Mary & The Rosary

There are many who wonder when and how the Rosary started. 

“Catholics believe the Rosary is a remedy against severe trials, temptations and the hardships of life, and that the Rosary is one of the great weapons given to believers in their battle against every evil.^[12] Pope Pius XI is quoted as saying, for example, “The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight”-Wikipedia. There are said to be about 29, 300,000 Catholics in the world.

But many non-Catholics ask Mary to pray for them too.  They understand just how much our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit Love her and ask her to pray for them too!

There are about 2.1 Billion Christians in the World. Despite the efforts of many, Christianity remains the largest religion in the world!

According to Catholic “tradition”, Mary appeared to Dominic of Osma in 1214 and gave him the Rosary to Pray. He later founded the Dominican Order of Priests in 1215. A Spanish priest, he believed in living a very simple, some would say an impoverished life, but it was a life rich in faith 🙂

For those who don’t know, a Rosary in it’s basic form is an Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s and a Glory Be To God. Some versions add the Apostle’s Creed. Usually people say five decades a day. Some say 15. Some say 20. A decade is simply one Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and a Glory Be to God. ( the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries). Pope John Paul II added a Fourth Mystery in 2002: The Luminous Mysteries. Each mystery has five decades. Those who first prayed the Rosary did so with ropes tied in knots to keep track of their prayers.

The Rosary is A Place by Father Benedict is very helpful in saying the Rosary. It is available on CD, Amazon, Spotify… Also, for those who do not realize, the Our Father was taught by Jesus Himself in the Bible and much of the Hail Mary comes straight from the Bible as well.

For me, I find the Rosary to be a huge help to me. There are many times when I wish to keep praying, but I’ve run out of words. There are “relationship” prayers with Jesus and our Father and the Holy Spirit. But “rote” prayers are also very important. They give us a way to honor God and ask His Help when we run out of words of our own.

And for me, I want to be like Mary. As devoted to God as she is. As devoted to her Son, as she is. As filled with faith and the Holy Spirit as she is. So what better person to ask for help :).

So often I am doing the dishes or cooking or laundry, and I remember that Mary must have done all that too. She did not live in a vacuum. She made food, she cleaned, she washed clothes, she took care of her family. All tiring tasks sometimes, but she did them with so much love and with no complaint. And she still found time to Honor God with all that she was and did, and she Loved her Son with a Mother’s Love that we can only hope and pray to give our own children. And she does the same now 🙂

Completely unself-centered, she Loved with a type of love that we aspire to give every day. But that does not mean it did not cost her. Her joy and pain are legendary. And without her, there would be no Jesus. We owe her a debt that can never be repaid, both for Jesus our Lord and also for her constant and abiding Love for us 🙂

Whatever church we attend, Mary will always love us and help us, if we let her 🙂

Pray The Rosary 🙂

Our Father:

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom comes; 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:

Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.”

These prayer s are copied from the Irish Store 🙂