The Greatest Marian Prayer
“The Rosary is my favorite prayer, a marvelous prayer. Marvelous in its simplicity and depth. It can be said that the Rosary is, in a certain way, a prayer-commentary on the last chapter of the constitution, Lumen Gentium, of Vatican II, a chapter which deals with the wonderful presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and the Church. Against the background of the words, Ave Maria (Hail Mary), there passes before the eyes of the soul the main episodes of the life of Jesus Christ, and they put us in living communication with Jesus through, we could say, His mother’s heart. At the same time, our heart can enclose in these decades of the Rosary all the facets that make up the life of the individual, the family, the nation, the Church and all mankind, particularly of those who are dear to us. Thus the… |
| Rosary (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
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The Fifteen Promises of Our Lady to Those Who Pray the Rosary Faithfully
The Blessed Virgin Mary promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow her urgings that “Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted.” These are the fifteen promises she imparted to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de la Roche, granted to all Christians who faithfully recite the Rosary. All that remains for us is to pray and to respond to the great graces she gives to us. –Assistant Ed.1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces.
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God;…
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Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Part I
1. The Rosary of the Virgin Mary, which gradually took form in the second millennium under the guidance of the Spirit of God, is a prayer loved by countless Saints and encouraged by the Magisterium. Simple yet profound, it still remains, at the dawn of this third millennium, a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness. It blends easily into the spiritual journey of the Christian life, which, after two thousand years, has lost none of the freshness of its beginnings and feels drawn by the Spirit of God to "set out into the deep" (duc in altum!) in order once more to proclaim, and even cry out, before the world that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, "the way, and the truth and the life" (Jn 14:6), "the goal of human history and the point on which the…Read more
Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Part II
CHAPTER II – MYSTERIES OF CHRIST—MYSTERIES OF HIS MOTHERThe Rosary, "a compendium of the Gospel"
18. The only way to approach the contemplation of Christ’s face is by listening in the Spirit to the Father’s voice, since "no one knows the Son except the Father" (Mt 11:27). In the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus responded to Peter’s confession of faith by indicating the source of that clear intuition of his identity: "Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven" (Mt 16:17). What is needed, then, is a revelation from above. In order to receive that revelation, attentive listening is…
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The Rosary, October, and World Peace
We are already on the threshold of the month of October, which, with the
liturgical memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, inspires us to
rediscover this traditional prayer, so simple yet so profound.The Rosary is a way of contemplating the face of Christ, seeing him—we may say—with the eyes of Mary. For this reason, it is a prayer that drawing upon the core of the Gospel is in full accord with the inspiration of the Second Vatican Council and very much in keeping with the direction I gave in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte: the Church has to launch out “into the deep” in the new millennium beginning with the contemplation of the face of Christ.
Therefore, I wish to suggest the recitation…
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The Inestimable Fruits of the Rosary
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| Madonna of the Rosary (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Today people want things that strike and move and that leave deep impressions on the soul. Nor has there ever been anything in the whole history of the world more moving than the wonderful story of the life, death and glory of Our Savior which is contained in the Holy Rosary. In the fifteen tableaux the chief scenes or mysteries of His life unfold before our eyes. How could there ever be any prayers more wonderful and sublime than the Lord’s…
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Blessed Bartolo Longo – Apostle of the Rosary
Sinner. Satanist. Social worker. Saint. A strange progression taken by
Blessed Bartolo Longo. On February 11, 1841, a sweet tempered
physician’s wife of Latiano, Italy, gave birth to a son whom she named
Bartolo. Devoted to Our Lord and His Mother, she taught all her children
to pray the Rosary daily and to visit and care for the poor while Dr.
Longo instilled in them a love of music and beauty. Bartolo would later
describe himself as “a lively and impertinent imp, sometimes rather a
rascal.” The priests who educated him found Bartolo to be highly
intelligent, cordial, and accommodating although prone to a fiery
temper.When Bartolo was ten, his mother died. Slowly Bartolo began to drift away from his faith. Eventually he studied law from a private tutor, then attended the University of…
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Sister Lucia’s Rosary Meditations: The Joyful Mysteries
The visionary and seer, Sr. Lucia of Fatima, provided the world with
profound and inspired Rosary meditations in her book, “Calls” from the
Message of Fatima. We begin this week by presenting her meditations on
the Joyful Mysteries. – Ed.Having seen that the prayer of the Rosary is the one which God has recommended most for all of us in general, both by means of the Church’s Magisterium and through the Message which He sent to us by Our Lady, we will now look at the mysteries of our Redemption which this prayer leads us to recall and contemplate in each decade.
For the majority of Christians who live in the corrupt atmosphere of the world, it is almost pointless to talk about mental prayer. Hence, what is most suitable for them is vocal prayer, in common or in private: the liturgical prayer of the Holy Mass and the recitation…
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The Rosary and the Family
“Dear Children! You have helped me along by your prayers to realize my
plans. Keep on praying that my plan may be completely realized. I
request the families of the parish to pray the Family Rosary. Thank you
for having responded to my call” (Our Lady of Medjugorje, September 27,
1984).The call to pray the Rosary is the principal form of prayer requested by the Blessed Mother, not only in the message of Medjugorje but in the overall Marian message to the modern world. I want to discuss this favored Marian prayer under three categories. First of all, I will discuss briefly the Rosary in this general Marian call to the modern world. Secondly, I will discuss a little bit of the origins, the history, and the nature of the Rosary. What is this prayer of the Rosary that Our Lady has called us to so regularly? Thirdly, and…
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The Family Rosary: Practicality in Family Prayer
How can we practically involve our children in family prayer? What are
ways that we can teach them the beauty of communing with Jesus in
prayer, even though homework needs to be completed, dishes washed,
pajamas put on little ones, and we may even want to reserve a few
moments of peace and quiet for ourselves after a busy day? In my last
article dealing with the Family Rosary (see article “The Family Rosary”
in the Marian Devotion section) I identified the need for parents to
make the call of the family Rosary heard, knowing the result will at
times be met with resistance and indifference. For the encouragement of
parents, I reminded the reader that the suffering encountered in family
prayer is redemptive, and that its application in the home ensures that
spiritual goods soak into the little hearts and minds of their children,
even if parents feel…Read more
The Importance of the Rosary for Priests
Dear ministers of the Most High, you my fellow priests who preach the
truth of God and who teach the gospel to all nations… I beg of you to
beware of thinking of the Rosary as something of little importance—as do
ignorant people and even several great but proud scholars. Far from
being insignificant, the Rosary is a priceless treasure which is
inspired by God.Almighty God has given it to you because He wants you to use it as a means to convert the most hardened sinners and the most obstinate heretics. He has attached to it grace in this life and glory in the next. The saints have said it faithfully and the Popes have indorsed it.
When the Holy Spirit has revealed this secret…
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Rosary “Helps to Put Christ at the Center, as the Virgin Did”
Pope Benedict XVI gave the following catechesis on the Rosary at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on May 3, 2008.Dear Brothers and Sisters,
At the conclusion of this moment of Marian prayer, I would like to address my cordial greeting to all of you and thank you for your participation. In particular I greet Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, Archpriest of this stupendous Basilica of St. Mary Major. In Rome this is the Marian temple par excellence, in which the people of the City venerate the icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani with great affection. I gladly welcomed the invitation addressed to me to lead the Holy Rosary on the First Saturday of the month of May, according to the beautiful tradition that I have had since my childhood. In fact, in my generation’s experience, the evenings of May evoke sweet memories linked to the vespertine gatherings to…
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“The Keystone of Marian History” – Message of the Lady of All Nations, October 5, 1952
In this message Our Lady tells us that he proclamation of the Dogma
of Mary Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate will become the “keystone
of Marian History”. She then asks the theologians: “Why can you not
come to an agreement about this?” Why not, indeed! – Ed.Message of October 5, 1952
“Here I am again. I have come to bring a special message. Pass on everything well.
Never has Miriam, or Mary, officially been called Co-redemptrix in the community, in the Church. Never has she officially been called Mediatrix. Never has she officially been called Advocate. These three thoughts belong closely together. These three thoughts form one whole. That is why this will be the keystone of Marian history; it will become the dogma of the Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate.
And I am not reproaching theologians now as I say: why can you not come to an agreement about this…
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