The Rosary

To pray the rosary is to hand over our burden to the merciful hearts of Christ and His Mother  -Pope John Paul II

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The Rosary is a devotion to the Incarnation of Our Lord and to His Blessed Mother. It is composed of fifteen decades, each decade consisting of the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, and the Glory Be to the Father, and each being recited in honor of some mystery in the life of Our Lord and of His Blessed Mother. During each decade we should call to mind the mystery which it is intended to honor, and pray that we may learn to practice the virtue specially taught us by that mystery.

Praying the Rosary:

• Make the Sign of the Cross
• Pray the Apostles Creed on the single bead just above the cross
• Pray the Hail Mary on each bead of the next cluster of three beads while meditating on the  divine virtues of faith, hope, and love/charity
• On the next (single) bead, announce the first divine mystery. (On a Monday,  the first Joyful Mystery -The Annunciation) and Pray the Our Father
• On the first decade, or set of 10 beads of the Rosary pray 10 Hail Marys while meditating on the first mystery
• The 10th Hail Mary completes the first of 5 decades which make up a Chaplet of the Rosary. At the following single bead, pray the Glory be to the Father, the Fatima Prayer... then (on the same bead) announce the next  mystery. For example: On a Monday, the second Joyful Mystery - The Visitation.      Pray the Our Father.
• Continue to pray the rosary the same way throughout. If your intention is to pray a Chaplet (a single set of mysteries) at the end of the fifth mystery you will come back to the joiner, this is where the decades all join with the lower part of the rosary which contains the cross.   To say another Chaplet, simply announce the next mystery and continue.  To end,   say the Glory Be To The Father, The Our Father and end with the Hail Holy Queen, the Let Us Pray and the Sign of the Cross
• The Sign of the Cross
  In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
• 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; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there He shall 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.
• The 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.
• The 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.
• Fatima Prayer
  O my Jesus, forgive our sins; save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.
• Hail, Holy Queen
  Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears. Turn, then, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of your 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.
• Decade Prayer (prayer for priests)
  God, our Father, please send us holy priests, all for the sacred and eucharistic heart of Jesus, all for the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary, in union with saint Joseph. Amen.
• 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 beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries in 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.
• The Memorare
  Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly to you O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To you I come; before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

THE MYSTERIES

• Joyful Mysteries - The Mysteries of Jesus' birth and early life
  - Monday & Saturday; Sundays of Advent and after Epiphany until Lent

Annunciation	The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary, announcing She is to be the Mother of God
Visitation	Elizabeth greets Mary: "Blessed art Thou among women and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb!"
Nativity	The Virgin Mary gives birth to the Redeemer of the World
Presentation	Blessed Mother presents the Child Jesus in the Temple
Finding in the Temple	The Blessed Mother finds Jesus in the Temple

• Sorrowful Mysteries - The Mysteries of Christ's suffering and death
    - Tuesday & Friday; Sundays in Lent

Agony in the Garden	At Gethsemane Jesus prays as He contemplates the sins of the world
Scourging at the Pillar	Jesus is cruelly scourged until His mortified body could bear no more
Crowning with Thorns	A crown of thorns is placed on the head of Jesus
Carrying of the Cross	Jesus carries the heavy cross upon His shoulders to Calvary
Crucifixion	Jesus is nailed to the Cross and dies after three hours of Agony

• Glorious Mysteries
  The Mysteries of Christ's victory over death and Mary's special place as the Holy Mother
    - Wednesday & Sunday; Sunday after Easter until Advent

Resurrection	Jesus rises glorious and immortal, 3 days after His death
Ascension	Jesus ascends into Heaven 40 days after His Resurrection
Coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles	The Holy Spirit descends upon Mary and the Apostles
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin	The Blessed Mother is united with her Divine Son in heaven
Coronation of the Blessed Virgin	Mary is Gloriously crowned Queen of Heaven and earth

• Luminous Mysteries - The Mysteries of Christ's priesthood
    - Thursday

Baptism of The Lord in the Jordan	Here, as Christ descends into the waters, the innocent one who became "sin" for our sake, the heavens open wide and the voice of the Father declares Him the beloved Son, while the Spirit descends on Him to invest Him with the mission which He is to carry out
Wedding of Canna	The first of the signs(miracles), given at Cana , when Christ changes water into wine and opens the hearts of the disciples to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers
Proclamation of the Kingdom of God	with his call to conversion. The preaching by which Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls to conversion  and forgives the sins of all who draw near to Him in humble trust): the inauguration of that ministry of mercy which He continues to exercise until the end of the world, particularly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation which He has entrusted to his Church
Transfiguration	The mystery of light par excellence is the Transfiguration, traditionally believed to have taken place on Mount Tabor. The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to "listen to Him" and to prepare to experience with Him the agony of the Passion, so as to come with Him to the joy of the Resurrection and a life transfigured by the Holy Spirit
Institution of the Eucharist	as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. Christ offers His body and blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies "to the end" His love for humanity, for whose salvation He will offer Himself in sacrifice