The Rosary

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Dempsey1919

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I’ve been reading about the Rosary and I am thinking about starting to recite it.

Does anyone have any tips for a beginner? I am finding it quite difficult to remember the mysteries and I think this will be even harder when I pray it. Is there a book of pictures that I can use to help? Does anyone read the appropriate bible verses before praying a decade etc?

Also, how long does it take you to pray the Rosary? And what time of day do you think it’s best to be prayed?

Thanks.
 
Dempsey1919 said:
I’ve been reading about the Rosary and I am thinking about starting to recite it.

Does anyone have any tips for a beginner? I am finding it quite difficult to remember the mysteries and I think this will be even harder when I pray it. Is there a book of pictures that I can use to help? Does anyone read the appropriate bible verses before praying a decade etc?

Also, how long does it take you to pray the Rosary? And what time of day do you think it’s best to be prayed?

Thanks.
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rosary-center.org/
 
I had a really hard time with this. :confused: These links helped me:

If you want the verses, this helped A LOT:
virtualrosary.org/

If you want something to print out and carry around with you:

newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf

Good luck! I have only been saying the rosary for a few months now, but it brings me a lot of peace, and I feel much closer to God.👍
 
Also, about the time of day and how much time it takes: I usually give myself about a half of an hour, although it doesn’t usually take that long. I like to get up a little earlier in the morning and do it first thing, while the coffee is brewing, :o , so I don’t forget.I’m pretty scatterbrained.😃 A friend of mine told me she does hers on her daily commute, and she says it helps to keep her calm. I like that idea too.
 
may not be the standard advice, but this is how we start in RCIA and confirmation classes. we begin with the basic scripture for the Joyful mysteries, Luke chapters 1 and 2 and read and pray with them together for a couple of weeks. Then we introduce the mechanics of the rosary, which you can get from any of those links. then we pray one decade each week, re-reading the scripture for it first. we do Joyful Mysteries in Advent, Luminous mysteries after Christmas, Sorrowful Mysteries in Lent, and Glorious mysteries after Easter during mystagogy. this whole thing takes about 15 minutes after our class each week, at the end, for those who wish to participate, and most do.

then we invite candidates to participate anytime there is a public recitation of the rosary, because the way it is done here, the scriptural reference is read before each decade, either in English or Spanish. In this way the begin learning immersed in the scripture about Christ, and don’t have to deal with confusion about who the prayer is for and about.
 
siouxbhoney said:
I had a really hard time with this. :confused: These links helped me:

If you don’t want to read the verses, but get a good feel for the meditation:
medjugorje.org/rosary.htm
If you want the verses, this helped A LOT:
virtualrosary.org/

If you want something to print out and carry around with you:

newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf

Good luck! I have only been saying the rosary for a few months now, but it brings me a lot of peace, and I feel much closer to God.👍
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The other two sites are fine but you shouldn’t be referring the OP to the site of apparitions not approved by the Church.
 
thistle said:
The other two sites are fine but you shouldn’t be referring the OP to the site of apparitions not approved by the Church.
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Is the first link about an apparition not approved by the church? I had no idea, and I certainly wouldn’t want to send someone confusing info, but that particular page had the meditations for the rosary set out in a way that was easy for me to follow and use.
 
Mary is an incomparable Mother…
Code: 
  << Behold your Mother >>  Jesus
There are numerous meditations on the Rosary… I like anything that Pope Jean-Paul II wrote about Mary or the Rosary.

Sometimes I ask Mary to help me to see the life of Jesus through her eyes.

Mary is the Mother of the Divine Mercy.

<< The Rosary is my weapon >> Padre Pio

JMJ,
Ricardo
 
Dempsey1919 said:
I am finding it quite difficult to remember the mysteries and I think this will be even harder when I pray it. Is there a book of pictures that I can use to help?

And what time of day do you think it’s best to be prayed?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
There are Rosary prayer cards ( with pictures )to help you follow the mysteries… they are sometimes plasticised so you can stand one up where you are praying.

Anytime is good. 3PM is when Jesus gave up His life for us. Perhaps you could pray at that hour… time permitting.

JMJ,
Ricardo
 
I love the large prayer card that has lovely pictures of each mystery and the bible vs(s)…

However, when all else fails, just buy a CD 👍
 
Lots of good advice. Don’t say the Rosary when you are naturally sleepy, like after lunch or at bedtime would be for me. At least not while you’re still learning. Some people use the Rosary to fall asleep, but right now you want to be able to concentrate on it.

Betsy
 
I don’t have all the mysteries memorized, but I do have a favorite mystery memorized. Because I have a special dedication to the Passion of Christ. The mystery I have memorized is the Sorrowful Mysteries and a great visual aid is the book from the movie: The Passion of Christ. It follows the Sorrowful Mysteries directly from The Agony in the Garden to The Crucifixion. Also “Use “Golden Nuggets” from Pope John Paul 2’s Rosary Tips”. These are some things that help me pray the Rosary daily.

Your brother in Christ

“If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire.” --Saint Catherine of Siena
 
If your parish has a brochure stand, they may have one on “How to Pray the Rosary,” or, like people have said, little prayer cards at a Catholic book store. You could just copy them out on an index card and keep it in your wallet if you wanted. Or, here ya go, one page:

newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf

The Luminous Mysteries are optional. Pope John Paul II suggested them.

Traditionally the Rosary would be: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious Mysteries all in one sitting (or at different times of the day. I saw Lucia’s rosary at Fatima and it had 150 tiny Hail Mary beads, now that’s intimidating!) but that is not often followed any more, usually you say a third part (or fourth if using Luminous) in a day. The website above has the days, or if not using Luminous you would say I think Glorious on Thursday and Joyful on Wednesday, at least that’s what I do.

If you get discouraged ask Mary and your guardian angel to help you concentrate.
 
Thanks for the help and suggestions. I’ve just finished saying my first Rosary and it was an experience! I felt very close to Jesus. I meditated on the Joyful Mysteries and tried to see the events through the eyes of the Virgin and imagine how she felt when all of this happened. It took me a little over 30 minutes to complete the 5 decades.

I have decided to say 5 decades daily early in the morning. It will be the first thing that I do after getting up.

I figure that if I can spend hours watching television every day, I can spare at least one hour for God. Hopefully, this is the start of a habit that will last a lifetime.
 
My mom who is not a Catholic taught me the Rosary as a child, but she did not know about Mysteris and it was not until I was an adult that I knew there were any Mysteries that went with the Rosary. Here is what I suggest to beginners, and by no means am I an expert! First and foremost, learn which Prayers go on every bead, don’t worry about the Mysteries until you have this down pat. Then this is how I memorized the Mysteris and the days they are prayed on. Remember the numbers 1-2-3. Monday -1
Tuesday - 2
Wednesday - 3
Thursday - 1
Friday - 2
Saturday - 3

Jouful - 1
Sorrowful - 2
Glorious - 3

Then Jesus was born -1 Jouful
Then he Suffered - 2 Sorrowful
Then he Rose -3 Glorious

1-2-3 I hope this helps. It’s easier to explain it in person than to type it. God Bless and may our Lady Bless you too!!👍
 
To meditate on the mysteries, you have to know what happened so you can remember it to meditate on it.

So, read the stories from the bible over and over again.
For the Joyful Mysteries, read Luke chapters 1 through 3 and become thoroughly familiar with it.

For the sorrowful, become familiar with the scriptures about the Passion of Christ.

For the Glorious, become thoroughly familiar with the scriptures concerning the resurrection, ascension, and descent of the Holy Ghost. For the Assumption and Coronation of Mary, first study Catholic teaching on WHY we have these theological conclusions. This helps when meditating on the last two glorious mysteries. At least, it is a big help to me.

The same principles apply for familiarizing yourself with the scriptures behind the 5 new Luminous Mysteries.

The Rosary is wonderful. May God bless you for praying it daily.
Jaypeeto4
+JMJ+
 
I also would take a piece of scripture that pertains to a particular mystery and recite it after you announce that mystery like The Agony in the Garden or The Resurrection: when he appears to his disciples for the first time what does he say? It doesn’t have to be long, the shorter the better. It seems to bring me closer to that particular mystery. This works for me.

Your brother in Christ

“If you are what you should be, you will set the world on fire.” --Saint Catherine of Siena
 
I also would take a piece of scripture that pertains to a particular mystery and recite it after you announce that mystery like The Agony in the Garden or The Resurrection: when he appears to his disciples for the first time what does he say? It doesn’t have to be long, the shorter the better. It seems to bring me closer to that particular mystery. This works for me.
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I’ve started doing this. I find that it’s much easier to meditate after reading the scripture that corresponds to the particular mystery.

I also read this in Rosarium Virginis Mariae, an Apostolic Letter of John Paul II. I would recommend that everyone interested in the Rosary read this. It is excellent.

Also, I’ve just read The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis De Montfort. Below is a quotation from this book:
Take great care to avoid the two pitfalls that most people fall into during the Rosary. The first is the danger of not asking for any graces at all, so that if some good people were asked their Rosary intention they would not know what to say. So, whenever you say your Rosary, be sure to ask for some special grace or virtue, or strength to overcome some sin.
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What kind of graces are appropriate to ask for and when do you ask for them? Do you ask for them before you say the Creed or after you say the Salve Regina?

I would like to add that the Rosary is a truly magnificent prayer. I’ve said it twice and it’s amazing how close you feel to God. It’s a very powerful experience; it’s not at all mechanical, repetitious or boring. It’s suprising that every Catholic doesn’t recite the Rosary.
 
I learned a technique to help with focus during cathecist training.
I add a single word, or phrase at the end of “blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus______”

Joyful
Annunciation=Incarnation
Visitation=Sanctifying
Nativity=Emmanuel
Presentation=Redeemer
Finding Jesus in the Temple=Teaching

Sorrowful
Agony in the Garden=In the Garden
Scourging at the Pillar=Scourged
Crowning with Thorns=King of Kings
Carrying the Cross=Taking my cross
Crucifixion=Crucified

Luminous
Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan=Baptized
Wedding at Cana=Providing
Proclamation of the Kingdom=Messiah
Transfiguration=Transfigured
Institution of the Eucharist=In the Eucharist

Glorious
Resurrection=Resurrected
Ascension=Lord of Lords
Descent of the Holy Spirit=Indwelling
Assumption of Mary into Heaven=Raising us up
Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven=Prince of Peace
 
This is something that gets easier with time and practice, when I first learned the rosary it took concentration just to remember the words (as at that time the Hail Mary was a new prayer to me) but practice made the prayers automatic and it became extraordinarily for my mind to wander and to even forget where I was in the prayer saying it aloud or just moving your lips without actually making the words audible (in situations where it’s important to be quiet, especially if other people are praying nearby) helped me keep track of where I am in the prayer while my mind is trying to keep track of two trains of thought at a time (i.e. both the words and the mysteries)
That’s possibly not the most useful advice but hopefully knowing that other people have the same trouble will help. 🙂
 
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