family prayer | The-Rosary-In-Our-Hands
One of the beautiful things about the Rosary is that once you learn the simple prayers, you can pray it anytime and anywhere. My mother taught me how to pray the Rosary as a young girl. It has been one of my go-to prayers ever since, a prayer I have turned to daily to help me navigate life.
I wear a Rosary bracelet that features a cross, a Miraculous Medal, an Our Father bead, and ten Hail Mary beads. It serves as a reminder of my faith throughout the day, and I often do use it to keep track of the prayers as I pray the Rosary. However, I’m just as likely to count the prayers on my fingers as I pray while going about my daily work.
Pray Whenever You Can
Throughout my life, I have prayed the Rosary at various times and places. There are the more traditional places, such as in church while someone leads the prayers before daily Mass, while at Adoration, or sitting in my living room, praying with my children. And then there are nontraditional places, such as while doing the dishes or taking a shower (one of the few places I could grab some quiet moments when my children were very young.)
I have often prayed the Rosary in bed before going to sleep or in the middle of the night to help relieve my anxiety. The rhythmic prayers help relax my mind. I’m often asleep before I can complete the whole thing. These days, I usually pray one set of five decades in the morning while walking my dog and another one later in the day with my teenage daughter, often in the car when we are driving to one of her activities.
Imperfect Prayers are Still Prayers
No, my Rosaries are not ideal. I announce the Mysteries (and sometimes the fruits), but rarely meditate on them. I’ve never been able to focus my busy mind enough to meditate. It’s like Grand Central Station in my brain! Still, I trust that Mary hears my prayers, knows my heart, and intercedes for me in my needs. Many times, I have been blessed to receive answers to my prayers. And when I don’t, I just keep praying.
You don’t need to wait for the perfect time and place to pray the Rosary. While it is wonderful if you have that opportunity, you can also take advantage of the little snippets of time you have in your day, even if you can only pray one decade at a time. There is no bad time or place to pray the Rosary.
Venerable Patrick Peyton, known as "The Rosary Priest," devoted his priestly life to encouraging family prayer, especially the Rosary. This October, for the Month of the Holy Rosary, Family Rosary (an apostolate founded by Father Peyton) and Catholic Mom have teamed up for this daily series dedicated to the Rosary.
