Katia:
Oh dear…I feel so guilty! I love buying rosaries (I’ve really only bought a few in the few years I’ve been Catholic), but they don’t get a lot of use. The Marian devotions have been one of the hardest things to get used to. My husband would like to have a nightly rosary, but while I don’t mind saying it in a group, I have a hard time praying anything with just him. Gotta work at that. In the meantime, the rosary accumulation process continues. I guess we’ll be all set if we have a big family!
Dear Katia… welcome home!
I wouldn’t worry too much (actually, at all) about loving to buy rosaries. It’s a sign that you are drawn to the rosary. I think that there’s actually no rosary that I wouldn’t want to own. So many of them are very beautiful… as in “pleasing to the eye.”
I do own several… from the one that Mom (Roman Catholic) and Dad (generic Christian) gave to me on the day I was confirmed when I was 13 years old… it’s made of “aurora borealis” type of crystal…
In the 35 years since then… I’ve bought only one or two other… and received many others…
a friend actually made one just for me! … someone gave me a plain plastic one that had been blessed by the Pope from her visit to the Vatican several years ago – the Pope blesses whole boxes of them that people bring to St. Peter’s Square for him to bless them from the balcony… I’ve got a couple of the give-away plastic ones that our parish provides for us to give to anybody we meet who might want to “try the rosary” (and yes, I find occasion to actually give them to people who WANT them!)… a week ago, I took one of the rosaries that were made of only pink plastic beads and blue plastic beads that the local Catholic radio station was giving away for Pro-Life…
to the one that I bought for myself several months ago which is actually the one that I use because I like how the crucifix fits between my fingers so that I’m not really quite conscious of it as I move the small, perfectly round, perfectly smooth beads on it while I pray the rosary. The beads are small enough that the tip of my thumbnail can get between the beads to move the rosary along, while still having a bead large enough that I can pinch between my thumbpad and the first joint in my pointing finger. That rosary was only $11.95.
I’ve got Mom’s four rosaries now, too. May perpetual light shine upon her!!
Oftentimes, I just use the 10 fingers on my hand… especially if I’m a passenger on a twisty, high mountain road with flimsy barracades to the drop alongside the road! Like Mom always said (may she rest in peace!) – the good Lord gave you ten fingers, use them!
As far as praying it only in a group… I wouldn’t worry too much about that. It’s natural to want more than one person with us to say it… it IS a bit different saying it with only one other person. Not better… not worse. Just a bit different.
What a blessing you have in your husband… who wants to say the rosary each night with you!! When you’re ready… you’ll say a rosary with your husband. I have no doubt about that.
My husband in NO WAY would EVER say a rosary with me… but, then again, as a staunch Southern Baptist he’s just thrilled that I told him that we do NOT worship Jesus’ mother! He’d always been told that.
May I ask a small favor of you, please? When you do say your rosary with your husband, couldja please offer up a prayer to our Lady for my husband? Thanks!!
