Rosary Aloud?

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

Must the prayers of the Rosary (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, etc.) be orally prayed, or may they be silently prayed in one’s mind?

 

[tkdnick]

Hello,

Must the prayers of the Rosary (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, etc.) be orally prayed, or may they be silently prayed in one’s mind?

I think most people pray them silently. I do…

 

[SueKrum]

I’ve actually been wondering this myself. I often listen to it with a CD because I forget the order of the all the prayers and scriptures and stuff. when I listen, I sit with my beeds, or sometimes I am walking and listening to it with my portable CD player. When I do this, I pray along, but silently in my head.

One thing I wonder is, if only God can read my mind, how can anyone even a saint in heaven read it? LIke if I am talking to Mary, shouldn’t I be speaking out loud? is this what you are wondering as well, JMJ_coder? Hopefully someone on here will answer because this has been a question of mind for a while, as well.

 

[TOP]

I’ve actually been wondering this myself. I often listen to it with a CD because I forget the order of the all the prayers and scriptures and stuff. when I listen, I sit with my beeds, or sometimes I am walking and listening to it with my portable CD player. When I do this, I pray along, but silently in my head.

One thing I wonder is, if only God can read my mind, how can anyone even a saint in heaven read it? LIke if I am talking to Mary, shouldn’t I be speaking out loud? is this what you are wondering as well, JMJ_coder? Hopefully someone on here will answer because this has been a question of mind for a while, as well.

“through Him , with Him , in Him, in the unity with the Holy Spirit…”

 

[SueKrum]

how does that answer my question? forgive me, but I am a simple minded person and quoting part of the Eucharistic prayer doesn’t help much.

 

[AngelRose81]

When I’m praying the rosary myself at home, I usually quietly whisper the prayers.

 

[TOP]

how does that answer my question? forgive me, but I am a simple minded person and quoting part of the Eucharistic prayer doesn’t help much.

I’m sorry. I believe Mary and the Saints can hear our thoughts in the Spirit through Christ. Hearing that part of the prayer always reminds me of the communion of Saints.Tim

 

[Dirk_Skene]

It can go either way. It is up to you.

 

[InLight247]

Either way is fine. Just like sometimes we do vocal prayer, sometimes mental prayer. For rosary, we can either pray out loud or quietly in our mind and heart.

 

[ricmat]

Is a prayer actually a “prayer” if it is only read?

It seems to me that reading is a passive activity. The words pass before your eyes, and it “just goes into your brain.”

Speaking something (even whispering) takes a true act of our will. Active, rather than passive. And “saying it in your head” is less an act of the will than saying it out loud.

So, IMHO reading the rosary may be OK, but saying it is even better [ditto with all prayers].

 

[Convert_in_99]

EITHER! God just wants prayers, period!

At home and in the car, I say it aloud. It helps me focus and not get so distracted.

However, if you are in Church, unless a group is saying it, say it silently to yourself. Also, some people will move their lips silently to the words to help them focus and concentrate when in public.

 

[water]

One of the requirements to receive a particular indulgence when praying rosary with a group at the Church is to pray aloud - I got this information from back of a praying card, but I don’t have it with me.

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

One of the requirements to receive a particular indulgence when praying rosary with a group at the Church is to pray aloud - I got this information from back of a praying card, but I don’t have it with me.

I recall hearing that, and it is one thing that makes me wonder if silently and mentally praying the Rosary is okay.

One thing I wonder is, if only God can read my mind, how can anyone even a saint in heaven read it? LIke if I am talking to Mary, shouldn’t I be speaking out loud? is this what you are wondering as well, JMJ_coder? Hopefully someone on here will answer because this has been a question of mind for a while, as well.

No, God enlightens the Saints to what they need to know. They don’t need to hear the sound waves reverberate in their eardrums to get the message we send them.

There are some practical considerations on both sides. By saying the Rosary aloud, it completely frees the mind for contemplation of the Mysteries. The prayers then become a timer for how long you will spend on each Mystery. It is sort of like the Desert Fathers, who would mindlessly weave baskets. They were 1.) dong manual work and providing for their existence and 2.) completely freeing their minds, by not having to think about the mindless, monotonous, repetitive work at their hands, to complete dedicate themselves to ceaseless prayer.

Saying the Rosary aloud almost ensures that all the prayers are said. I have caught myself, when I pray mentally, saying the first part of the Hail Mary on one bead, and saying the second part on the next bead. This was unintentional, but my mind just wandered (as any Spiritual Father will attest can happen quite easily in prayer).

Saying the Rosary silently, though, would allow it to be said anywhere - in the grocery line, at the butcher’s, on the golf course, waiting for a play to begin, etc.

I guess, perhaps, it is best to pray the Rosary aloud in Church or in private and silently when in public or would disturb someone at Church.

Perhaps the Rosary could be more easily said completely silently the further along in the spiritual life one progresses.

 

[Zooey]

I don’t usually pray out loud, but I have found that, if I am moving my lips as though I were saying the words aloud, that I can keep my attention on praying better than just thinking them…

 

[water]

I don’t usually pray out loud, but I have found that, if I am moving my lips as though I were saying the words aloud, that I can keep my attention on praying better than just thinking them…

Exactly - it helps me. I always move my lips to keep me focus…though many times I have no clue where my mind wanders.

 

[jrabs]

I don’t usually pray out loud, but I have found that, if I am moving my lips as though I were saying the words aloud, that I can keep my attention on praying better than just thinking them…

I do the same thing. I move my lips and can focus better.

Here is my problem. When I am at the gym, I enjoy using my exercise time to say the rosary. It looks like I am chatting away to no one. But then I have also decided that I don’t really that others think I am loony.

 

[pprimeau1976]

I do the same thing. I move my lips and can focus better.

Here is my problem. When I am at the gym, I enjoy using my exercise time to say the rosary. It looks like I am chatting away to no one. But then I have also decided that I don’t really that others think I am loony.

I just recently discovered that the Rosary was intended to be both a vocal and mental prayer. And yes, someone mentioned that it allotted equal time for the mysteries. As far as everyday scenarios, like standing in line at the store, or being at the gym, I don’t think that saying the Hail Mary’s mentally is as effective as meditating on the mysteries. That’s only my opinion though.

 

[jrabs]

As far as everyday scenarios, like standing in line at the store, or being at the gym, I don’t think that saying the Hail Mary’s mentally is as effective as meditating on the mysteries. That’s only my opinion though.

Help me understand what you are saying? I’m interested.

 

[Convert_in_99]

I do the same thing. I move my lips and can focus better.

Here is my problem. When I am at the gym, I enjoy using my exercise time to say the rosary. It looks like I am chatting away to no one. But then I have also decided that I don’t really that others think I am loony.

But at least you are talking to Someone. When I am working around the house my husband catches me talking to myself often, just me, myself, and I!

 

[pprimeau1976]

When we are out in a public setting (i.e. the grocery store), we can just mentally focus on the five mysteries. Another option would be to begin each meditation with an our father, a hail mary, and then a meditation of the mystery.

THis is not the official way of saying the Rosary, though. But I think that it would be pleasing to God.