The Rosary is often misunderstood. This devotion is not about Mary, but is a meditation on the life of Christ; Our Lady is simply our teacher and chaperone. The fruit of this prayer is to enter deeper into the life of Christ.

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MYSTERIES of the ROSARY

The Joyful Mysteries (prayed Mondays & Saturdays) | fruit of the Mystery

1. The Annunciation | humility
2. The Visitation | love of neighbor
3. The Birth of Jesus | poverty
4. The Presentation | obedience
5. Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple | joy in finding Jesus

The Luminous Mysteries (Thursdays)

1. The Baptism of Jesus | openness to the Holy Spirit
2. The Wedding at Cana | to Jesus through Mary
3. Proclaiming the Kingdom | repentance and trust in God
4. The Transfiguration | desire for holiness
5. The Institution of the Eucharist | Adoration

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesdays and Fridays)

1. The Agony in the Garden | sorrow for sin
2. The Scourging at the Pillar | purity
3. The Crowning with Thorns | courage
4. The Carrying of the Cross | patience
5. The Crucifixion | perseverance

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesdays and Sundays)

1. The Resurrection | faith
2. The Ascension | hope
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit | love
4. The Assumption | grace of a happy death
5. The Coronation | trust in Mary’s intercession

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PRAYERS of the ROSARY

(Prayer title in bold. Leader’s spoken words. Responses are in italics.)

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. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sin, 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; They 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 are 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.

Fatima Prayer. Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen. Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, or life, our sweetness and our hope, to thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee to we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears; turn, then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of they womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be worthy of the promises of life.

V. Let us pray.

R. O God, by the life, death and resurrection of Your only begotten Son, You have purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech Thee, that while 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.

Mary is the mother of the Church and she will remain so until her son returns in glory.

Mary is the mystical Rose. She lets Castilian Roses to bloom in winter. She is the Rose of Sharon. She is the enclosed garden and the sealed fountain. She is the mother of God. Why is Mary so unique? There is no other human being other than Mary who is so much united with the mysteries of Jesus in such a profound way.

Mary said “Yes” to the plan for human redemption. She carried God in her womb for nine months. Her Son is true man and true God. We all have 46 chromosomes and half comes from our father and half from our mother. Jesus is true man because of Mary. Jesus is true God because he was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mary, the virgin, gave birth to Jesus. She therefore brought God to earth. We have Jesus because of Mary. God called her the blessed woman full of graces. She endured the humiliation at Bethlehem, the flight to Egypt, and the poverty at Nazareth to bring up her son. She fed him, bathed him and clothed him. Jesus submitted to Mary, the human, for thirty years. He obeyed her in every thing.

Mary initiated the public ministry of Christ. It was not his time. He kept aside his heavenly plan in total obedience to his mother, and started his ministry earlier than scheduled at Cana. It was not his time but he broke the heavenly protocol at the request of Mary and turned water into wine. God often breaks protocols at the request of Mary. Mary is still his mother.

Mary suffered with Christ. When they flogged him, spat upon him and abused him, the mother took those shames in silence. She was at the foot of the cross. Peter fled. Thomas fled. Andrew fled. Mary stayed at the foot of the cross. She saw the death of her son. She accepted the whole humanity as her children at the foot of the cross. The Church was born again through Mary at the foot of the cross when Jesus said, “Behold your son, and behold your mother”. We are the children of Mary and Mary is our mother.

Mary saw the risen Christ and the ascending Christ. Mary received the Holy Spirit at the upper room on the day of Pentecost. She was an early evangelist with her adopted son John, the evangelist.

There is no human being in the whole history who is equivalent to Mary. She conceived God in her womb. She brought God to the world. She brought up God’s son by her toils. She inaugurated the public ministry of Christ. She suffered with Christ in his passion. She stood at the foot of the cross and saw the redemption of man kind unfolding in the sorrows of crucifixion.

She birthed the church at the foot of the cross when she accepted John as her son. She saw the promise of resurrection. She saw the arrival of her eternal spouse, the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. She approved the works of Peter.