Introduction to the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary
By John M Schmidt | Submitted On January 31, 2012
Greetings and welcome to this virtual class on the topic of the Rosary.
The aim of this course is, admittedly, to convince you to pray your rosary. If you have already made a habit of this then the purpose of the course is to inspire you with a greater love for your devotion so that you will pray it every day. It is my hope that with God's help these lessons will instill in you so compelling of a motivation to pray your rosary that you cannot help but persevere and to spread your devotion to others.
I say "your" rosary rather than The Rosary because your first assignment, if you have not already done so, is to get a rosary. It doesn't have to be expensive! A cheap plastic one will work as well as one made of fine pearls. You can even make your own. Precious stones and metals are a beautiful symbol of our devotion to God but the real beauty comes from how we use our beads, not the material they are made from.
The use of a physical device to count prayers with is an ancient practice in the Christian religion. One of the ways in which early Christians prayed was to recite the Psalter of David which had foretold the coming of Christ. As members of His mystical body, these writings have special relevance to Christians. When monks began going into the deserts of Egypt for example, it was their custom to pray the entire 150 Psalms every day. However, because some of the monks were not able to read, they would need to either memorize the Psalms or to say other prayers in place of them.
These monks kept count of their prayers by casting pebbles into a bowl, but this was somewhat awkward, and could not easily be performed when outside of their cell. Later the use of a knotted rope helped the monks to pray unceasingly, whether inside their cell or outside about their work, thereby complying quite literally with Saint Paul's command to "Pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17).
This is not to say we are required to recite prayers all day. Another way to pray without ceasing is by frequently lifting your thoughts to God and offering Him your efforts on whatever work is currently at hand. Anything that is done out of necessity for our state in life is accepted by God as a prayer if we have the intention of offering it as such. (It is, however, worth mentioning that there have been several saints - among them St. John Vianney and St. Padre Pio - who were rarely seen without a rosary in their hand.)
The Rosary combines vocalized prayer with meditative prayer and in a sense it is as ancient as Christianity itself. For example the Our Father was spoken by Our Lord as part of His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:9-13). And in the Hail Mary we greet God's Mother with the same words as those used by the Angel Gabriel: "Hail [Mary], full of grace, the Lord is with thee." (Luke 1:28) and then with the words spoken by Mary's cousin Elisabeth: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, [Jesus]" (Luke 1:42).
The meditations of the Rosary also center on events taken from the lives of Jesus and Mary. These events (which are called the Mysteries of the Rosary) have been known to Christians since the time of the Apostles and most of them are recorded in the written Gospels.
Nevertheless, it was not until the year 1214 that the Church received the Holy Rosary in the form and with the method according to which we pray it today. According to legend it was given to St. Dominic by the Blessed Virgin herself as a means of converting the Albigensians. This event is written of in the book "The Secret of the Rosary" by St. Louis de Montfort:
Appearing to him with three angels she said, "My dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?" "O my Lady," answered St. Dominic, "you know better than I because next to your Son Jesus Christ you have always been the chief instrument of our salvation."
Then Our Lady replied: "I want you to know that in this type of warfare, the principle weapon has always been the Angelic Psalter, which is the foundation-stone of the New Testament. Therefore if you want to reach these hardened souls and win them over to God, preach my Psalter."
The Rosary is sometimes referred to as the "Angelic Psalter" or "Mary's Psalter" in order to explicitly identify its correspondence to the Psalter of David from the Old Testament. As previously mentioned, much of the devotion which eventually became the Rosary grew naturally from the ancient practice of reciting the Psalms as prayers of thanksgiving, repentance and praise.
There are 150 Psalms of David and corresponding to this are the 150 Hail Marys in the Rosary established by St. Dominic. Old Testament Israelites read the Psalms in anticipation of the promised Messiah. New Testament Christians meditate on His life, passion and glory as illustrated in the Mysteries of the Rosary. In the Old Testament it was Eve's disobedience which prompted Adam to sin, bringing death and disorder into the world. In the New Testament it was the Second Eve's faith which permitted the Word to take flesh when she said, "Behold the handmade of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38).
Much of what we know about the origin of the Rosary comes from the writings of Blessed Alan de la Roche. He was a zealous promoter of the Rosary and began this great work in 1460, after a special warning from our Lord. This is how he reportedly received that urgent message as written in the book, "The Secret of the Rosary" by St. Louis de Montfort:
One day when he was offering Mass, our Lord, who wished to spur him on to preach the holy Rosary, spoke to him in the Sacred Host. "How can you crucify me again so soon?" Jesus said. "What did you say, Lord?" asked Blessed Alan, horrified. "You crucified me once before by your sins," answered Jesus, "and I would willingly be crucified again rather than have my Father offended by the sins you used to commit.
You are crucifying me again now because you have all the learning and understanding that you need to preach my Mother's Rosary, and you are not doing it. If you only did that, you could teach many souls the right path and lead them away from sin. But you are not doing it, and so you yourself are guilty of the sins that they commit."
This terrible reproach made Blessed Alan solemnly resolve to preach the Rosary unceasingly.
Our Lady also said to him one day to inspire him to preach the Rosary more and more, "You were a great sinner in your youth, but I obtained the grace of your conversion from my Son. Had such a thing been possible, I would have liked to have gone through all kinds of suffering to save you, because converted sinners are a glory to me. And I would have done that also to make you worthy of preaching my Rosary far and wide."
Such messages from heaven can be a great encouragement for us. And since miraculous claims from hundreds of years ago often lose their impact and can seem more difficult to believe, we will plan, in a future lesson, to examine the credibility and significance of relatively more recent apparitions and miracles such as those that have happened in Lourdes, France in 1858 and Fatima, Portugal in 1917.
At Fatima, for example, heavenly messages were not only given to three little children but these messages were then supported by a spectacular public miracle with the very day of its occurrence given out months in advance. This "Miracle of the Sun" was witnessed by an estimated 70,000 people who, on the appointed date, flocked to the promised location to see if the claims were true. The significance of the Fatima apparitions as regards to the Rosary can be seen in that the Blessed Mother, deeply saddened at the loss of so many souls very dear to her, requested that an additional prayer be added at the end of each Mystery: "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."
An excellent book you may want to read is "The True Story of Fatima" by Fr. John de Marchi. Fr. de Marchi was an Italian Catholic Priest who moved to Fatima for seven years while he researched this topic at length. For now, we will simply be content to state that a central message of this and many other miraculous events throughout history has been "Pray the Rosary!"
The Rosary is largely associated with the Catholic Church. This is due to the Church's historically wholehearted reception and enthusiastic promotion of this devotion. Since the time of Blessed Alan in the 1400's through to our present day, virtually all of the Popes have celebrated and exulted it. Pope St. Pius V attributed the surprisingly successful defeat of an invading Turkish fleet in 1571 to the fact that the victory coincided with the processions of the Rosary confraternities at Rome and elsewhere.
He established an annual commemoration of the Rosary to be held on the anniversary of that date. Pope Leo XIII who reigned from 1878-1903 issued a record-setting 11 encyclicals on the Rosary and was dubbed the "Rosary Pope."
Countless Saints have also been devoted to the Rosary. Padre Pio (1887-1968) was recently sainted in the last decade and is best known as being the priest who bore the Stigmata. For 50 years he carried with him the visible, bleeding, supernatural and painful wounds corresponding to the wounds of our crucified Lord.
And this is only one of many miraculous phenomena attributed to St. Pio, with some of his others arguably even more remarkable than the stigmata. He was also highly devoted to the Rosary and is quoted as saying: "Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother." Near the end of his life, when asked what legacy he would like to leave behind for his spiritual children, he replied "My child, the Rosary."
The primary reason why the Rosary devotion has been so warmly received by so many people is because of the marvelous effect which it has upon those who practice it. St. Louis de Montfort assures us that by the Rosary sinners obtain pardon; those who thirst are refreshed; those who are fettered are set free; those who weep find joy; those who are tempted find peace; those in need find help; religious are reformed; the ignorant are instructed; the living learn to resist spiritual decline; and by our prayers the Holy Souls in Purgatory find relief.
A primary reason why the Rosary devotion is not nearly as widely practiced as it should be is because so many people are entirely unaware of its benefits either through ignorance or a lack of faith. It will be our goal then to dispel this ignorance and strengthen our faith. In these first few pages we have already touched on many important motivational topics. The strategy for upcoming lessons is to take a close look at these topics one-by-one. They will become for us like so many pillars that we can use to build a Chapel of Faith for our souls. Only after dispelling this ignorance and lack of faith will we see clearly how to lead others to the Rosary so that the
Rosary can lead them to God and His Mother.
John Schmidt is the creator of PrayOften.net [http://PrayOften.net], a website dedicated to using Internet marketing techniques to distribute high quality Catholic media. Visit now for a free electronic copy of "The True Story of Fatima" by Fr. John de Marchi, a free downloadable audio-book, additional lessons to keep you motivated to pray the Rosary [http://PrayOften.net] and several other Catholic treasures.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/John_M_Schmidt/1271750
Finding the Right Rosary
By Charlotte Eloquin | Submitted On January 19, 2011
Although the true importance of a rosary is the praying, we still enjoy saying those prayers with beautiful beads in our hands. However, it is not just the shape, size and color, but the texture and overall feel that makes one rosary better than another. We need to be able to pray with as little distraction as possible-and if the beads are too big or too small, or too rough, we may not be able to focus. Taking factors into consideration, it is no wonder people have a difficult time finding the perfect rosary for a loved one.
The first question you should ask yourself when selecting a rosary to purchase, is what type of functionality do you, or the person you are buying for want? Depending on the function you would like your rosary to have, Rosary.com has many different rosaries at a broad range of prices to satisfy every customer. Here are just a few questions you can ask yourself when buying a rosary.
Are you looking for an elaborate rosary to keep on display during times you are not engaging in prayer? There are many styles of exquisite, high quality rosaries, from sterling silver and Swarovski crystals, to 14K gold and freshwater pearls. It is wonderful to pray such a lovely prayer on a beautiful rosary!
Are you looking for a rosary for a man or a woman? There are a variety of rosaries that would be suitable for both men and women, as well as some that are made more specifically for a man's use or vice versa. For example, a black wood bead rosary would be perfect for a man, and rosary bracelets are a wonderful choice for a woman.
Are you looking for a rosary to keep in your purse, pocket, or car as you travel? If you are looking for a rosary to keep on you at all times, you can easily find simple and affordable, yet durable rosaries that make wonderful travel companions to withstand the day-to-day hustle and bustle, as well as the convenient auto rosaries to keep in your car.
Are you looking for a rosary for a child? There are many children's rosaries available for purchase online. Depending on whether you are buying a rosary for a Baptism, or First Communion, or just a gift for a special child, the right rosary is just a click away.
Find a selection of rosaries plus additional resources on how to pray the rosary at Rosary.com.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Charlotte_Eloquin/856475
The History of the Rosary - Then and Now
By Cris Harrold | Submitted On July 22, 2010
History of the Rosary
The history of the rosary is paved with the holy intentions of righteous people of God to promote spiritual devotion to Jesus Christ and His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Although the first recorded use of the rosary involved a simple prayer rope by the Desert Fathers to keep track of repetitions of the Jesus Prayer, the use of intricate silver rosaries are no less signs of devotion.
According to the traditions of the Church, Saint Dominic was given the rosary during an apparition by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Prouille church on 1214. Then, in the 15th century, Saint Alanus de Rupe, a Dominican priest, received a vision from Jesus Christ to reinstate the devotion to the rosary in accordance with the requests of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Along with the vision came the 15 Promises.
Before the introduction by Saint Dominic and Saint Alan of their devotions, however, the history of the rosary appears to follow a gradual development. The monastic orders prayed the Liturgy of the Hours including the 150 Psalms daily, which were in Latin. As the members of the laity then were unable to read the ancient language, 150 Our Father prayers were substituted instead. To keep accurate count, a cord was knotted with 150 knots.
As the centuries progressed to the Middle Ages, Holy Marys were also recited by the faithful although evidence suggests that there was still a strong link between the rosary and Our Father prayers. This can be gleaned from the name of the guilds of rosary makers who were called paternosterers (Pater Noster is Our Father in Latin). There is also recorded evidence of Saint Eligius keeping track of the 150 Hail Marys in the Psalter of Mary with the use of a counting device, which we are sure are not silver rosaries.
Dominic of Prussia, a Carthusian monk, introduced the practice of meditating while praying the Hail Marys and called it the Life of Jesus Rosary. Quotes from the scriptures preceded the 50 Hail Marys, which were given as a rule to the anchorites in the mid-12th century. Said rule is the precursor of the modern version of the rosary where 50 Hail Marys were divided into sets of ten albeit marks of reverence like prostrations accompanied each prayer.
This is where Saint Alan de Rupe comes in. He promoted the devotion to the rosary in nations like France, Flanders and the Netherlands, thus, paving the way for its spread to other European countries and, eventually, to the whole world in the form of rosary confraternities.
It was only in 1569 when the Dominican Pope Pius V issued a papal bull "The Consueverunt Romani Pontifices" which officially established the devotion to the rosary within the Catholic Church. Still, from the 16th until the early part of the 20th century, the rosary's structure was essentially similar in all aspects - 15 mysteries with 15 decades each, Our Father preceding the 10 Hail Marys and then followed by the Glory Be prayer.
It was during the 20th century that the Fatima Prayer became a popular addition to the rosary. No other changes came to the rosary until 2002 when the five optional Luminous Mysteries were added by Pope John Paul II. Indeed, the history of the rosary continues to be made and we, the faithful, will continue our devotion to it.
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Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cris_Harrold/606466