Grow closer to Jesus through Mary in this How to Pray the Rosary, A Catholic Mother’s Guide

The Rosary is the weapon that will bring peace! This gift is the most powerful prayer of the Church, second only to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Handed to us by the Blessed Mother herself, every Catholic mother should be striving to Pray the Rosary!

“Where the Rosary is recited there will be days of peace and tranquillity”

-St. John Bosco

What are the Prayers of the Rosary?

You start holding the crucifix and make the Sign of the Cross.

If you would like to start with offering an intention you can place that here. For example, you could say something like, “Lord Jesus, I offer this Rosary for the the intentions of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts”.

Next you say the Apostles Creed while still holding the crucifix.

On the first large bead you say an Our Father for the Pope’s Intentions that are pleasing to God.

The next three beads are Hail Mary prayers for the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity or love.

On the chain between the last Hail Mary and the next large bead you say a Glory Be.

Then you introduce a mystery! There are 15 original mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary, given to us by the Blessed Mother. This is so beautiful, because the 150 Hail Mary’s represent the 150 Pslams!

We will go into each set of the original 3 mysteries in separate posts! For the purpose of this post they are listed below.

After you state the mystery for the decade (set of 10 Hail Mary’s) you pray an Our Father on each large bead followed by 10 Hail Mary’s while meditating on that mystery. On the chain at the end of each mystery you say a Glory Be and the Fatima Prayer. You continue all 5 decades in this manner.

When you get back to the center of the Rosary you recite the Hail Holy Queen and enter into the next mystery.

Continue with the other mysteries as you work your way around the chain!

Now often times people are not praying all 3 sets of mysteries in one day or in one sitting. However, it is a beautiful goal to strive for! We do our best to pray at least one 5 decade Rosary a day, and we try to pray a full Rosary on Sunday.

The Joyful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary

Our family prays these every day in Advent and on Monday’s and Thursday’s throughout the year. We announce them as follows:

  • The first Joyful Mystery is The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I desire the virtue of humility.
  • The Second Joyful Mystery is the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. I desire the virtue of charity toward my neighbor.
  • The Third Joyful Mystery is the Nativity, the Birth of Our Lord. I desire detachment from the world.
  • The Fourth Joyful Mystery is the Presentation of the Lord. I desire the virtue of purity.
  • The Fifth Joyful Mystery is the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. I desire the joy in finding Jesus.

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary

Our family prays these every Tuesday, Friday and during Lent everyday. We announce them as follows:

  • The First Sorrowful Mystery is the Agony of Our Lord Jesus in the Garden. I desire true repentance for my sins.
  • The Second Sorrowful Mystery is the Scouring at the Pillar. I desire a spirit of mortification.
  • The Third Sorrowful Mystery is the Crowing of our Lord Jesus with Thorns. I desire moral courage.
  • The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery is The Carrying of the Cross. I desire patience in adversity.
  • The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery is The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I desire final perseverance.

The Glorious Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary

Our family prays these every Wednesday, Sunday and during the Easter Season. We announce them as follows:

  • The First Glorious Mystery is the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I desire the virtue of faith.
  • The Second Glorious Mystery is the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I desire the virtue of hope.
  • The Third Glorious Mystery is the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. I desire the zeal for the glory of God.
  • The Fourth Glorious Mystery is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. I desire the grace of a holy death.
  • The Fifth Glorious Mystery is the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.

Making Time and Being Intentional When Praying!

Make time for God. When I am so busy with worldly tasks I may get things the things I need to do done, but when I set aside time for God He blesses me with “more time”. I have found time and time again that when we put God first everything else falls into place. We need to pray and listen to God in the silence of our hearts to build our relationship with Him.

If it is during nap time, at the beginning, or end of the day, I believe you can find time for prayer, and you too might be surprised at how when you dedicate time to God, He blesses you with more time in your schedule then you thought you had!

The Blessed Mother has told us time and time again to say the Rosary! She gives it to us. It incorporates everything we need to help us pray! Let us be intentional in our praying and unite our prayers to hers. In the Holy Rosary, there is the use of Scripture, meditative prayer on Christ’s Life, Death, and Resurrection, and we can add our intentions!

Our Lady of Fatima told us to pray the Rosary everyday to obtain peace in the world! 20 minuets of my time thinking about a God who loves me?! Yes please!

Alright! How Do I Focus?

To intentionally meditate on God, silence is very important. In 1 Kings 19, God was not in the wind, the earthquake, the fire, but in the whistling of gentle air. When we lift our mind to Him, He comes to us most clearly. Through meditating on His word, and speaking to Him in prayer, we open our hearts to an abundance of graces that have real effects in our daily lives!

We do not need to spend hours in silence, especially if it means abandoning our duties, however making time daily for intentional time with God is essential to growing closer to Him, and growing in holiness. This will look different for everyone, and will change through different seasons of life. Again, we can not have a relationship with someone we do not speak with or listen to! God loves our effort to draw near to Him! Draw near to God and He will draw near to you! – James 4:8

If a distraction enters in, either physically or mentally, remain calm, if it is a physical interruption handle it, and continue on. If it is a mental interruption shut the door on that thought and continue on! Distractions happen, don’t let them detract from your prayer.

While you are saying the prayers it can help to have scripture or holy images in front of you. This keeps us focused! If you get distracted, once you realize you are distracted close the door on that thought and keep going!

My favorite way to pray is to use a Scriptural Rosary Book to help keep my mind from wandering. While my husband is saying his half of the prayer I will read the corresponding verse in my head. If praying alone I just read each verse after each prayer.

wood with e-book and text

I have created a Scriptural Rosary for Catholic Mother’s E-Book! The first in this series is The Sorrowful Mysteries, is perfect for Lent, Tuesday’s and Friday’s throughout the year.

Let the Graces Overflow!

There are 15 promises to those who say the Rosary devoutly. This means that you pray with your heart, to deeply unite yourself to the desires of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts, and you give it your best effort. I have to remind myself of this often! Prayers are not a race they are the foundation of a relationship. The most important relationship!

If every time I spoke with a friend I rushed through the conversation, we probably wouldn’t remain very good friends. God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us! It is right and just to sit with Him, to carve time out of the busy beautiful day that He has gifted to us! When we do this we can trust He will fulfill these 15 Promises which I have rephrased. You can read them in full here.

The 15 Promises of the Rosary

1. Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause good works to flourish; obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means!
 5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.
6. Whosoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of Eternal Life.
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the Light of God and the plenitude of His Graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the Merits of the Saints in Paradise. 
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of Glory in Heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my Sons, and brothers of my Only Son Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

As wives and mothers it is important for us to find a balance between having mercy on ourselves, while also challenging ourselves to grow in our faith and sticking to our commitments to the Lord.

In our home my husband and I say the Rosary daily, and we have for years. Sad to say it is not always perfect prayer. In fact it can often be filled with distractions and sometimes rushed through. We must keep striving for holiness though, and persevere through prayer, even if it seems long, time consuming or tedious. The Rosary is a weapon and it is good for us to call to mind the spiritual battle that is all around us. We should remind ourselves that the Rosary has very real effects in the world and in our families!

We also remind ourselves prayer does not always need to feel like anything. The simple act of you setting aside time for God to answer His mothers call, is beautiful and pleasing to a Father who loves His children so deeply. If this time gets interrupted today, maybe tomorrow it won’t! Just keep saying the Rosary!

For us, we try to say the Rosary every night in the living room as a part of our family night time routine. We light a blessed candle and pray as a family. We notice a huge difference in our nights when we execute this routine with intention!

How will you answer the call to say the Rosary every day? Let us know in the comments below!

In Christ,

Jenny

Ave Maris Stella, Ora Pro Nobis

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