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For centuries, Catholics have prayed the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is impossible to say exactly how or when this prayer began.
There are many paintings that show Our Blessed Mother giving the Rosary to St. Dominic. This does not mean that the Rosary started with St. Dominic, but that Dominicans have long been promoters of the Rosary.
Dominicans promote the Rosary for a number of reasons.
The prayers of the Rosary, the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father are among the most familiar of Catholic prayers. But as important as the words of these prayers are, the Rosary reminds us that prayer never stops at words, but always goes in search of God.
The Rosary helps us in our search for God by presenting phpects of the mystery of God as revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
And the Rosary, prayed in honor of Mary, is a reminder of our belief in the Communion of Saints. Mary – and all the saints in heaven – continue to pray with and for us.
Our reliance on the prayers of Mary and the saints does not mean we cannot approach God by ourselves. But why go alone when we can go with others?
The Mysteries of the Rosary
| The Joyful Mysteries (Monday and Saturday) | |
| • | The Angel Gabriel is sent to Mary. |
| • | Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth. |
| • | Jesus is born in Bethlehem. |
| • | Jesus is presented to God in the Temple. |
| • | Jesus is found among the doctors of the Law. |
| The Luminous Mysteries (Thursday) | |
| • | Jesus is babtized. |
| • | Jesus performs his first miracle at the wedding of Cana. |
| • | Jesus makes the proclamation of the kingdom. |
| • | Jesus is transfigured. |
| • | Jesus prepares the first Eucharist. |
| The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday) | |
| • | Jesus prays in Gethsemani. |
| • | Jesus is scourged. |
| • | Jesus is crowned with thorns. |
| • | Jesus carries the cross. |
| • | Jesus dies on the cross. |
| The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday and Sunday) | |
| • | Jesus is raised from the dead. |
| • | Jesus returns to the Father. |
| • | Jesus sends his Spirit on the Church. |
| • | Mary is taken up into heavenly glory. |
| • | Mary is crowned Queen of Saints. |
How to pray the Rosary
Begin each mystery with Our Father, then pray the Hail Mary ten times and end with the Glory be to the Father.
As each Hail Mary is prayed, explore the mystery and what it might mean for you at this time in your life. The mysteries of Christianity are rooted in the past but continue in our own time.
For some people, the Rosary tends to be a mere repetition of words that do not seem much like praying. For other people, the Rosary is an ever deepening form of prayer that begins with words but leads to quiet contemplation of the wonder of God's love revealed in Christ Jesus.
You may find this a useful rule of thumb: if your mind wanders, use the words to re-focus your attention... but always be ready to let God lead you beyond the words deeper into the Divine Presence.
St. Jude Prayer
Gracious God, your Son Jesus Christ gave us the confidence to call you Father. We believe you care for us. We believe also in the Communion of Saints. With confidence we ask St. Jude, patron of difficult cases, to pray with us, for our special intentions....
Thank you, God, for hearing our prayer. Amen.
Related links
• Familiar prayers
• Daily prayers
• Prayers for special needs
• Praying the rosary
• Honoring saints
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