"Beads of Salvation: Praying the Rosary to Reach
Heaven" was inspired by the writings of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori
contained in the book, "Les Plus Belles Prières de Saint Alphonse
de Liguori" (The Most Beautiful Prayers of Saint Alphonsus de Liguori) by
Father Saint-Omer, published in 1878. I have translated the prayers
from French into English. Saint Alphonsus taught that those who pray will
be saved, for he believed that those who pray often become more attuned to
doing God's will and are therefore heaven bound.
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What is a rosary?
Merriam-Webster defines the word "rosary" as rose garden. The Hail Marys
of the rosary are like spiritual roses gathered together from our garden
of prayers into a bouquet for Our Lady.
A rosary contains twenty decades and five Mysteries. Each Mystery has five
parts or scenes from the life of Christ related to its type. For example,
the Sorrowful Mysteries have five scenes drawn from the passion and death
of Christ. Each Mystery has five decades of ten Hail Marys. Each decade is
preceded by one Our Father and followed by one Glory Be and the Fátima
Prayer. The chart below illustrates the structure of the rosary.
Joyful Mysteries:
* The Annunciation
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Visitation
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Nativity
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Presentation
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer |
|
Luminous Mysteries:
* The Baptism of Jesus
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Wedding at Cana
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Proclamation of the Kingdom
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Transfiguration
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Institution of the Eucharist
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer |
|
|
|
Sorrowful Mysteries:
* The Agony in the Garden
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Scourging at the Pillar
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Crowning with Thorns
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Carrying of the Cross
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Crucifixion
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer |
|
Glorious Mysteries:
* The Resurrection
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Ascension
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Descent of the Holy Spirit
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Assumption
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer
* The Coronation
- (1) Our Father
- (10) Hail Marys
- (1) Glory Be
- Fátima Prayer |
All twenty decades can be said in one day, if you have the time. Most people
pray five decades per day. Here is the recommended schedule for praying the
Mysteries of the rosary:
* Monday: Joyful Mysteries
* Tuesday: Sorrowful Mysteries
* Wednesday: Glorious Mysteries
* Thursday: Luminous Mysteries
* Friday: Sorrowful Mysteries
* Saturday: Joyful Mysteries
* Sunday: Glorious Mysteries
Isn't the rosary just for Catholics?
Since the rosary is based on scripture, both Catholics and non-Catholics
can derive much benefit from praying the rosary.
Isn't the repetition of the prayers boring?
Only if the rosary is said improperly.
So how do you pray the rosary properly?
Imagine...
The calm, rhythmic repetition of the prayers... like soothing celestial music...
like Gregorian chant in the background... while we daydream about the
Lord. Not your everyday kind of daydream, but a dream where we visualize
- even become a part of - a scene in the life of Christ!
Let's take a look at how I do it:
Below is an excerpt from the book. I've taken a prayer by Saint Alphonsus
that relates to the first Joyful Mystery, the Annunciation, and divided it
into 10 sections - one for each "Hail Mary." I begin by saying aloud the
title of the mystery and then the "Our Father." The quotation in parenthesis
contains a meditative phrase relating to the mystery that you can think about
while saying the "Our Father." Then I read each prayer section to myself
while I recite aloud the "Hail Mary." Because the "Hail Mary"
is repeated so often you don't have to think of the words, and that enables
you to concentrate on Saint Alphonsus' prayer. I conclude the rosary mystery
with the Glory be and the Fátima Prayer. (See
Prayers of the rosary for the text
of each prayer.)
First Joyful Mystery: The
Annunciation2
("Be it done to me according to your word.")
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Immaculate and Most Holy Virgin, O most humble and magnificent creature before
God, you were quite small in your own eyes, but in the eyes of your Lord,
you were so great, that He raised you up to the point of choosing you for
his Mother and therefore establishing you as Queen of heaven and of earth.
Glory be...
Fátima Prayer |
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, why do we say
the rosary?
Here are the 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to Christians who recite the
Rosary3:
-
To all those who shall recite my Rosary devoutly, I promise my special protection
and very great graces.
-
Those who shall persevere in the recitation of my Rosary will receive some
signal grace.
-
The Rosary will be a very powerful armor against Hell; it will destroy vice,
deliver from sin, and dispel heresy.
-
The Rosary will make virtue and good works flourish, and will obtain for
souls the most abundant divine mercies; it will substitute in hearts love
of God for love of the world, and elevate them to desire heavenly and eternal
good. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means!
-
Those who trust themselves to me through the Rosary will not perish.
-
Those who shall recite my Rosary piously, considering its mysteries, will
not be overwhelmed by misfortune, nor die a bad death. The sinner will be
converted; the just will grow in grace and become worthy of eternal life.
-
Those truly devoted to my Rosary will not die without the consolations of
the Church, or without grace.
-
Those who shall recite my Rosary will find during their life and at their
death the light of God, the fullness of His grace, and will share in the
merits of the blessed.
-
I will deliver very promptly from Purgatory the souls devoted to my Rosary.
-
The true children of my Rosary will enjoy great glory in Heaven.
-
What you shall ask through my Rosary you shall obtain.
-
Those who propagate my Rosary will obtain through me aid in all their
necessities.
-
I have obtained from my Son that all confreres of the Rosary shall have for
their brethren in life and death the saints of Heaven.
-
Those who recite my Rosary faithfully are all my beloved children, the brothers
and sisters of Jesus Christ.
-
Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination (to heaven).
Need I say more? Now go pray the rosary!
PRAYERS OF THE ROSARY
+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,
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 among the dead; the third day He rose again;
He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty;
from where He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Sprit, 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 among 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 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.
Fátima Prayer:
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.
HOW TO USE THE ROSARY BEADS
Rosary
Image4
NOTE:
Before beginning the rosary, state your intentions for saying the rosary.
Some examples of intentions include:
-
for the end of abortion and embryonic stem cell research
-
for the well-being and protection of loved ones
-
for the healing of family and friends
-
in reparation for personal sins and the sins of the whole world
-
for those who have passed on who might be in Purgatory
If convenient, I say the prayers of the rosary outloud, except for my intentions,
while I read the text to myself.
Introduction:
-
(1) Sign of the Cross - bless yourself with the cross, mentally state your
intentions for saying the rosary, and then pray the Apostles Creed
-
(2) One Our Father on the large bead
-
(3) Three Hail Marys - one on each of the small beads
-
Conclude with the Glory Be and Fátima Prayer before entering the circle
of beads
First Decade:
Follow the same pattern through all the decades of the rosary.
Conclusion: finish the rosary with the following prayers:
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 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.
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 meditating on 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.
+Sign of the Cross
The book is absolutely FREE to read online or download to your computer.
All I require is that you reproduce it in its entirety with the copyright
notice intact.
For those who are particularly appreciative...
Donna and I are fortunate to live near Emmitsburg, Maryland which is the
home of the Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Saint Mary's Seminary, and
the National Shrine Grotto of Lourdes. The Grotto, known affectionately as
"Mary's Mountain," is a replica of the shrine in Lourdes, France and draws
thousands of visitors from around the world who come to pay homage annually
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Welcome Center. If you feel that our book has been of value to you and would
like to show your appreciation, we invite you to make a donation to their
wonderful cause securely online at:
https://www.msmary.edu/support-mount/givingform/giving_form.
Choose "Grotto Fund" as your gift purpose. Thanks and may God bless you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FREE TO READ OR DOWNLOAD
This book is free to read or download. All I require is that you reproduce
it in its entirety with the copyright notice intact.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
Introduction
|
Joyful
Mysteries
|
Luminous
Mysteries
|
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Sorrowful
Mysteries
|
Glorious
Mysteries
|
Footnotes
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright © 2009 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction
of this material must be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact.
This book is not for sale, but is offered to the public free of charge for
the glory of God, in deep appreciation for the mercy and grace of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, and in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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