Questions on Praying

[Ernest10]

Hi, I just have a few questions about praying the rosary.

Is it required? Just wondering because I keep having this feeling in me that if I don’t do it daily I feel bad. I hear that it is not required but it’s not clicking to me yet.

Can I just pray one mystery/decade a day? Like a “palm rosary”?

Can I split the rosary throughout my day? (ex: 1st mystery in morning, 2nd & 3rd at lunch, etc.) What if I don’t finish praying the split rosary?

Can I think of the rosary’s mysteries, it’s stories, and how it relates to us, without actually praying it for the day?

Am I just overthinking it? Do I just have to pray in any way possible?

I’m sorry, it’s just that I want to do as much as I can throughout my day, maybe a bit too much.

I have school to go to, I workout, and I have homework to do everyday, I try to read a Bible a bit everyday, and I have a friend who just texts me everyday just to see how we are doing, I sometimes feel annoyed by it because he sometimes texts me during my Bible reading, even though I probably should not feel anything.

I’m saying all this, because I really, really don’t have free time to spare, school resumes tomorrow, and I don’t think rushing through the rosary in the morning, as I hastily change clothes and eat breakfast, would be good, I’ve been doing that for a straight school semester. I just want to see what I can do that is at least good.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Is it required?

No.

Can I just pray one mystery/decade a day? Like a “palm rosary”?

Yes.

Can I split the rosary throughout my day? (ex: 1st mystery in morning, 2nd & 3rd at lunch, etc.)

Yes.

What if I don’t finish praying the split rosary?

You can either start the next day with the mysteries you missed, and finish it up, or you can just start a new rosary. It’s your choice. I myself would probably finish one rosary before starting the next, but you aren’t required to do so.

Can I think of the rosary’s mysteries, it’s stories, and how it relates to us, without actually praying it for the day?

Yes. This is called “meditating on the mysteries” and it’s a traditional form of prayer in itself.

Am I just overthinking it?

Probably.

Do I just have to pray in any way possible?

Yes.

There is some benefit to the discipline of trying to complete a full five-decade Rosary in one day, or even at one sitting. It’s a goal to work towards. But if you’re finding it too challenging given your schedule, just do what you can, even if that’s only one decade, or even just 3 Hail Marys.

 

[Vico]

Hi, I just have a few questions about praying the rosary.

Is it required? …

Not the Rosary.

Catechism

2744 Prayer is a vital necessity . Proof from the contrary is no less convincing: if we do not allow the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of sin. How can the Holy Spirit be our life if our heart is far from him?

Nothing is equal to prayer; for what is impossible it makes possible, what is difficult, easy. . . . For it is impossible, utterly impossible, for the man who prays eagerly and invokes God ceaselessly ever to sin.
Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly damned.

2745 Prayer and Christian life are inseparable , …

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

In my opinion, you’re seriously overthinking it! The important thing is to pray - rosary or not isn’t that important so long as you’re making the effort to spend time in conversation with God and the holy family of Saints gone before us.

The rosary, while a special devotion, is not for everyone, but if you do any part of it, that’s great - and do whatever fits for you. People grow and change over time, as do their prayer practices at times. I used to say a daily rosary; now it’s on occasion and I have other prayer practices in place of it. Some people follow an opposite path as mine, and yet others will never do anything like the rest of us. There’s plenty of room for all; God just wants the time with us one way or another.