Praying the rosary silently?

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I’ve always prayed my rosary silently in my mind. I don’t even whisper it. I know, without a doubt, that God and Jesus (really One and the same, but you know what I mean;)) can “hear” my thoughts, but what about Mary, to Whom most of the prayers on these beads are addressed? Does Our Lady have the power to “hear” my Hail Marys and Hail Holy Queen to her, without my saying it verbally? I would imagine she must, because of Who She is, and also, what about someone who doesn’t have the power of speech and physically can’t talk? Thank you for your answers.
 
I think only God can read minds. However, there is nothing stopping God from informing Mary of your prayers to her.
 
I have no doubt Mother Mary can read your heart and your thoughts. Just to comprehend one of her miracles provides eternal wonder of her ability to penetrate our being with her love and understanding.
 
Either vocally or silently (contemplative) is valid, but I would encourage praying aloud. The Catechism gives a thorough breakdown of vocal and silent prayer, I share only the opening parts, but emphasize paragraph 2702, which calls to pray with our whole being (perhaps an argument for praying on our knees as well.)
2700 Through his Word, God speaks to man. By words, mental or vocal, our prayer takes flesh. Yet it is most important that the heart should be present to him to whom we are speaking in prayer: “Whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our souls.”
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2701 Vocal prayer is an essential element of the Christian life. To his disciples, drawn by their Master’s silent prayer, Jesus teaches a vocal prayer, the Our Father. He not only prayed aloud the liturgical prayers of the synagogue but, as the Gospels show, he raised his voice to express his personal prayer, from exultant blessing of the Father to the agony of Gesthemani.
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2702 The need to involve the senses in interior prayer corresponds to a requirement of our human nature. We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to translate our feelings externally. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible to our supplication.
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vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s1c3a1.htm
 
I actually discussed this with my school chaplain, as I was having the same dilemma. He simply said “Pray it in the way you wish”. As long as the meaning, love and tradition is there - your prayers will be answered and listened to.
 
I think praying the Rosary is a great discipline if you can stay focus and free of distraction. I can not. I need the vocal sound of my voice to keep me on track or as on track as I am able to be. While God hears ALL of our prayers He likes us to “speak” to Him just as we would speak to our own fathers. As the Rosary is a private devotion you can pray the way that is best suited to you. Peace.
 
I pray the Rosary silently when I say my
private daily Rosary, but enjoy saying it at
the Saturday Rosary group, both are
powerful means of attaining holiness!!
 
Sometimes our praying is as much about changing ourselves as it is about getting Mary or God to hear us. In those cases, silent prayer is just as effective as vocal prayer. And, of course, God knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts (minds).
 
DaveBj said:
Sometimes our praying is as much about changing ourselves as it is about getting Mary or God to hear us. In those cases, silent prayer is just as effective as vocal prayer. And, of course, God knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts (minds).
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Our Lady is perfected in Heaven. Of course she can hear your silent prayers. She is inseparable from her Son and Saviour. Our Lady is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady is exalted above the angels as Queen of Angels, and Queen of Saints.

We are called to meditate on the Rosary as well as pray it; mediation is generally silent.

Or is this just another thread making an attempt to slam doubts about Our Lady into the hearts of weary Catholics?
 
friardchips said:
Our Lady is perfected in Heaven. Of course she can hear your silent prayers. She is inseparable from her Son and Saviour. Our Lady is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady is exalted above the angels as Queen of Angels, and Queen of Saints.

We are called to meditate on the Rosary as well as pray it; mediation is generally silent.

Or is this just another thread making an attempt to slam doubts about Our Lady into the hearts of weary Catholics?
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Not from my angle.
 
Praying the rosary silently - is still praying the rosary.

Carthusians - who are quite silent - pray the rosary too…🙂

Perhaps though I would move ones lips…for then one engages ones body as well.
 
Minus the suspicion about your intentions, OP, I quite agree with the other responses.

But I would also point out that, even if you pray aloud, Our Lady probably wouldn’t be able to “hear” you without God’s assistance. I would imagine the same would apply to praying silently in your own mind, although I suspect your intention would be important here. That is to say, Mary might not “overhear” every one of your thoughts if you don’t directly want her to. God most certainly does.

But I’m completely speculating here, I have no idea how these things work.

… and as an aside, it might be a good idea to, on a daily basis, give permission to our guardian angel to read our minds. I’ve heard that they cannot directly see what is in your will, although they can see your imagination. I’m not sure if that’s true, but I have encountered a priest telling me that opening up all of your thoughts to an angel must be something deliberately done.
 
Bookcat said:
Praying the rosary silently - is still praying the rosary.

Carthusians - who are quite silent - pray the rosary too…🙂

Perhaps though I would move ones lips…for then one engages ones body as well.
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Surely, when praying silently, you are still engaging the body, with the use of one’s mind and heart?

Good point about Carthusians, (and Trappists, and any Order which prays in silence).
 
Praying the Rosary - wherever two or more are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them said the Lord Jesus.

However, there are so many times and occasions when we are alone, especially those of us who travel frequently.

Saying the Rosary on long trips alone is a wonderful thing. It is so uplifting to pray to Mary, and Jesus, with private intentions and devotions.
 
friardchips said:
Surely, when praying silently, you are still engaging the body, with the use of one’s mind and heart?

Good point about Carthusians, (and Trappists, and any Order which prays in silence).
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In the physical way, I meant (as opposed to the spiritual). :rolleyes:
 
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