mentioned…if you give it time and see how it works in your life, you will leap at the opportunity to make it part of your prayer life.

Two, listening to a group pray it was just compelling, beautiful, and inviting. Hearing a antiphonal recitation is just really soothing.

So, despite the drudgery, keep praying it and look for changes in your life, and if you can’t find a way to pray and listen in community, perhaps visit a website or get a CD and listen to a group praying it.

Peace and all good!
 
As a person who took years to become comfortable with the rosary myself… The advice I can give is to focus on the mysteries that centre around the Lord, then later get in to the Marian ones. A good scriptural rosary will help aid your meditation on the life of Christ. I find this helpful in deepening my discipleship to Him

As an aside, I once heard a talk by a Dominican that said all we need in our spiritual life is Eucharistic adoration and the rosary. Everything else to him was a hindrance to devotion and dedication to our Lord - not a view I necessarily endorse but I see where he is coming from
 
katpants said:
I still haven’t prayed it. I just look at it and am like…another day. Do you pray the whole thing? I have a book on how to do it but it’s just really complicated.

One thing I have still is an issue how much prayers we have as Catholics, I mean of course it’s a good thing but I’m amazed at it! Protestant prayers are like boom! and then done. It’s definitely something I’m having to get used to.

Any newbie tricks for getting comfortable with the rosary?

Thanks!

Kat
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I think the rosary is one of those things that is more intimidating looking at it than actually praying it.

I’m relatively new to Catholicism. Although I’ve attended Mass for several years, I’m only joining the Church this year. I knew about the rosary, and was given one years ago, but I didn’t actually pray it - I just kept it nearby because I liked having it near me. After our RCIA class this year on prayer, and hearing one of the sponsors talk about how much she enjoyed praying the rosary, I decided to give it a try.

For me, what worked was setting out a time, every day, where I sat and prayed the rosary. I decided from the outset to give it a month - if at the end of the month it was still not connecting with me at all I would move on. I had to use a guide for a while to pray it properly. I still do to keep track of the Mysteries and to remember all the words to the Hail Holy Queen. I also had podcasts which would let me “pray along” with someone else. And I made lots of mistakes - but as a good friend once told me, God is listening to your heart, not your voice.

If it is a form of prayer that clicks for you, you’ll find that the major parts settle in quite quickly (the repetition of prayers during each decade) so that you’re not thinking about them. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this really did connect with me - I sometimes find myself getting choked up during the Sorrowful Mysteries. I also have drama training, so I don’t have that much difficulty teaching my mouth to say one thing while my mind thinks about fifteen other things 🙂 Most of all though, it was giving myself this permission to have twenty or thirty minutes a day (I’ve gotten faster at it as I’ve prayed it more, but I do take my time and meditate on each mystery) where I did nothing but reflect on my relationship with God. And that is helpful.

So, the bottom line of my advice - pick it up and try it. Just set aside twenty minutes, maybe light a candle to give yourself something to focus on (right now I say my rosary along with my advent prayers after lighting my wreath), and say it.
 
I think you just have to start. Let it become a habit. It’s very meditative and not all that complicated. I started with a book and after a month, I had it down pat and now I enjoy praying the rosary, but I must admit unless I’m without my little “cheaters”, I almost always say it along with a rosary DVD I have, or an MP3 on my iPod. I pray it first thing in the morning and I always feel better after.

I think it was Father Peyton who said “Don’t say it, PRAY it.”
 
My experience is similar to that of others. I started gradually until I was praying the entire Rosary. Praying it with others or with a CD helps. I found that the local Radio Maria station has a Bishop praying the Rosary at the same time that I drive to work each morning, so I tune in and pray along. Commitment to praying it each day helps. Soon, the rhythm and routine becomes second nature, and you can really mediitate on the mysteries while you pray. Praying the Rosary has been very beneficial to me in many ways, and even after many years I still find new insights that help me to grow closer to God.

DGB
 
katpants said:
I still haven’t prayed it. I just look at it and am like…another day. Do you pray the whole thing? I have a book on how to do it but it’s just really complicated.

One thing I have still is an issue how much prayers we have as Catholics, I mean of course it’s a good thing but I’m amazed at it! Protestant prayers are like boom! and then done. It’s definitely something I’m having to get used to.

Any newbie tricks for getting comfortable with the rosary?

Thanks!

Kat
Click to expand...
Initially, I struggled with praying the rosary. I thought I “had” to do it. As someone already stated, it seemed “the Catholic thing to do”. I stopped forcing myself to try and pray it. After a pause, I came back to it. What worked for me the second time was to focus only on one set of the mysteries. I found it much easier to focus and pray the rosary successfully when I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries. It was just easier to contemplate the parts of the Christian story most familiar to me. As I prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries it was easier to see Christ wearing His crown of thorns, being crucified, or praying in the garden, then it was to get an image of say the visitation to Mary. I got better and better at praying the sorrowful mysteries until I was finally ready to “branch out” into the other mysteries. It was why it seemed so choppy to me when I started. I’d pray one set of mysteries and have some success. Then the next night, I’d follow with a set of mysteries I was less familiar with and then I’d become distracted. The next night after that would bring yet another set of mysteries that didn’t always go so well. Day after day of the rollercoaster became rather discouraging. If it is something you are really interested in and wish to be successful with, I hope my suggestion is useful. Again-1) take a break 2) If there are a set of mysteries you have had more success with-it is okay to stick with just those mysteries until you get the results you hope for 3) If you finally find much success with the set you’ve been praying, then it might be time to look at adding a new set of mysteries.

Hope it helps. I know that has helped me. God bless!
 
I can’t help with getting you comfortable but if I had to choose one prayer it would be the Rosary.

Famous Quotes About The Holy Rosary

“If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins you
shall receive a never-fading crown of glory. Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have
one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practice black magic, and
even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your
life and will save your soul, if-- and mark well what I say-- if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day
until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins.”
  • St. Louis De Montfort
“The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world
has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more
satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow
of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.”
  • Archbishop Fulton Sheen
"When people love and recite the Rosary they find it makes them better.”
  • St. Anthony Mary Claret
“The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life.
It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.”

-Pope Leo XIII

“The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…If you desire
peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let
not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.”
-Pope Pius XI

“Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed
Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the
world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.”

-St. Padre Pio

“No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary: either they will give up sin or they will
give up the Rosary”

-Bishop Hugh Doyle

“Among all the devotions approved by the Church none has been so favored by so many miracles as the
devotion of the Most Holy Rosary”

-Pope Pius IX
 
christofirst said:
Practice makes perfect (usually).

My family did not pray the rosary, but one of my friend’s family did. They prayed together in the evening as a family, and when I was over there with my friend I joined in, so that is how I became familiar with it. Many parishes have groups who pray the rosary together, so that might help. There are also recordings you can acquire and pray along with. I think EWTN still broadcasts recordings of the rosary, and that can help too. And there is nothing wrong with just praying one decade of the rosary (one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and one Glory Be). I sometimes still do this when I am pressed for time. Some prayer is always better than no prayer.
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I was taught to pray the rosary much differently than we’re supposed to. My mom taught me but back then we didn’t say and meditate on mysteries ( or maybe my mom just didn’t), and some of the prayers weren’t said. I can not remember it all, saying it the way we’re supposed to say it so I always use a rosary website to help me along. Frankly, I’d much rather pray it the was my mom taught me, but feel I’m not doing it “right…”
 
Faith1960 said:
I was taught to pray the rosary much differently than we’re supposed to. My mom taught me but back then we didn’t say and meditate on mysteries ( or maybe my mom just didn’t), and some of the prayers weren’t said. I can not remember it all, saying it the way we’re supposed to say it so I always use a rosary website to help me along. Frankly, I’d much rather pray it the was my mom taught me, but feel I’m not doing it “right…”
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Really I think it’s a problem that we can feel that our prayers aren’t “right” because they don’t fit the form of someone else’s.

And all have been very kind in emphasizing that while the Church doesn’t require Rosary it is well documented and useful and all these saints said it et cetera. Yes that is good information, but it doesn’t take from that fact that it IS optional. From reading this thread, if I hadn’t already spent hundreds of hours agonizing over it until I came to peace, I would get the strong feeling that I have some sort of problem with pride or motivation or something, and that the solution isn’t to go on to devotions or practices which are more meaningful to me (such as deeper prayer that aren’t canned verbal utterances) but to consider how I might be missing out and spend my life trying to conform to the “wide path” since after all everyone who is anyone, is doing it. 👍

Comparing to the frequency of receiving Communion has a qualitative difference and not just quantitative difference. The Rosary is not a Sacrament and certainly not the central sacrament of our faith like the Eucharist is. To suggest that having no desire for the Body of Christ in addition to what I “have” to do is not comparable to having no desire to join in a devotion that is not required for laity. If it’s meaningful for 90% of the others, than let those 90% use it and leave me alone. If they invite me for a social saying of it, I’ll join them in unity. But I’ll make my own decisions how I pray in private.

In fact, dare I say that if you think going to Communion once a year instead of once a week or more, simply because I don’t want to so I do the bare minimum, is comparable to not enjoying saying a particular prayer to the point I spend countless hours trying to force myself to like it because others think I should, then that means we have elevated the Rosary itself to an object of worship. Either that or it’s an advanced mob version of “my prayers are better than yours.”

The only reason I’m belaboring this point, is that I want to be at least one voice who conveys this to the OP:
**
OP: If you don’t want to say the Rosary, you don’t have to and nobody can tell you there is something wrong with you if you don’t. If you want to work on learning to like it more, fine. But know that it’s ok not to, and it’s ok to seek other treasures and prayer forms offered by the Church to spend your time on; there are more than you can even consider in a lifetime.**
 
I’ve often used this comepraytherosary.org to pray the rosary since I still don’t have it memorized. At first, it was confusing especially since they say it so fast, but I’ve caught on now and it doesn’t seem so rushed. I sometimes review the scriptures connected to specific mysteries before meditating on them so I have something fresh in my mind for my meditations. The 4th and 5th glorious mysteries kind of throw me since they’re so foreign to me.

Mostly, I’ve just gotten comfortable with it by doing it. My church has a group that meets weekly to pray the rosary together, but I haven’t joined. Perhaps your church has something like that.
 
I’m used to listening to the Rosary being recited on Youtube. I do not feel that I can say it on my own.

LOVE! ❤️
 
Understanding where the rosary came from and its connection to the Divine Office/Liturgy of the Hours may help those who wish to pray it but find it difficult.

The rosary began as 150 Hail Marys recited by those who could not read or write their own languages let alone the Latin recited by religious when praying the Divine Office. But these lay people wished to join in the hours, so they’d pray Hail Marys instead of reciting the Psalms and other prayers, prayed in Latin, by the religious.

Over the years other prayers were added on, such as praying an Our Father between the “decades” of Hail Marys, with a Glory be added later on, as well. Still, the origin of the whole thing, remember, came from lay people wishing to participate in the daily prayer of the Church–the Divine Office/Liturgy of the Hours. So, while the rosary isn’t a sacrament, of course, it’s roots are in liturgical worship, which is what gives them their spiritual power, for Our Lady certainly would encourage us to pray with the Church daily.

Now that most of us can read and write and the Divine Office/LOTH is in most vernaculars, many are now praying some of the daily office, such as Morning and Evening Prayer and Compline, although some pray all the offices of the day–that’s a personal choice. I have been praying M&E Prayer for some time now and found it has greatly enriched my prayer life as well as my connection to God.

Whenever we pray in private devotion, even the DO/LOTH we may pray it as works best for us. There are no rules for private devotion. So, there is no right/wrong way to pray the rosary or any other devotion. 🙂
 
Robert_Sock said:
I’m used to listening to the Rosary being recited on Youtube. I do not feel that I can say it on my own.

LOVE! ❤️
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Yes. I can actually do this! It’s OK for me to hear the Rosary, it can be a nice background.

MS
 
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