The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Rosary

A rosary refers both to a special set of prayer beads as well as to the prayers recited with the beads as a reminder and guide.

Early Christians who could not read substituted memorized prayers for the Scripture readings and psalms prayed by monks and clergy. They used to pray the Lord’s Prayer 150 times a day in place of the 150 psalms, which eventually led to 150 of the simpler Hail Mary’s, interspersed with the Lord’s Prayer and four sets of meditations on various events related to Jesus and his mother Mary. These four sets of meditations are called the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries and (recently added by Pope John Paul II) the Mysteries of Light. Each set contains five mysteries. The beads of the rosary are arranged to help a person praying the rosary to keep their place in the succession of prayers. Ordinarily, only one set of mysteries is prayed at a time, which completes one cycle around the rosary beads. In many Catholic churches, parishioners regularly pray the rosary in groups, and individuals also find it a very compelling and meditative form of private prayer.

At Notre Dame, you will find people praying the rosary daily as a group at the Grotto at 6:45 p.m.

How to Pray the Rosary

  • While holding the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross and then recite the Apostles Creed.
  • Recite the Our Father on the first large bead.
  • On each of the three small beads, recite a Hail Mary for an increase of faith, hope and charity.
  • Recite the Glory Be to the Father on the next large bead.
  • Recall the first Rosary mystery and recite the Our Father on the next large bead.
  • On each of the adjacent ten small beads (also refered to as a decade) recite a Hail Mary while reflecting on the mystery.
  • On the next large bead, recite the Glory Be to the Father. The Fatima decade prayer may also be said.
    Each succeeding decade is prayed in a similar manner by recalling the appropriate mystery, reciting the
  • Our Father, ten Hail Marys, the Glory Be to the Father, and the Fatima decade prayer (optional) while reflecting on the mystery.
  • When the fifth mystery is completed, the Rosary is concluded with the Hail, Holy Queen.

Prayers of the Rosary

The Apostles’ Creed
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 rose again from the dead,
He ascended into heaven and is seated 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

Our Father
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 that 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 amongst women,
And blessed is thy 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
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

Fatima Decade Prayer
O my Jesus,
Forgive us our sins,
Save us from the fires of hell;
Lead all souls to heaven,
Especially those in most need of Thy Mercy.
Amen