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*~Prayers~*

~How To Pray The Rosary~

~The Luminous Mysteries~

Pope John Paul II dedicated the year of 2004 as 'The Year Of The Rosary'
and he created the Luminous Mysteries, five new mysteries for the Rosary.
I have added them at the bottom of this page.~
 
      

Retreat Master: Fr. Rory Pitstick wrote in one of the daily 'visual retreat I get via e-mail': (I did not write for permission since he no longer does the virtual retreats, a deacon does them now).

"Our Lady Of Sorrows
   Protestants are often bewildered (or even offended!) by Catholics' devotion to Mary.  Often, the following distinctions clear up major misunderstandings:
   Catholics DO NOT worship Mary, be we DO honor her.  Worship is owed to God alone - if we were to worship Mary, and treat her on par with God, that would indeed be the horrendous sin of idolatry!  On the other hand, not only is it proper to honor Mary, it would literally be un-Christlike to refuse honor to His blessed Mother.
   For this reason, prayers addressed to Mary (or any other saints) are quite different from prayers addressed to God.  Marian prayers merely give honor to Mary and implore her intercession (that is, ask her to pray of us!).  Protestants will sometimes question why Mary's intercession is sought, quoting a verse from the first reading.  There is also one mediator between God and men, that man is Christ Jesus ...
   But note that earlier in this same reading, Paul recommends intercessory prayers: I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone ...  Since you and I can pray for others (and we should!), there is no reason why Mary cannot pray for us - indeed, her prayers, offered from her honored place in Heaven, are surely more efficacious than any prayer offered by ourselves here on earth!
   Today's feast is thus purposely linked to yesterday's feast of the Exultation of the Cross: indeed, Mary was able to hear all her sorrows because she viewed everything from the vantage point of her Son's Cross.  This day, and everyday, we honor her for being the human being closest to her Son Jesus, and we implore her intercession that we may follow her example!"
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The Rosary, the Angel Gabriel's first word to Mary when he appeared to her to ask her to be the Mother of Jesus.  Also Elizabeth, Mary's cousin, when she saw Mary coming towards her, she just blurted out, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the FRUIT of your womb ...".  These two happenings in Mary's young life, at fifteen years of age, became to be known as the Rosary.
      
 

The Holy Rosary

The Holy Rosary

m.gif (1345 bytes) "The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish".
Promise of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

What the Rosary is
How to pray the Rosary
Prayers of the Rosary
Benefits of the Rosary
Blessings of the Rosary


WHAT THE ROSARY IS


The word Rosary means "Crown of Roses". Our Lady has revealed to several people that each time they say a Hail Mary they are giving her a beautiful rose and that each complete Rosary makes her a crown of roses.
The rose is the queen of flowers, and so the Rosary is the rose of all devotions and it is therefore the most important one.

The Rosary is made up of two things: mental prayer and vocal prayer.

M
ental prayer is the meditation of the chief mysteries of the life, death and glory of Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother.

The fifteen mysteries are divided into Joyful, Sorrowful and
Glorious.

Vocal prayer consists in saying fifteen or five decades of the Hail Mary, each decade headed by an Our Father, while at the same time meditating on and contemplating the fifteen principal virtues which Jesus and Mary practised in the fifteen mysteries of the Holy Rosary.The complete Rosary consists of fifteen decades, but is more commonly said in five decades.
So the Rosary is a blessed blending of mental and vocal prayer by which we honor and learn to imitate the mysteries and the virtues of the life, death, passion and glory of Jesus and Mary.

T
he Holy Mother Church received the Rosary in its present form in 1214 in a miraculous way, when Our Lady appeared to Saint Dominic and gave it to him as a powerful means of converting the heretics and other sinners. Since then the devotion spread around the world with incredible and miraculous results.


HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY




To say the Rosary to advantage one must be in a state of grace or at very least be fully determined to give up mortal sin.

1.While holding the crucifix make the Sign of the Cross and then recite the Apostles Creed.
2.Recite the Our Father on the first large bead.
3.On each of the three small beads recite a Hail Mary for an increase of faith, hope and charity.
4.Recite the Glory Be to the Father on the next large bead.
5.Recall the first Rosary Mystery and recite the Our Father on the next large bead. The Joyful Mysteries are meditated on Mondays and Thursdays, Sundays of Advent and after Epiphany until Lent. The Sorrowful Mysteries are meditated on Tuesdays and Fridays, and Sundays in Lent. The Glorious Mysteries are meditated on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and Sundays after Easter until Advent.
6.On each of the adjacent ten small beads (also refered to as a decade) recite a Hail Mary while reflecting on the mystery.
7.On the next large bead, recite the Glory Be to the Father. The Fatima decade prayer may also be said.
8.Each succeeding decade is prayed in a similar manner by recalling the appropriate mystery, reciting the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, the Glory Be to the Father, and the Fatima decade prayer (optional) while reflecting on the mystery.
9.When the fifth mystery is completed, the Rosary is Customarily concluded with the Hail, Holy Queen.



PRAYERS OF THE ROSARY


The Sign of the cross
The apostles Creed
The Our Father
The Hail Mary
The Glory be
Salve Regina


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 into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall 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 by 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 our death. Amen.



GLORY BE TO THE FATHER


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.




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 unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V. Pray for us, O 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 Thee, that meditating upon 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.


After each decade say the following prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima:


"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy."



BENEFITS
OF THE ROSARY


1. It gradually gives us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ.
2. It purifies our souls, washing away sin.
3. It gives us victory over all our enemies.
4. It makes it easy for us to practice virtue.
5. It sets us on fire with love of Our Lord.
6. It enriches us with graces and merits.
7. It supplies us with what is needed to pay all our debts to God and to our fellow men; and
finally, it obtains all kinds of graces for us from Almighty God.


BLESSINGS OF THE ROSARY


1. Sinners are forgiven.
2. Souls that thirst are refreshed.
3. Those who are fettered have their bonds broken.
4. Those who weep find happiness.
5. Those who are tempted find peace.
6. The poor find help.
7. Religious are reformed.
8. Those who are ignorant are instructed.
9. The living learn to overcome pride.
10. The dead (the Holy Souls) have their pains eased by suffrages.

Pray my Rosary

The Holy RosaryPage up

The Work of God - Holy Rosary

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Posted with written permission from The Work Of GOD.Org
I would like to thank The Work Of GOD's webmaster for giving me the opportunity to have this page in my site it is the most simple and easy way to instruct how to pray the Rosary.
They have worked extremely hard to put that page together and I Thank PAPA DIEU that I browsed to their Web site.
Please visit their Web Site, here is the URL:
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~The Luminous Mysteries
(said on Thursdays)
 
1. The Baptism of Christ
"And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the Heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove, and alighting on Him: and lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased". Mt 3:16-17 
 
2. The Wedding at Cana
This, the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him". Jn 2:11
 
3. Preaching of Christ on the Kingdom, conversion and reconciliation
"Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of God, and saying,
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel".  Mk 1:14-15
 
4. The Transfiguration
"And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.
And He was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him".  Mt 17:1-3
 
5. The Last Supper and the Institution of the Eucharistic
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said,
"Take, eat; this is my Body".  And he took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying,
"Drink of it, all of you; for this is My Blood of the covenant, which is poured our for many for the forgiveness of sins".
Mt 26:26-28
 
      

 

 

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~I scanned / saved some graphic frames from very old Annals I have, in black and white that I colorized, in some pages in this Prayers site.  I also saved some graphics taken from Google Images.  If I am not honoring the owner's copyright please let me know.  Thank you.~