Rosary questions

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I’ve been struggling with this one. I want to pray the Rosary and I know the mechanics of it, but the meditation of the Rosary, which is the “meat and potatoes” of the whole idea, evades me. I can never remember what all the mysteries are, which ones you pray on which day (or, if that’s necessary), if you can pray just 1 or 2 decades, etc. Can anyone answer these?
 
The rosary is a private devotion which means you may pray it as you wish.
Try this link for EWTN for a full explanation of your questions.
 
adrift’s EWTN explains it all. In all honesty, you can reflect on whichever set of mysteries you chose on any given day. For example, if you wanted to pray the Glorious mysteries to commemorate a specific fantastic spiritual event in your life, go right ahead :).

If you really don’t have a specific reason for praying one set of decades, refer to the traditional usage as set down in the link. Now, the “Luminous Mysteries” were implemented by the Venerable Pope John Paul II. Those don’t need to be prayed because there has been no official declaration about their requirement. You’re free to pray them if you want, and if not, that’s fine too.

Hope this helped. 🙂

God Bless!
 
Thanks for posting the link.🙂

Can anyone explain paragraph 4 further? I have never heard this before…not really sure what plenary indulgence means?
  1. For the Intentions of the Holy Father
Catholics who say the rosary in a group, or, individually before the Blessed Sacrament,
may gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions, which includes prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.
For the intentions of the Holy Father.
Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.
 
dailey said:
Thanks for posting the link.🙂

Can anyone explain paragraph 4 further? I have never heard this before…not really sure what plenary indulgence means?
  1. For the Intentions of the Holy Father
Catholics who say the rosary in a group, or, individually before the Blessed Sacrament,
may gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions, which includes prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father.
For the intentions of the Holy Father.
Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.
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There are certain graces that are bestowed upon someone who says the rosary in the presence of the blessed sacrament, which I would guess is the meaning of that.

Someone who prays for the intentions the intentions of the Holy Father is granted a plenary indulgence if the proper conditions are met.
 
Already mentioned: Because it is a private devotion, you can indeed pray part or all the rosary. I grew up praying the rosary with my family. It was a natural part of the day. Another person may find it easier to pray a single decade or 2. Think of it much as you might an exercise program in which you start slowly, building up your endurance and thereby sticking to the program, or personal devotion, until it becomes a natural part of your life.

In my family, we did not meditate on the mysteries, but merely recited the prayers. How do I mature in my recitation of the rosary so that I do indeed meditate on the mysteries? There are many books and brochures that list the mysteries of the rosary. There is no reason not to refer to these lists. Many even have a scripture verse at the beginning of each decade for personal reflection, a practice recommended by Pope John Paul II. A scriptural rosary provides scriptural verses for each Hail Mary.

During catechist training I learned to add a single word or phrase after “fruit of your womb, Jesus _________” relevant to the mystery.
 
I also have a question that is Rosary related. How should it be used? When I pray, should I think of the words that I am saying (that’s extremly hard for me to do)? Or should I just pray and think about the mysteries? Now, if I am before an important decision, can I think about what God wants me to do and pray the rosary? Is that appropriate?

Thanks! (I’m sorry, I don’t want to make this thread offtopic, but it might also help others)
 
Januar said:
I also have a question that is Rosary related. How should it be used? When I pray, should I think of the words that I am saying (that’s extremly hard for me to do)? Or should I just pray and think about the mysteries? Now, if I am before an important decision, can I think about what God wants me to do and pray the rosary? Is that appropriate?

Thanks! (I’m sorry, I don’t want to make this thread offtopic, but it might also help others)
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  1. How well do you know the words to the prayers used in the rosary? It’s easy to presume that simply because you are Catholic you have memorized these common prayers.
    It helps to pray the words aloud. This way you can concentrate first on what you are saying. Reading a short scripture verse before each decade will direct your thoughts toward the mystery. Use a small rosary book or brochure for the scripture verse.
It is definitely appropriate to ask God to guide your decision and pray the rosary.
 
With Rosary, my problem is, that I say it automatically, without thinking about the meaning of the words as I say them. Then I start again and it’s frustrating.
 
Januar said:
With Rosary, my problem is, that I say it automatically, without thinking about the meaning of the words as I say them. Then I start again and it’s frustrating.
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I sometimes do the same. But I force myself to meditate on the mysteries. I think about the mystery in question, and I put myself there.

Let’s take a random mystery…the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (4th Glorious Mystery).

While reciting the 10 Hail Mary’s in the decade, I imagine what those who were present were thinking when they saw her rise, body and soul, into Heaven and I imagine the looks on their faces. Then, I imagine myself being there. I think of what I’d say, what I’d do, what I’d think. I also think of Mother Mary’s thoughts as she’s being assumed into Heaven. Finally, I think of how the mystery gives much-deserved glory to God.

By the time I’m done thinking of all this, I reach for another bead and realize that I’m all done with the decade. This is how I’ve learned to meditate on the mysteries. I don’t think of the words I’m saying, but rather of the mystery in question. I THINK that’s how you’re supposed to do it.
 
MarianD, I also think that this is how it should be done. Now, have you ever meditate on something from your personal life, while praying a decade (instead of a mystery)?
 
Januar said:
MarianD, I also think that this is how it should be done. Now, have you ever meditate on something from your personal life, while praying a decade (instead of a mystery)?
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Yeah, all the time. I’m not sure if it’s right or not, but I always relate the personal issues I think about to God.

Usually, it’s me thinking something, then me admonishing myself and thinking of how I can fix my thoughts for God.

For example, whenever I’m unfortunate enough to be praying a Rosary in front of a mirror, I always think “I wonder how I look”. Then I admonish myself for being so vain (I’ve been known to stare into a mirror for 30 straight minutes just to see if I look “good enough”) and think of praying that such vanity be replaced by concern for what really matters—Spiritual things, not physical things. I also think that not looking in a mirror for more than 10 seconds would be the perfect fast…it’s even harder than not eating food for a day for me.

So I say don’t be ashamed that you’re thinking of your personal life instead of the mysteries. Just be sure to relate your personal issue to God, and think of how you can make yourself holy based on how you decide to deal with said issue.

Honestly, I see the Mysteries as guidelines. They’re like something that you should be thinking about when praying the Rosary. Many people prayed/pray the Rosary without mysteries, and just meditated instead on other glories of God. Mysteries weren’t introduced until the 15th century, while the Rosary was revealed by Mother Mary herself in 1208 to St. Dominic.
 
This is all good advice, but my biggest concern is memorizing the mysteries. Are there podcasts or MP3s or something like that I could use to help me?
 
Januar said:
With Rosary, my problem is, that I say it automatically, without thinking about the meaning of the words as I say them. Then I start again and it’s frustrating.
Click to expand...
That’s kind of the point. You’re supposed to dwell on the mysteries and not focus on the words of the prayers. The prayers are there to clear your mind of outside thoughts while focusing on the mysteries.
 
JackVk said:
This is all good advice, but my biggest concern is memorizing the mysteries. Are there podcasts or MP3s or something like that I could use to help me?
Click to expand...
Don’t worry about memorizing the mysteries. I like to use the brochures or books. I know the mysteries mostly from simply praying them. I still like to use a flyer/book/brochure that includes a scriptural verse for each decade or to pray the scriptural rosary. Just as the rosary is televised for EWTN, I am sure there is a podcast available. Visual imagery helps. The members of many parishes pray before the rosary before Mass. There is generally a leader who states the mystery as the group prays together.
 
JackVk said:
This is all good advice, but my biggest concern is memorizing the mysteries. Are there podcasts or MP3s or something like that I could use to help me?
Click to expand...
How I memorized the Mysteries is that during Lent I focused ONLY on the Sorrowful Mysteries. I prayed them daily. Then on Easter I started the Glorious Mysteries and prayed them daily until Pentecost. By the time I’d done this I knew two sets, so then I focused on other two (Joyful and Luminous) by themselves. I also pray them out loud (which for whatever reason helps me), even if it’s just a whisper.
For me podcasts etc don’t help me memorize anything, I learn by doing 🙂
 
If I want to pray the daily rosary through the day, (not all at once), do I always have to begin with the Apostle’s Creed and the first part (Our father, 3x Hail Marry, Glory be to the Father) or can I do just for the first time and then just proceed with the mysteries?

would that even be the rosary?

thanks.
 
Januar said:
If I want to pray the daily rosary through the day, (not all at once), do I always have to begin with the Apostle’s Creed and the first part (Our father, 3x Hail Marry, Glory be to the Father) or can I do just for the first time and then just proceed with the mysteries?

would that even be the rosary?

thanks.
Click to expand...
Are you simply praying 1 decade at a time? As mentioned before, the rosary is a personal devotion, so I don’t see any reason that you cannot simply say the introductory prayers in the morning and the concluding prayers at night while praying single decades throughout the day.
Monks pray lectio divina in which they meditate on a single scriptural passage throughout the day. The rosary originated among the peasants who could not participate in the LOTH which is why I am using the monastic analogy. You could concentrate on the mystery for the decade you are praying throughout the hour.
I think I had a copy of a 24 hour rosary that does exactly this.

When I have prayed the entire rosary dispersed throughout the day, generally as part of a retreat or day of renewal, each set of mysteries was begun with the introductory prayers. When I pray the entire rosary in one sitting, usually on a Saturday and/or Sunday, I only pray the introductory prayers at the very beginning.
 
Yes, I’m praying a single decade at a time, sometimes two.

By the way, thank you all, for all the anwsers.
 
Hello again!

I have one more question about the Rosary. Do I have to name the mystery after every Hail Marry? Or can I do that just after the first Hail Marry? It kind of disturbes my meditation.

thank you.
 
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