Personal note: During my sudden short term institutionalization in 1996, the sole item I would and could not sleep without, was the Rosary you see portrayed on this page's green background set. It's a Rosary made of Olive Tree wood from Jerusalem. It's been blessed by "my" priest, which makes it even more precious than words could describe. This Rosary has been the source of pure Love and Light in what was the darkest period of my life. It is also the motivation for making this page. May many other's learn and benefit from it's contents, as I have. A special thank you to Lady Gem, Rita Faye and William O'Mailley for their contributions to this page! The Rosary "If you ask people to name something which they most closely associate with being a Catholic, they often answer 'the Rosary'. The beads are almost the trademark of being Catholic. What is so special about the devotion of the Holy Rosary?" Click on this Rosary to find MORE information about it: "In praying the Rosary, we become as little children - we place ourselves in the Heart of the one Who is best able to teach us to pray, because She is so intimately united to the Source of all Prayer, the Holy Spirit. And as She obtained that Spirit for the Apostles, so does She obtain Him for us. When we pray the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, we ask Mary to lead us in prayer and to unite Her prayer with our own. By our union with Her, we open our hearts to union with the Holy Spirit. And when this occurs, Jesus Christ is born in our souls as surely as He was born into the womb of the Virgin. In praying the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, we walk the path of Faith with trust, with humility, and with love. We are taught the lessons of the Gospel by our Mother - by She Who is most able to tell us about Jesus, because She is His own Mother and knows Him far better than any other soul. By praying the Rosary devoutly, we are led into this silence and stillness gradually - we move from the vocal to the meditative, and from the meditative to the contemplative, which is the prayer of the heart, the prayer of silence. And we may be led from here into the most perfect form of contemplation, which is the prayer of union." The Fifteen Promises of Our Lady during Her appearance in Fatima, Portugal in 1917: 1. I promise my special protection to all those who say my Rosary devoutly. 2. Those who persevere in the saying of the Rosary will receive signal graces. 3. The Rosary will be a powerful protection against the devil; it will conquer evil, deliver from sin, and banish heresy. 4. The Rosary will be a school of virtue and result in good works; people's hearts will be filled with love of God rather than greed for the world. 5. Those who entrust themselves to me through my Rosary will not perish. 6. Those who say my Rosary well, pondering on its mysteries, shall not be overwhelmed by misfortune nor die a bad death. The sinner will be converted, the just shall grow in grace and become worthy of eternal life. 7. Those truly devoted to my Rosary shall not die without the consolations of the Church. 8. Those who will recite my Rosary shall find during their life and at the moment of their death, the light of God and the fullness of His grace. 9. Souls devoted to my Rosary shall be delivered quickly from Purgatory. 10. True children of my Rosary shall enjoy great glory in Heaven. 11. Whatever you ask for through my Rosary, you shall obtain. 12. Those who spread devotion to my Rosary shall obtain, through me, help in all their difficulties. 13. I shall obtain from my Son that all who share in the family of the Rosary shall have the Saints in Heaven as their brothers and sisters, in life and in death. 14. Those who remain faithful to my Rosary are my special children ad brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. 15. Devotion to my Rosary is a sign of predestination. How To Use Your Rosary: The Rosary prayer is usually prayed with a set of Rosary beads but doesn't have to use beads, the beads are initially an aid-memoire but also have other significance. The beads consist of five decades, that is five groups of ten beads and a separating bead which is often a larger or differently coloured bead. Apart from the decades there is also a crucifix, three smaller beads and two separate beads, and a small medallion or emblem which joins this part of the set to the decades. The Rosary is often prayed in groups and one person will act as a leader. Of course it can be prayed alone, but whether it's as part of a group or alone, the Rosary is a great source of peace and joy and spiritual growth. Starting at the crucifix we make the sign of the cross and ask for God's blessing: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Then the group recites the Apostles Creed: I believe in God the Father, the almighty, the 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. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right-hand of God the Father, the 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. The crucifix is followed by a larger bead and here we recite the Lord's Prayer. The first part, the first five lines, is recited by the leader, the rest of the group then recite the remainder: Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be 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 is from evil. Amen. At each of the three beads which follow a Hail Mary is prayed: 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. As with the Lord's Prayer the leader recites the first part and the group follow with second part. All say Amen. The final prayer of the opening part of the Rosary is the Glory be, the prayer of Adoration: 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. Again the leader recites the first part and the group the second part, all say Amen. Often, at the conclusion of these opening prayers the group may make other prayers of petition or of thanksgiving. These are generally short requests to God, for example, we might pray for the well-being of a loved one, or a change of heart for an enemy, or that we might gain understanding or peace. Each Rosary prayer is centered on a sequence of five mysteries. These are: the Glorious Mysteries, the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries. Thus there are five Glorious Mysteries, five Joyful mysteries and five Sorrowful mysteries. The mysteries are explained in more detail a little further on. At the start of each decade the prayer leader will announce the mystery then another group member might start the decade. During the praying of the decade we take the opportunity to reflect and meditate on the particular mystery. For example if we are praying the Joyful Mysteries the first Joyful Mystery is 'The Annunciation". During the few minutes of the decade you might think about the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel and the announcement that he makes to Mary - that a great miracle will take place in the next few moments - a virgin will conceive. How great is God that such a thing should be done and how humble and obedient is Mary, His servant, to give her full consent. God could have done this without Mary's aquiescence but He, as our creator, has created us a free beings. Now the truth will set us free. Each decade starts with the Lord's Prayer. Most often a decade is lead by another member of the group, not necessarily the prayer leader. For example if five people are present, each one might take turns at leading a decade. If large groups are gathered in prayer, then it is quite common for several people to lead each decade, and for several to respond. This is a particulary beautiful way of praying the Rosary, it is like a great spirtitual harmony. Whoever leads the decade will recite the first part of each prayer, the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary's and the Glory be. The rest of the group respond with the second part of each prayer. The decade concludes with two prayers: the Glory be and a prayer known as the Fatima Invocation: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, and bring all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy. This is the prayer that, at Fatima in Portugal, the Blessed Virgin asked us to pray. We must always pray that Divine Mercy will prevail and that all our brothers and sisters throughout the world will be saved. The decade of prayer is repeated for each of the mysteries. The Rosary usually concludes with the prayer known as "Salve Regina": Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy. Hail 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 vale 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! The leader then says: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. The group responds: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. The final prayer of the Rosary is actually the collect from the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, October 7th (1962 rite of mass). A collect is a prayer before the Epistle, a gathering together: O God, whose only-begotten Son by His life, death and resurrection, purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries, in the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Often other prayers are added here. For instance prayers for Church leaders, prayers for vocations, for peace, for an end to abortion. A favorite amongst many is the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel: Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in the hour of battle, be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God restrain him we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust Satan into Hell, and with him all the other wicked spirits, that wander throughout the world for the ruin of souls. Amen. The Mysteries Each time we pray the Rosary we pray a sequence of five mysteries - a mystery for each decade. Each Rosary may consist of the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries or the Glorious Mysteries. The Joyful Mysteries are: The Annunciation The Visitation The Nativity The Presentation The finding of the child Jesus in the Temple The Sorrowful Mysteries are: The agony of Jesus in the garden The scourging The crowning with thorns The carrying of the Cross The Crucifixion The Glorious Mysteries are: The Resurrection The Ascension The Descent of the Holy Spirit The Assumption of Our Lady The Coronation of Our Lady The mysteries are an endlessly rich source of meditation about the life of Jesus and role of the Mother of God who was present at His birth and His death.