San Diego Catholic
Catholic Adult Faith Formation
HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY
praying
The Rosary
Taken from the USCCB.org
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The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer. It begins with the Apostles' Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel's words announcing Christ's birth and Elizabeth's greeting to Mary. St. Pius V officially added the second part of the Hail Mary. The Mysteries of the Rosary center on the events of Christ's life. There are four sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and––added by Pope John Paul II in 2002––the Luminous.
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The repetition in the Rosary is meant to lead one into restful and contemplative prayer related to each Mystery. The gentle repetition of the words helps us to enter into the silence of our hearts, where Christ's spirit dwells. The Rosary can be said privately or with a group.
Steps in Praying the Rosary
In the Name of the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit, Amen
The Apostles Creed
Our Father
Hail Mary: Said one time on each of the three beads.
Glory Be
The First Mystery
The Our Father
Hail Mary: Said one time on each of the ten beads.
The Glory Be
The Fatima Prayer
The Second Mystery
The Our Father
Hail Mary: Said one time on each of the ten beads.
The Glory Be
The Fatima Prayer
Hail Mary: Said one time on each of the ten beads.
Hail Mary: Said one time on each of the ten beads.
Hail Mary: Said one time on each of the ten beads.
The Third Mystery
The Our Father
The Fourth Mystery
The Our Father
The Fifth Mystery
The Our Father
The Glory Be
The Fatima Prayer
The Hail Holy Queen
Dialog Prayer
The Glory Be
The Fatima Prayer
The Glory Be
The Fatima Prayer
Start by stating the intention of this Rosary. It can be a request, gratitude, need for assistance. This is your dialog with the Blessed Mother so feel free to have a conversation with her prior to beginning.
Prayers included in the Rosary:
There are several prayers that are included in the Rosary:
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The Apostles Creed
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The Our Father
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The Hail Mary
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The Glory Be
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The Fatima Prayer
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The Hail Holy Queen (Salve Regina)
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This may at first seem daunting, however, the prayers are short and easy to learn. Take your time in learning, there is no need to rush to have them memorized and the words allow our Lord to speak to you. Below is a PDF document you can download with all the prayers.
Mysteries of the Rosary:
The mysteries help us contemplate our Lord. They are said at the beginning of each decade and different mysteries are said on different days.
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The Five Joyful Mysteries
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
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
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The Five Glorious Mysteries
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
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
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Below is a PDF you can download and print with the mysteries of the rosary.
Our Lady’s
15 Promises
to Those Who Pray Her Rosary
1. Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.
[A signal grace may be a simple sign in daily life that answers a question made in prayer or points towards God’s will. For example, seeing a rose after finishing a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux could be considered a signal grace. Signal graces are often subtle or seemingly coincidental.]
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
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3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.
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4. It will cause good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means!
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.
[In other words, anyone who faithfully prays the Rosary and asks for Mary’s intercession will be saved from hell.]
6. Whosoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries, shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of Eternal Life.
[An unprovided death means dying while not in a state of grace (that is, in dying with unconfessed mortal sin in the soul). The Blessed Mother promises that anyone who regularly prays the Rosary, and earnestly tries to live according to God’s will, will be spiritually prepared when their time of death comes.]
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
[Our Lady ensures that the soul will receive sanctifying grace through the Sacraments prior to its departure from the body.]
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8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the Light of God and the plenitude of His Graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the Merits of the Saints in Paradise.
9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of Glory in Heaven.
11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by recitation of the Rosary.
12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death.
14. All who recite the Rosary are my Sons, and brothers of my Only Son Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
[By this the Blessed Mother means that a devotion to the Rosary is a good indication that the devotee is on the path to Heaven.]