The Rosary: An Outpouring of Love

During my freshman year of college, I was thinking about joining a particular household. At the Franciscan University of Steubenville, “households” are like Catholic fraternities and sororities. 

One of the regular commitments of this household was a Sunday evening Rosary. Let me paint the picture for you. Twenty college-age guys sitting comfortably on couches and chairs in a nice warm room praying a very repetitive devotion late at night. 

Someone was bound to fall asleep. On this occasion, someone did. Somewhere around the third Glorious Mystery, a good friend of mine started to nod and snap back. Nod and snap back. And then, after a valiant struggle, just nod.  Everyone else in the room seemed to silently acknowledge that our friend was, shall we say, no longer with us. 

At the conclusion of the Rosary, we all rose very quietly and stole out of the room one by one. We went around to the window and looked in. There was our friend all by himself, fast asleep, still clutching his Rosary beads. 

After a good hearty laugh at our friend’s expense, someone knocked on the window. At the sound of that knock on the glass, our friend snapped awake and said, without hesitation, “Full of grace, the Lord is with Thee ….” 

The repetition associated with the Most Holy Rosary can be very soothing. At times, it may even lull us to sleep. The repetition of the Rosary is not for relaxation, nor should it be a “dry and boring exercise” (On the Most Holy Rosary, 26). 

An Outpouring of Love 

In his 2002 Apostolic Letter, On the Most Holy Rosary, Pope St. John Paul II thought about the Most Holy Rosary as “an outpouring of that love which tirelessly returns to the person loved.” (26) 

Just as the waters of a natural spring are constantly refreshed and renewed, the prayers of the Most Holy Rosary have the power to enliven and invigorate and deepen our love for the Lord, through the pure and immaculate mediation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  

The repetition [of the Rosary] is nourished by the desire to be conformed ever more completely to Christ, the true programme of the Christian life … The Rosary helps us to be conformed ever more closely to Christ until we attain true holiness. (On the Most Holy Rosary, 26) 

Let us approach our Rosary each day with this outlook, so as to not be lulled to sleep in either mind or body. May the rhythm of the “Hail Marys” encourage recollection and enflame our “desire to be conformed ever more completely to Christ” through Mary so as to be the saints each of us was created to be from the foundation of the world.  

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.

About the author:

Deacon Chris served in parish ministry and Catholic education in New Hampshire for more than 20 years. Ordained a permanent deacon in 2014, the Lord inspired him and his wife Michelle to move to Fall River in August 2021. He is always excited to share his passion for the Gospel and his conviction that all the faithful are called to the summit of holiness. Deacon Chris currently serves as the Diocesan Director of Adult and Child Discipleship in the Secretariat for the New Evangelization.