The Story of the Holy Rosary The devotion of the Holy Rosary has been treasured in the Church for many centuries. It is a summary of the Christian faith in language and prayers inspired by the Bible. The Rosary is one of the best prayers in common that Christian families are invited to recite. The following THREE appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Rosary will show you how much she loves that devotion. Saint Dominic The origin of this devotion is traditionally connected with St. Dominic who was in Spain in the thirteenth century. He founded the Order of Preachers, or Dominicans. He went to France as a missionary to convert the people. One day, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Dominic, holding a Rosary in Her hand. She told him that the devotion of the Rosary would convert sinners and obtain great graces from God. She said, "This is the precious gift which I leave to you." Saint Dominic taught the people how to say the Rosary. Soon, more than one hundred thousand people were converted. Our Lady of Lourdes In 1858 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared eighteen times to Saint Bernadette, a humble peasant girl, at Lourdes in France. She appeared in a rocky cave in a glow of brightest light. She wore a white robe and a blue sash, and on each of Her feet there was a golden rose. A white Rosary with a cross of gold hung from her right arm. The beautiful Lady said the Rosary with Bernadette. She asked for her little friend to tell the people to do penance for their sins and to pray. One day Bernadette asked, "My Lady, would you be so kind as to tell me who you are?" The Lady joined her hands and looked up to heaven, said, "I am the Immaculate Conception." Many miracles still take place at Lourdes where people say the Rosary to obtain help from the Blessed Virgin. Our Lady of Fatima On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin appeared to three little shepherd children at Fatima, in Portugal. Their names were Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco. The beautiful Lady was dressed in white, and she stood on a bright cloud over a small oak tree. From Her right hand hung a white Rosary. She said to the children: "Have no fear. I come from Heaven. I want you children to come here on the thirteenth day of each month, until October. Then I will tell you who I am." On October 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary again appeared to the children of Fatima. She said: "I am the Lady of the Rosary. I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. People must not continue to offend our Lord, already so deeply offended. They must say the Rosary." How to say the Rosary 1. Perform the Sign of the Cross 2. Begin on the crucifix and say the Apostles' Creed. 3. On the first bead, say the Our Father. 4. On the next 3 beads, say the Hail Mary. 5. On the fifth bead, say the Glory Be. 6. On the centerpiece, announce and think of the first Mystery of your chosen decade. 7. Say the Our Father, followed by the Hail Mary on the next 10 beads, and then the Glory Be. 8. Announce and think of the second Mystery. 9. Continue in the same way until each of the five Mysteries is said. 10. When you return to the centerpiece, say the Hail, Holy Queen. The Prayers of the Rosary The Sign of the Cross In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. < While reciting the Sign of the Cross, join your first three fingers, then touch your forehead, below your chest, left side, then right side, forming a cross > 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; on 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 there He will 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 who 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 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. Glory Be to the Father 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. The Five Joyful Mysteries 1st Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation Mary, my Mother, I love you as I see you telling the Angel that you are ready to become the Mother of God because this is the will of the Heavenly Father. Thank Jesus for wanting to become a child for love of me. Make me humble and obedient that I may always please God as you did. 2nd Joyful Mystery: The Visitation Mary, my Mother, I love you as I see you making a long journey to visit and help your cousin Elizabeth before the birth of Saint John. Teach me to be kind to people as you always were and to help them in every way I can. 3rd Joyful Mystery: The Birth of the Child Jesus Mary, my Mother, I thank you for giving us a Savior in Bethlehem. He was born for love of us to give us the graces we need to be good and to save our souls. Thank Him for His love. Help me to love Jesus as you loved Him, that I may save my soul. 4th Joyful Mystery: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple Mary, my Mother, I thank you for offering Jesus to the Heavenly Father when you brought Him to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after His birth. Offer Jesus to the Heavenly Father for me that He may forgive my sins. 5th Joyful Mystery: Finding of Jesus in the Temple Mary, my Mother, I love you as I see you looking for Jesus for three days and finding Him among the teachers in the Temple. I want to obey you as Jesus did. Never let me lose Jesus by sin. If I should hurt God by sin, give me true sorrow and bring Jesus back to my heart at once. The Five Luminous Mysteries 1st Luminous Mystery: The Baptism of Jesus Mary, as the first among believers, you rejoiced when Jesus began His Public Ministry with His Baptism, when the Father called Him His beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit came upon Him to invest Him with His saving mission. Obtain for me the grace to carry out my mission by keeping my Baptismal Promises. 2nd Luminous Mystery: Christ's Self-Manifestation at Cana Mary, as the first among believers, you rejoiced when, because of your intercession at the wedding at Cana, Jesus changed water into wine and opened the hearts of the disciples to faith in Him. Obtain for me the grace to do whatever Jesus asks of me. 3rd Luminous Mystery: Christ's Proclamation of the Kingdom of God Mary, as the first among believers, you rejoiced when Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God with its call to forgiveness of sins and set forth the qualities needed by those who want to become its members. Obtain for me the grace to seek forgiveness of my sins frequently in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 4th Luminous Mystery: The Transfiguration of Our Lord Mary, as the first among believers, you rejoiced when at the Transfiguration, Jesus showed forth the Divine Glory that you knew was His, while the Father commanded the Apostles to listen to Him and be transfigured by the Holy Spirit. Obtain for me the grace to become a new person in Christ. 5th Luminous Mystery: Christ's Institution of the Eucharist Mary, as the first among believers, you rejoiced when at the Last Supper, Jesus testified to His love for all human beings by instituting the Eucharist. He offered His Body and Blood as food under the signs of bread and wine. Obtain for me the grace to know and love the Mass and take an active part in it. The Five Sorrowful Mysteries 1st Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony of Jesus in the Garden Mary, dear Mother of Sorrows, I thank you for all you have suffered with Jesus for love of me when in agony He sweat blood as He saw my sins. Give me true sorrow for my sins, which have hurt Jesus so much. 2nd Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging of Jesus at the Pillar Mary, dear Mother of Sorrows, I thank you for all you have suffered with Jesus for love of me when He was scourged by the soldiers until His body was torn with wounds. Let me never hurt Jesus by any evil word or deed. I beg you to keep my body pure and my soul holy. 3rd Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning of Jesus with Thorns Mary, dear Mother of Sorrows, I thank you for all you have suffered with Jesus for love of me when Pilate's soldiers forced a crown of sharp thorns upon His head, struck Him, and laughed at Him. Help me never to hurt Jesus by bad thoughts. 4th Sorrowful Mystery: Jesus Carries His Heavy Cross Mary, dear Mother of Sorrows, I thank you for all you have suffered with Jesus for love of me when you met Him carrying His cross to Calvary. You saw Jesus fall three times beneath the heavy cross. Help me to carry cheerfully every cross that life brings. 5th Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Mary, dear Mother of Sorrows, I thank you for all you have suffered with Jesus for love of me when you saw the soldiers nail His hands and feet to the cross, and when you saw Him die to save my soul. Let me never hurt Jesus by any evil action, but help me to serve Him all my life and be counted among those saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Five Glorious Mysteries 1st Glorious Mystery: The Resurrection of Jesus Mary, lovely Queen of Heaven, I love you for the joy you felt when Jesus arose from the grave in glory and showed Himself to you. Help me to love Jesus with a love like yours on Earth, so that I may be happy with Him and You in Heaven. 2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven Mary, lovely Queen of Heaven, I love you for the joy you felt when you saw Jesus ascend into Heaven forty days after His Resurrection. Never let my heart look for the joys of this world, but for the true joys of Heaven. 3rd Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit Mary, lovely Queen of Heaven, I love you for the joy you felt when, on the tenth day after his Ascension, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon you and the disciples who were praying in Jerusalem. I ask the Holy Spirit to visit me with His grace and to make me holy. 4th Glorious Mystery: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mary, lovely Queen of Heaven, I love you for the joy you felt when you were taken to heaven, body and soul, by the Angels. Pray for me, a sinner, now and at the hour of my death, that I may die happily in Your arms. 5th Glorious Mystery: Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mary, lovely Queen of Heaven, I love You for the joy You felt when you were crowned by Queen of Heaven and Earth by the Blessed Trinity. From the throne of Your glory look upon me, Your loving child, and keep me ever under Your mantle so that I may one day join Jesus and You in Heaven. 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 do 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! V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God! R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 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 ask You, 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.