St Alban’s Catholic Church

Macclesfield

How to Pray the Rosary (1/2)

Observe the picture to the left  of a typical rosary. We use the beads of the rosary to guide us through a cycle of prayers. At the same time we meditate on various aspects (referred to as Mysteries) of the life of Jesus. In meditating on His life we seek to imitate Him, and come to truly love Him.

First let's look at the sequence of prayers and later we will come back to the meditations.

Composing ourselves and mentally bringing ourselves before the Lord, we begin by holding the crucifix and with humility make the sign of the cross on ourselves saying:

"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

A Basic Explanation of How to Pray the Rosary

Amen."

Still holding the crucifix, we say the Apostles' Creed thus renewing our faith and trust in God:

"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, 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."

Now from the crucifix, hold the single bead next along. Pray the 'Our Father' as Jesus taught us to do (If the rosary is prayed as a group, the first part of the 'Our Father' may be said aloud by the leader, and the second part - shown in italics - by the rest of the group. This will also be the case for the other prayers):

"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 us from evil. Amen."

Following this, there is a group of three beads. Holding each in turn we pray the '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."

The first part of the 'Hail Mary' is taken from the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke and reminds us of the humble acceptance by Mary of her role in God's plan for our salvation - a lesson for all of us. In the second part we ask Mary, as mother of Jesus to intercede on our behalf to her Son.

On the last of the three beads i.e. after the third 'Hail Mary' is said, we pray in addition the

'Glory Be':

"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."

and (optionally but customarily) the 'Fatima Prayer':

"O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Your mercy!"

After this we come to another bead on its own, and following one path around the rosary (ignoring the medal for now) there are a group of ten beads. This pattern of 1 bead + 10 beads (referred to as a decade) is repeated 5 times until we return to the medal. For each of the 5 sets of 1+10 in turn we pray the 'Our father' on the first separate bead followed by a 'Hail Mary' on each of the ten following beads, with additionally a 'Glory Be' and 'Fatima prayer' said after the tenth 'Hail Mary'.

As we pray each 'decade' of the rosary we reflect on a different 'Mystery' of Jesus' life as described below. When said in a group, a different person may lead each decade, announcing the Mystery, i.e. the aspect of Jesus' life which is to be meditated upon for that decade.

After the fifth decade we reach the medal, and while holding it we conclude with the prayer '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 so 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. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ"

Sometimes other concluding prayers are added. This custom varies but a common Prayer After The Rosary is as follows:

"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."                        

Continue:The Mysteries

 

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