The Holy Rosary

[The_Reginator]

Here is a really great and inspiring blog post.

I may finally get the inspiration and determination to start a daily Rosary. (I’ve been planning that for years …)

 

[NewsTheMan]

Good post. The Rosary saved my soul - when I decided to pray it devoutly every day I received such graces! Without the intercession of Our Blessed Mother I would still be lost in the world. I cannot even begin to explain the effect it is had on my life. It’s really such a gift.

 

[Jenniferolg]

I agree! The daily rosary is no longer a chore, it is my lifeline. I highly recommend it. I have a wonderful rosary CD that got me started, I put a rosary in every room and every car, bought a rosary bracelet and a rosary ring for my key chain. I think it was the reading of True Devotion to Mary by Louis deMonfort that really made my devotion a reality though. My parish priest offered a concecration to her and I showed up with one other lady. I had expected a crowd! It seemed like the most important thing I could do - it was!

God bless,
Jennifer

 

[MariaChristi]

I agree! The daily rosary is no longer a chore, it is my lifeline. I highly recommend it. I have a wonderful rosary CD that got me started, I put a rosary in every room and every car, bought a rosary bracelet and a rosary ring for my key chain. I think it was the reading of True Devotion to Mary by Louis deMonfort that really made my devotion a reality though. My parish priest offered a concecration to her and I showed up with one other lady. I had expected a crowd! It seemed like the most important thing I could do - it was!

God bless,
Jennifer

Dear Jennifer,

True Devotion by St. Louis de Montfort has been a very important part of my life too. In fact I made my Consecration to Jesus through Mary as a member of the Legion of Mary, where Mary became “real” for me as well. At present, I am re-reading Bl. John Paul II’s wonderful Apostolic Letter, “On the Rosary” which is also a blessing.

Dear NewsTheMan,

Your post reminded me of something St. Louis De Montfort wrote in his “True Devotion”, that is, he would have been lost, but for Mary. I also believe that of myself: I’d be lost without Mary! She brought Christ to earth in His physical birth and she continues to bring Him to us everyday, spiritually.

Dear Reginator,

I hope you will begin (if you have not already begun) to pray the Rosary daily. As I mentioned above, two authors who may help you greatly in this devotion: The Apostolic Letter of Bl. John Paul II “On the Rosary” HERE and St. Louis de Montfort’s treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary HERE.

 

[JerrySeibert]

Here is a really great and inspiring blog post.

I may finally get the inspiration and determination to start a daily Rosary. (I’ve been planning that for years …)

I wish I could remember, “What started me praying the Rosary Daily.” It just happened and it seemed not long after my life was changed. For the better, I was struggling with communication at work and meeting productivity goals. I felt so lost and as far from God as I could possibly be. I knew he was there it seemed as the stress and pressure of life kept me so focused on life I never focused on him. It just seemed right, I bought a Rosary and thought if I pray more, then maybe God will give me the insight I need.
It was awesome, first my wife decided to join me at Church…and she loved it…our Pastor is so awesome. I was able to communicate and get buy in from the team at work, so we were working more “Like a team.” …I felt this closeness to God I had never experienced before. My wife and I got our children involved in ccd…I began teaching ccd, and have recently had the two most profitable years at work I have ever had.
It all started with, “Maybe this will work.” Why the Rosary? Only God know’s, but my life was changed and I pray the Rosary 10-12 times a week. Such a wonderful blessing it has been in my life.

 

[The_Reginator]

Great posts people! You are all very encouraging.

I plan on making today (well, tonight) the first day of my daily Rosary.
Prayer has been difficult for me for some time now. I’ve tried the Rosary in the past but I have never stuck with it. I am a convert (well I’ve now been Catholic for 15 years) and originally had difficulty in adjusting to not praying directly to God. Or so my thinking went years ago.

My life really needs more room for God. Once I learn to love him with all my soul, all my strength, all my heart and all my mind I should be well on my way.

Thanks again future saints!

Dominus vobiscum, Reg.

P.S. I’ve sometimes tried this: comepraytherosary.org/. But I find that (so far at least) using the computer to pray with is not personal enough.

 

[MariaChristi]

Great posts people! You are all very encouraging.

I plan on making today (well, tonight) the first day of my daily Rosary.
Prayer has been difficult for me for some time now. I’ve tried the Rosary in the past but I have never stuck with it. I am a convert (well I’ve now been Catholic for 15 years) and originally had difficulty in adjusting to not praying directly to God. Or so my thinking went years ago.

My life really needs more room for God. Once I learn to love him with all my soul, all my strength, all my heart and all my mind I should be well on my way.

Thanks again future saints!

Dominus vobiscum, Reg.

P.S. I’ve sometimes tried this: comepraytherosary.org/. But I find that (so far at least) using the computer to pray with is not personal enough.

Dear Reg,

What a joy to read that you are beginning your daily Rosary! Perseverance in prayer is important and we need to continually ask God for His Grace in our journey of prayer. One more excellent book for you to consider is a small one written by a layman, primarily for lay persons on growth in the spiritual life, according to centuries of Catholic teaching. It is based solidly on Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. The book is: The Ordinary Path to Holiness by Thomas Richard, published by Alba House with an Introduction by Father Benedict Groeschel.

If you’d like more information on this book, which includes some thoughts on praying the Rosary, but really encompasses the entire journey of prayer, please see: HERE

PS I agree with you – praying with a computer is too impersonal for me too.

 

[The_Reginator]

UPDATE.

It’s been two weeks of a daily Rosary.
I’ve always had trouble with my mind wandering while praying the Rosary. The biggest problem, though, has been the way that I cannot wait for it to be over. I have also suffered by falling asleep a few times.

To fight these problems I began to ask St. Joseph and St. Andre to pray for me that I may stay alert and really meditate and pray.
I have since stayed alert and have not been trying to rush or wait for the end of each decade. (Thank-you St.s Joseph and Andre!)

Here’s an interesting event that happened after praying for almost two weeks:
Aside from some part-time jobs, I have been unemployed since February 2010. In July I applied for a position at a company that I had never even heard of. I almost forgot about the application.

This past Monday (I’m writing this on Wednesday) I received a phone call ‘out of the blue’. The company was calling me about the job. I do not know at this time whether or not I will be able to accept a position, but it sure is encouraging to receive such a call. Coincidence? (I do not believe in luck or coincidence.)

 

[MariaChristi]

UPDATE.

It’s been two weeks of a daily Rosary.
I’ve always had trouble with my mind wandering while praying the Rosary. The biggest problem, though, has been the way that I cannot wait for it to be over. I have also suffered by falling asleep a few times.

To fight these problems I began to ask St. Joseph and St. Andre to pray for me that I may stay alert and really meditate and pray.
I have since stayed alert and have not been trying to rush or wait for the end of each decade. (Thank-you St.s Joseph and Andre!)

Here’s an interesting event that happened after praying for almost two weeks:
Aside from some part-time jobs, I have been unemployed since February 2010. In July I applied for a position at a company that I had never even heard of. I almost forgot about the application.

This past Monday (I’m writing this on Wednesday) I received a phone call ‘out of the blue’. The company was calling me about the job. I do not know at this time whether or not I will be able to accept a position, but it sure is encouraging to receive such a call. Coincidence? (I do not believe in luck or coincidence.)

Dear Reginator,

Nor do I believe in luck or coincidence – but I do believe with all my heart in Divine Providence and the powerful intercession of Our Blessed Mother and the blessings which can come from faithfully praying the Rosary. Thanks so much for your encouraging post!

 

[Tallguy88]

UPDATE.

It’s been two weeks of a daily Rosary.
I’ve always had trouble with my mind wandering while praying the Rosary. The biggest problem, though, has been the way that I cannot wait for it to be over. I have also suffered by falling asleep a few times.

To fight these problems I began to ask St. Joseph and St. Andre to pray for me that I may stay alert and really meditate and pray.
I have since stayed alert and have not been trying to rush or wait for the end of each decade. (Thank-you St.s Joseph and Andre!)

Here’s an interesting event that happened after praying for almost two weeks:
Aside from some part-time jobs, I have been unemployed since February 2010. In July I applied for a position at a company that I had never even heard of. I almost forgot about the application.

This past Monday (I’m writing this on Wednesday) I received a phone call ‘out of the blue’. The company was calling me about the job. I do not know at this time whether or not I will be able to accept a position, but it sure is encouraging to receive such a call. Coincidence? (I do not believe in luck or coincidence.)

I started praying the Rosary earlier this week and so far have only missed one day. At first I had problems keeping focused, but now it is easier. Even after only a few days, I can feel more control over the temptations that haunt me.

I have always had trouble praying by myself, it felt like I was just talking to the walls… But the Rosary is different. Perhaps it’s the meditative nature of it, but it draws me into myself in a way that no other way of praying ever has.

 

[The_Reginator]

I keep meaning to relate this experience.

One night recently I was meditating on the Glorious Mysteries as I prayed to our Lady.
I had to pause when it came to the fourth Glorious Mystery, The Assumption.
Jesus was resurrected, but Mary was assumed. Eh? Why the difference?

As I prayed it came to me.
Mary was Immaculate both in body and soul. Her body was ready for heaven at death.
Jesus, however, took our sins upon him. Therefor His body had to die with those sins before His Body could be ready for heaven.

Those ideas may now be theologically sound – in the way I have just presented them at least. But where did these thoughts come from? … Interesting…

I work evenings and have gotten into the habit of praying the Rosary after getting home each night.
Tonight for the first time in my life I found that I was really looking forward to this time of prayer.

THANK-YOU LORD!

 

[MariaChristi]

I started praying the Rosary earlier this week and so far have only missed one day. At first I had problems keeping focused, but now it is easier. Even after only a few days, I can feel more control over the temptations that haunt me.

I have always had trouble praying by myself, it felt like I was just talking to the walls… But the Rosary is different. Perhaps it’s the meditative nature of it, but it draws me into myself in a way that no other way of praying ever has.

Dear Tallguy,

Yes, I agree that the Rosary’s meditative nature does draw us closer to the Trinity dwelling within us and enables us to ponder with Mary, the Mysteries of her Life and the Life of her Son. Thanks for sharing your love for praying the Rosary.

 

[je333]

I am not sure where to post my concerns but I will try it here. Does anyone know of what the Church teaches on praying the rosary during mass? I have seen people who do it during mass and it seems so annoying. Rosaries are prayed every hour at the Church I go to except during mass but still I see people doing it during mass.

Who is in charge of advicing the people to pray the rosary but not during mass?

 

[MS_SURVEYOR]

I am not sure where to post my concerns but I will try it here. Does anyone know of what the Church teaches on praying the rosary during mass? I have seen people who do it during mass and it seems so annoying. Rosaries are prayed every hour at the Church I go to except during mass but still I see people doing it during mass.

Who is in charge of advicing the people to pray the rosary but not during mass?

I wouldn’t let it bother me. I remember as a young boy I saw old women praying the Rosary during mass. I haven’t seen it in a long time. I’d much rather see praying the Rosary than texting, looking at the young girls with short dresses and low cut blouses, or gossiping between each other.

 

[crenfro]

Hello.

I started praying the daily Rosary a few years ago, and if I forget to, my conscience, or something within me, sure lets me know.

Because I lack self-discipline, I have to try several approaches to saying the Rosary. A lot of times I use my pray-a-long Rosary CDs in the car and especially while walking my doggie at night. Sometimes I really fight it and end up doing it in bed just before sleep, but I don’t like myself much when I’m that lazy about it.

I like to do the Rosary while riding my bicycle, but I usually forget my place and have to start over unless I say it aloud while riding, but being the vain person I am, I feel like everyone’s staring at me when I do the sign of the cross and appear to talk to myself while riding.

I also like to do the Rosary CDs while sewing late at night. What lately has been helping is praying for a specific intention for each decade.

Also used to use some rosary helper thingies on the computer, but for some reason unknown to me I got irritated with those after a while. Who knows.

I’ve noticed a lot of parishes have a group that usually recites the Rosary just before or after the daily Mass. If I would, I’d do that.

Just know I gotta say it every day or things won’t be right.

For the other idea addressed, here’s what I found:

The church teaches NO to praying the Rosary during Mass.

Here’s an excerpt from a 2004 Catholic Answers post:​

From the 1974 Aposolic Exhortation “Marilias Cultus” at %between%
“31. … Secondly there are those who, without wholesome liturgical and pastoral criteria, mix practices of piety and liturgical acts in hybrid celebrations. It sometimes happens that novenas or similar practices of piety are inserted into the very celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. This creates the danger that the Lord’s Memorial Rite, instead of being the culmination of the meeting of the Christian community, becomes the occasion, as it were, for devotional practices. For those who act in this way we wish to recall the rule laid down by the Council prescribing that exercises of piety should be harmonized with the liturgy not merged into it.”

Also at the end of n. 48: “In fact, meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary, by familiaring the hearts and minds of the faithful with the mysteries of Christ, can be an excellent preparation for the creation of those same mysteries in the liturgical action and an also become a continuing echo thereof. However, it is a mistake to recite the Rosary during the celebration of the liturgy, though unfortunately this practice still persists here and there.”

The Rosary is recited in the liturgical ceremony “Order for the Blessing of Rosaries”. This is not a Mass. After the prayer of blessing, the rubric is: “1480 The recittion of the rosary follows, in the manner customary in the place.” Afer the rosary, there is a Concluding Rite to the ceremony. (Book of Blessings, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8, page 557.)​

I am not sure where to post my concerns but I will try it here. Does anyone know of what the Church teaches on praying the rosary during mass? I have seen people who do it during mass and it seems so annoying. Rosaries are prayed every hour at the Church I go to except during mass but still I see people doing it during mass.

Who is in charge of advicing the people to pray the rosary but not during mass?

 

[graceandfaith]

I haven’t dedicated to praying the Holy Rosary on a daily basis, but when I do pray it my soul feels at peace and at rest. I encourage everyone to pick up a rosary and pray through it. After the first 10-15 times, it becomes less like a chore and more like a blessing. I almost feel drawn to my rosary at times. Keep the faith!

 

[PrayRosary]

Good post. The Rosary saved my soul - when I decided to pray it devoutly every day I received such graces! Without the intercession of Our Blessed Mother I would still be lost in the world. I cannot even begin to explain the effect it is had on my life. It’s really such a gift.

 

[NihilObstatINRI]

I am the author of the blog post linked to in the OP, and I’d like to take a moment to ask for the prayers of the people reading this thread.
Recently I’ve had to deal with a major challenge to my life, so my spiritual life has been tested. It’s holding, the faith is there, but praying remains very hard. I feel like I lack the energy to say more than a couple prayers at a time.

However, it’s very encouraging to me to see all the people who are having success at strengthening their prayer lives, and I am attempting to do the same.

-Irenaeus Saintonge

 

[Belle10]

I may finally get the inspiration and determination to start a daily Rosary. (I’ve been planning that for years …)

I decided to pray the rosary daily a few years ago – it was my Lenten “thing” but I kept on with it after Lent was over and it’s been great! I’ve missed days here and there of course, but I always feel drawn back to it. I remember the former Fr. John Corapi saying once that it doesn’t matter if you *feel *like praying the rosary or not, just do it, it is a powerful weapon against evil!

I definitely notice a difference on days when I don’t pray it. The same goes for the chaplet of Divine Mercy.

UPDATE.

It’s been two weeks of a daily Rosary.
I’ve always had trouble with my mind wandering while praying the Rosary. The biggest problem, though, has been the way that I cannot wait for it to be over. I have also suffered by falling asleep a few times.

To fight these problems I began to ask St. Joseph and St. Andre to pray for me that I may stay alert and really meditate and pray.
I have since stayed alert and have not been trying to rush or wait for the end of each decade. (Thank-you St.s Joseph and Andre!)

We all know what that’s like. My mind wanders a lot too, I just do the best I can. Most days I don’t pray the whole thing in one sitting, I do a decade or two at a time. It’s tough with little ones!

Hope things are looking bright on the job front.

I am the author of the blog post linked to in the OP, and I’d like to take a moment to ask for the prayers of the people reading this thread.
Recently I’ve had to deal with a major challenge to my life, so my spiritual life has been tested. It’s holding, the faith is there, but praying remains very hard. I feel like I lack the energy to say more than a couple prayers at a time.

However, it’s very encouraging to me to see all the people who are having success at strengthening their prayer lives, and I am attempting to do the same.

-Irenaeus Saintonge

 

[The_Reginator]

I am the author of the blog post linked to in the OP, and I’d like to take a moment to ask for the prayers of the people reading this thread.
Recently I’ve had to deal with a major challenge to my life, so my spiritual life has been tested. It’s holding, the faith is there, but praying remains very hard. I feel like I lack the energy to say more than a couple prayers at a time.

However, it’s very encouraging to me to see all the people who are having success at strengthening their prayer lives, and I am attempting to do the same.

-Irenaeus Saintonge

I’m sure I don’t need to remind you, but I’ll say it anyways. PERSEVERANCE!

• major challenge in your life? – PRAY!
• spiritual life tested? – PRAY!
• praying is hard? – PRAY ALL THE MORE!

And never forget:

GOD CONTROLS ALL EVENTS, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD

Nothing happens in the the universe without God willing and allowing it. This statement must he taken absolutely of everything with the exception of sin. ‘Nothing occurs by chance in the whole course of our lives’ is the unanimous teaching of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, ‘and God intervenes everywhere.’

– Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence

For Irenaeus Saintonge:
**PATER NOSTER, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum.
Adveniat regnum tuum.
Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie,
et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem,
sed libera nos a malo.
Amen.

AVE MARIA, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.

GLORIA PATRI, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum.
Amen.**