Catholic Central: The Rosary

We take on some very consequential issues this week on “Catholic Central” – pro-life issues, sexuality, and the nature of love -- but they are ones that all families face sooner or later. Luckily, we close out with a couple of great tools to keep your faith on an even keel – the Rosary and the Psalms. Buckle up!

Why So Many Catholics Love the Rosary  

You know, those Rosary beads you may have hanging somewhere or been given as a gift … if you’ve never thought about praying with them, now is as good a time as any to start.  

The Rosary might seem boring and irrelevant at first, but there’s more to it than meets the eye, er...ear... In “Catholic Central: The Rosary,” Kai and Libby guide you through the history and meaning of the Rosary and how it can benefit your spiritual life. 

Diving Deeper  

• Which mysteries of the Rosary (joyful, sorrowful, luminous, glorious) are you most drawn to? Which mysteries do you find most challenging to pray with? Why?

• Why do you think the Virgin Mary might emphasize the importance of praying the Rosary in her apparitions? What might a prayer life filled with reflection on the life of Christ through Mary’s eyes do for your spiritual life? What might that do for the world if we all cultivated that kind of spiritual life?

• Have you noticed any spiritual fruits in your life from praying the Rosary? Has anyone you know ever prayed a Rosary for you? How would it make you feel to know that someone lifted you up through that kind of intentional prayer? Is there anyone or any intention that you feel moved to lift up in particular through the Rosary?

Activity  

Rosary with Imaginative Contemplation - As you meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary, imagine yourself in the scene (Ignatian contemplation), or you might try applying the scenes of the mysteries to experiences in your own life and see what God might be inviting you to notice.  

For example, if you’re praying the Joyful Mysteries, you might reflect on a time when you felt God called you to do something (the Annunciation); what it was like to share about that discernment and calling with other trusted friends (the Visitation); a time when that calling bore tremendous fruit in your life (the Nativity); any time you’ve ever presented the fruit of your calling to others (the Presentation); a moment where you were tempted to doubt your calling but your hope was restored (the Finding of Jesus in the Temple).  

Reflection by Father Vince Kuna, C.S.C.  

Another variation on the Rosary beyond the four types of Mysteries is to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. One the “Our Father” bead, replace with the following prayer: “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”  

On the ten “Hail Mary” beads, pray: “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” End with, “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” 

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