Sunday Rosary during Lent

[LuciaMarie]

I have recently begun praying the Rosary lately, but am a little confused now that it is Lent. I have come accross some sources that say that the Sorrowful mysteries should be prayed on Sundays during Lent in place of the Glorious mysteries, but other sources make no distinction.

Is there any definitive teaching/source that discusses this? How important is it to pray the correct mystery?

 

[mommyof4]

According to the Rosary Confraternity’s web site, we should pray the sowerful mysteries on Sundays in Lent.

pacifier.com/~rosarweb/howto.htm (at bottom of page).

However, I have also read that this is only a suggestion, and it is not binding under any “penalty” if you do it another way, also.

I do stick with the recommended days, just to help me remember to do all of them during the week. My poor memory can not keep track of what I’ve done otherwise!

 

[Fergal]

The scheme of praying the Rosary changed slightly in October 2002 for those who according to the late, great Holy Father John Paul II’s wishes incorporated the Luminous Mysteries into their prayer life.

Since the Luninous Mysteries are now prayed on Thursdays, the Holy Father proposed the following schedule:
Monday & Saturday = Joyful Mysteries
Tuesdays & Friday = Sorrowful
Wednesday & Sunday = Glorious
Thursday = Luminous

Of course if you did not adopt the Luminous Mysteries into your prayer life then the old schedule is followed:
Monday & Thursday = Joyful
Tuesday & Friday = Sorrowful
Wednesday and Saturday = Glorious
Sunday = Changeable (Advent = Joyful, Lent = Sorrowful, Easter and Ordinary time = Glorious)

Which scheme do you follow?

 

[mommyof4]

I do it the “new” way - I love those luminous mysteries! I forgot until today that we are “supposed” to say the sorrowful mysteries on Sunday.

 

[LuciaMarie]

Thank you both for your responses.

I have been praying the “new way” with the luminous mysteries.

According to your post, Fergal, it seems as though only the “old way” designates that the sorrowful mysteries should be prayed on Sundays during Lent. Was this done away with after the luminous mysteries were added?

 

[jmm08]

The scheme of praying the Rosary changed slightly in October 2002 for those who according to the late, great Holy Father John Paul II’s wishes incorporated the Luminous Mysteries into their prayer life.

Since the Luminous Mysteries are now prayed on Thursdays, the Holy Father proposed the following schedule:
Monday & Saturday = Joyful Mysteries
Tuesdays & Friday = Sorrowful
Wednesday & Sunday = Glorious
Thursday = Luminous

Of course if you did not adopt the Luminous Mysteries into your prayer life then the old schedule is followed:
Monday & Thursday = Joyful
Tuesday & Friday = Sorrowful
Wednesday and Saturday = Glorious
Sunday = Changeable (Advent = Joyful, Lent = Sorrowful, Easter and Ordinary time = Glorious)

Which scheme do you follow?

Your reference is to Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter “Rosarium Virginis Mariae” section 38.

As I read section 38, it seems to me that our beloved Pope appreciated how “…the Liturgy colors the different seasons of the liturgical year.” His suggestion for a new weekly distribution of mysteries is clearly also a suggestion “not intended to limit a rightful freedom in personal and community prayer…”.

In other words, if you prefer to adjust your praying according to the different seasons of the liturgical year I think it is admirable and within the wishes of our dear Pope. The Apostolic Letter does not directly say this is wrong and it is implied that John Paul II loved the changes in the liturgical year (there are many other changes, not just in praying the Rosary). And if you prefer to pray always according to how our Pope suggests, this too is admirable. The words “might” and “could” are frequent in this second paragraph of section 38 in the English translation, strongly suggesting we are free to follow our own consciences.

The second paragraph of section 38 implies that Ordinary time is being considered. “… if we consider that the “glorious mysteries” are said on both Saturday and Sunday …” implies that our Pope’s thinking is focusing on Ordinary Time.

I think the only error possible is to not pray the Rosary regularly. And if you do pray, it is best to pray each set of mysteries at least once a week.

And it is always OK to pray more than five decades in a day.

jmm08

 

[Fergal]

Le me quote the late Great john Paul II.

APOSTOLIC LETTER
ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE**
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF**
JOHN PAUL II
TO THE BISHOPS, CLERGY
AND FAITHFUL
ON THE MOST HOLY ROSARY

Distribution over time
38. The Rosary can be recited in full every day, and there are those who most laudably do so. In this way it fills with prayer the days of many a contemplative, or keeps company with the sick and the elderly who have abundant time at their disposal. Yet it is clear – and this applies all the more if the new series of mysteria lucis is included – that many people will not be able to recite more than a part of the Rosary, according to a certain weekly pattern. This weekly distribution has the effect of giving the different days of the week a certain spiritual “colour”, by analogy with the way in which the Liturgy colours the different seasons of the liturgical year.
According to current practice, Monday and Thursday are dedicated to the “joyful mysteries”, Tuesday and Friday to the “sorrowful mysteries”, and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday to the “glorious mysteries”. Where might the “mysteries of light” be inserted? If we consider that the “glorious mysteries” are said on both Saturday and Sunday, and that Saturday has always had a special Marian flavour, the second weekly meditation on the “joyful mysteries”, mysteries in which Mary’s presence is especially pronounced, could be moved to Saturday. Thursday would then be free for meditating on the “mysteries of light”.
This indication is not intended to limit a rightful freedom in personal and community prayer, where account needs to be taken of spiritual and pastoral needs and of the occurrence of particular liturgical celebrations which might call for suitable adaptations. What is really important is that the Rosary should always be seen and experienced as a path of contemplation. In the Rosary, in a way similar to what takes place in the Liturgy, the Christian week, centred on Sunday, the day of Resurrection, becomes a journey through the mysteries of the life of Christ, and he is revealed in the lives of his disciples as the Lord of time and of history.

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae_en.html

 

[LuciaMarie]

Thank you everyone for your educational posts! Reading the words of Pope John Paul II have certainly helped me to better understand the rosary and increased my appreciation for this devotion.