Pray the Rosary

Rosary are very precious.  Often Rosary beads are given to people at important times of their life especially on the occasion of First Communion.  People returning from Rome often bring back Rosary that have been blessed by the Pope.  In some families Rosary have been handed down from generation to generation.  In a similar way religious on entering the community were often gifted Rosary from a deceased member of the Congregation.

You can also make your own Rosary as demonstrated in this video.  This would make a wonderful gift.

Many popular devotions such as the Rosary evolved from a particular practice of religious life. Nuns and priests were considered holy because they spent so much time praying. Except for some members of society’s privileged classes, most people had neither the time nor the literacy to pray in the same way. Ordinary family people were busy finding food and shelter for the family. While monks and nuns were able to recite the whole of the Psalter (150 Psalms) by praying the Divine Office (which is also known as the Prayer of the Church) in their normal daily routine, the laity were not. Ordinary people were able to reflect this prayer by praying one hundred and fifty Our Fathers.

These Our Fathers were then replaced by one hundred and fifty Hail Mary's. The Rosary was a mini Psalm book and therefore “Our Lady’s Psalter” was an early name given to the Rosary. As the Hail Mary’s were said, people would sometimes used a cord with counters on it to keep an accurate count. Eventually these became more structured until the familiar Rosary Beads evolved. The name Rosary means a crown of roses.

The Mysteries of the rosary are the Christ events that are meditated on as the Rosary is prayed.   They are grouped by fives into four 'sets'.

Traditionally there were three sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious.  In 2002 John Paul II added a fourth set the Luminous (Way of Light).

Although there are traditional days when various mysteries are prayed. It doesn't matter you might choose another mystery to meditate on or another passage of Scripture.  In addition praying is what is important so you might only pray one decade not the whole set.  That doesn't matter - God just loves that you are praying

The Five Joyful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Mondays, Saturdays, and, during the season of Advent, on Sundays:

1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation in the Temple
5. The Finding in the Temple

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Tuesdays, Fridays, and, during the season of Lent, on Sundays:

1. The Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion and Death

The Five Glorious Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Wednesdays and, outside the seasons of Advent and Lent, on Sundays:

1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit
4. The Assumption
5. The Coronation of Mary

The Five Luminous Mysteries are traditionally prayed on Thursdays:

1. The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan
2. The Wedding Feast at Cana
3. Jesus' Proclamation of the Coming of the Kingdom of God
4. The Transfiguration
5. The Institution of the Eucharist