The Rosary

The Rosary is a long chain that links heaven and earth. One end of it is in our hands and the other end is in the hands of the
holy Virgin...the Rosary prayer rises like incense tot he feet of the Almighty. ~ Saint Theresa of Lisieux

THE ROSARY

The use of beads or knotted ropes to count large numbers of prayers comes from the earliest days of Christianity, but the rosary as we know it today emerged in the second thousand years of Church history. The full rosary consists of 150 Hail Marys, divided into three sets of 50, which are further divided in five sets of 10 (a decade).

The purpose of the Rosary is to help keep in memory certain principal events or mysteries in the history of our salvation, and to thank and praise God for them.

Traditionally, the rosary is divided into three sets of mysteries: Joyful (recited on Monday and Thursday, and Sunday from Advent to Lent); Sorrowful (Tuesday and Friday, and Sunday during Lent); and Glorious (Wednesday and Saturday, and Sunday from Easter until Advent).

(When Pope John Paul II introduced the optional Luminous Mysteries in 2002, he recommended praying the Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday, and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday and Sunday year-round, leaving Thursday open for meditation on the Luminous Mysteries.)

How to pray the rosary

1. Make the Sign of the Cross and say the "Apostles' Creed."
2. Say the "Our Father."
3. Say three "Hail Mary's."
4. say the "Glory Be."
5. Announce the First Mystery; then say the
"Our Father."
6. Say ten "Hail Mary's," while meditating on the Mystery.
7. Say the "Glory Be," then say the "Fatima Prayer."
8. Announce the Second Mystery; then say the
"Our Father."
Repeat 6 and 7 and continue with the Third, Fourth and Fifth Mysteries in the same manner.
9. Say the "Hail Holy Queen."

sign of the Cross

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

Apostle's 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; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will 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 in with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your 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.

Fatima prayer

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy.

Hail Holy queen

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy! Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V. Pray for us, Holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

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 you, that we who meditate on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the blessed Virgin Mary, may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

The rosary helps us to be conformed ever more closely to Christ until we attain true holiness. ~ St. John Paul II

The joyful mysteries (Monday and saturday)

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

The Luminous Mysteries (Thursday)

1. Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
2. Manifestation of Jesus at the Wedding at Cana
3. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
4. Transfiguration of Jesus
5. Institution of the Eucharist

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday)

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

The glorious mysteries (Wednesday and sunday)

1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven
5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary