Pray the Rosary

The Rosary

The word rosary comes from Latin and means a garland of roses, the rose being one of the flowers used to symbolize the Virgin Mary. If you were to ask what object is most emblematic of Catholics, people would probably say, "The rosary, of course." We’re familiar with the images: the silently moving lips of the old woman fingering her beads; the oversized rosary hanging from the waist of the wimpled nun; more recently, the merely decorative rosary hanging from the rearview mirror.

After Vatican II the rosary fell into relative disuse. The same is true for Marian devotions as a whole. But in recent years the rosary has made a comeback, and not just among Catholics. Many Protestants now say the rosary, recognizing it as a truly biblical form of prayer—after all, the prayers that comprise it come mainly from the Bible.

The rosary is a devotion in honor of the Virgin Mary. It consists of a set number of specific prayers. First are the introductory prayers: one Apostles’ Creed (Credo), one Our Father (the Pater Noster or the Lord’s Prayer), three Hail Mary’s (Ave’s), one Glory Be (Gloria Patri).

How To PrayThe Rosary

To pray the Rosary using rosary beads...

1. You start by making the Sign of the Cross with the cross in your hand.

2. Then you say the Apostles Creed while still holding the cross.

3. Then you move your fingers to the large bead above the cross and say the Our Father Prayer.

4. Next you move on to the three small beads upon which you say the Hail Mary Prayer.

5. Then the Glory Be Prayer.

6. Then you announce the Rosary Mystery being said. It is also common to focus on a particular virtue with each mystery; those recommended by St. Louis de Montfort.

7. Then an Our Father Prayer.

8. Then 10 Hail Mary Prayers.

9. Then the Glory Be Prayer.

10. Then the Fatima Prayer.

11. Then you repeat steps 7-10 until you have said a prayer on each bead contained on the string of rosary beads.

12. Then you finish the rosary with The Hail Holy Queen Prayer, Breviary Prayer and The Saint Michael Prayer and finally the Sign of the Cross.

Rosary Mysteries

The Joyful Mysteries	Virtues (St. Louis de Montfort)
The Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary	Humility
The Visitation of Mary to her cousin St. Elizabeth	Charity toward our neighbor
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ	Detachment from the things of the world, contempt of riches, and love of poverty
The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, and the Purification of His Holy Mother	Purity of body and soul
The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple	Divine Wisdom
The Sorrowful Mysteries	Virtues (St. Louis de Montfort)
The Agony in the Garden	Contrition for our sins
The Scourging at the Pillar	Mortification of our senses
The Crowning with Thorns	Detachment from the things of the world, contempt of riches, and love of poverty
The Carrying of the Cross	Patience in bearing our crosses
The Crucifixion	The conversion of sinners, the perseverance of the just, and the relief of the souls in Purgatory
The Glorious Mysteries	Virtues (St. Louis de Montfort)
The Resurrection	Love of God and fervor in His service
The Ascension	An ardent desire for heaven, our true home
The Descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost	The coming of the Holy Ghost into our souls
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven	Tender devotion to our Blessed Mother
The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth	Perseverance in grace and a crown of glory hereafter

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord;

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,

Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell;

The third day he rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost,

I believe in the Holy Catholic Church: the Communion of Saints,

The forgiveness of sins,

The resurrection of the body,

And the life everlasting. Amen.

Our Father

Our Father, Who art in heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name;

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit,

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

The Fatima Payer

O my Jesus,

forgive us our sins,

save us from the fires of hell,

lead all souls to Heaven,

especially those most in need of Thy mercy. Amen.

(William Thomas Walsh, Our Lady of Fatima, Doubleday, 1990, p. 220)

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy,

our life, our sweetness and our hope.

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve:

to thee do we send up our sighs,

mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious Advocate,

thine eyes of mercy toward us,

and after this our exile,

show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

"Let Us Pray" From the Breviary

Let us pray.

O God, whose only begotten Son,

by His life, death, and resurrection,

has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life,

grant, we beseech Thee,

that meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary,

we may imitate what they contain,

and obtain what they promise,

through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Saint Michael Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle.

Be our safeguard against the wickedness and the snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do thou O Prince of the Heavenly Host,

by the power of God,

cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.