Prayers

The Rosary

The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer summarizing the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. According to Catholic tradition, the Rosary was instituted by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 13th century when she is said to have appeared to St. Dominic and given him a Rosary. The repetition of the prayers of the Rosary is meant to lead one into contemplative prayer related to each mystery. The Rosary is ever new because the situations and mysteries we are pondering have an unlimited number of dimensions to consider.

Mysteries of the Rosary

 A Rosary has four sets of mysteries - Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous - each with five myseteris included, as outlined below.

Joyful Mysteries

The joyful mysteries are traditionally prayed on Mondays, Saturdays, and, during the season of Advent, on Sundays. They are as follows:

1. The Annunciation
2. The Visition
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation in the Temple
5. The Finding in the Temple

Sorrowful Mysteries

The sorrowful mysteries are traditionally prayed on Tuesdays, Fridays, and, during the season of Lent, on Sundays. They are as follows:

1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion and Death

Glorious Mysteries

The glorious mysteries are traditionally prayed on Wednesdays and, outside the seasons of Advent and Lent, on Sundays. They are as follows:

1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption
5. The Coronation of Mary

Luminous Mysteries

The luminous mysteries are traditionally prayed on Thursdays. They are as follows:

1. The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan
2. The Wedding Feast at Cana
3. Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God
4. The Transfiguration
5. The Institution of the Eucharist

 

How to Pray the Rosary (the text for the prayers can be found below)

1. Begin by holding the crucifix, saying "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," making the sign of the cross while doing so. Then pray the APOSTLES' CREED. 
   
   
2. On the single bead just above the cross, pray the OUR FATHER.
   
   
3. The next cluster has 3 beads. The HAIL MARY is prayed on each of these three beads while meditating on the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and charity. 
   
   
4. On the chain or cord after the three beads, pray the GLORY BE. 
   
   
5. On the next bead, which is a single bead, you announce the first divine mystery of contemplation, perhaps followed by a reflection or brief reading from Scripture. For example, if it is Monday, you would announce: "The first Joyful Mystery is The Annunciation." At this point you pray the OUR FATHER.
   
   
6. This will bring you to the first decade, or set of 10 beads of the Rosary. On each bead, you will pray the HAIL MARY while contemplating the first mystery just announced. 
   
   
7. After the 10th HAIL MARY, you will have completed the first of 5 decades. You now come to another single bead. At this point, you pray several prayers, including the GLORY BE, O MY JESUS, and FATIMA PRAYER (optional). While still on this bead, you then announce the second mystery, again followed by a reflection or brief reading from Scripture if you so choose. For example, if it is Monday, and you're praying the Joyful Mysteries, you would announce: "The second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation."  At this point you pray the OUR FATHER.
   
   
8. You will now come to the second decade where you will pray the HAIL MARY 10 times while contemplating the appropriate mystery. At the end of the decade, you again come to a single bead where you pray the GLORY BE, O MY JESUS, and FATIMA PRAYER (optional). You then announce the third mystery, and continue in the same manner as with prior decades.
   
   
9. After praying the 5th decade, close it with the GLORY BE and O MY JESUS. At this point, you have prayed a Chaplet (a single set of 5 mysteries), and you have arrived at the joiner, where the the decades all join with the lower part of the rosary which contains the cross. When you come to the joiner, you decide whether or not you wish to say another Chaplet or end. If you decide to say another Chaplet, you simply begin the next set of mysteries by announcing the first, and you repeat the Chaplet with the new set of mysteries. When you have completed all of the Chaplets you wish to pray, to finish the rosary, pray the HAIL HOLY QUEEN followed by the CLOSING PRAYER. Conclude the rosary with the sign of the cross.

 

Rosary Prayers 

APOSTLES' CREED

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and 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, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

FATIMA PRAYER (this prayer is optional and may be said after all GLORY BEs)

O my Jesus, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Take all souls into heaven, especially, those most in need of thy mercy. Amen.

HAIL HOLY QUEEN (SALVE REGINA)

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!

V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God

R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray. O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.