A Beginner's Guide to the Rosary

Who Can Pray the Rosary

Anyone who knows six easy prayers can pray a Rosary; you will also need to know twenty Mysteries to meditate upon as you pray. You do not have to be a Catholic.
The Order of Prayers

The Rosary begins with the Apostles Creed, followed by one Our Father, three Hail Marys (traditionally offered for an increase in faith, hope, and charity for those praying the Rosary), a Glory Be, and, if desired, the Fatima Prayers. Next come five mysteries, each consisting of one Our Father, ten Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and, if desired, the Fatima Prayers. Conclude with the Hail Holy Queen. Please say a few extra prayers after the Hail Holy Queen for the Pope.
Rosary Beads

If you do not have Rosary beads, it is perfectly okay to count with your fingers. Counting beads frees your mind to help you meditate.
Prayers for Praying the Rosary
The Apostle's 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 Ghost, 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, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence 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 the 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 amongst 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

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 (Optional)

O my Jesus, forgive us of our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls into heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.
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 valley 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!
Leader: Pray for us O Holy Mother of God,
All: That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
(Optional)
Leader: Let us pray.
All: 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 on 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.
Prayer for the Holy Father (for private devotion)

Leader: Upon this Rock He will build His Church...
All: ...and the jaws of death shall not prevail against her.

Leader: O Mother of the Redeemer...
All: ...Living Tabernacle of the Eucharist, and Luminous Rose of Heaven, with humble confidence we ask you to bestow upon the Holy Father all the graces and blessings reserved for him by the Holy Trinity from all eternity. Amen.

Leader: Help his friends...
All: ...convert his enemies.

Leader: Saint Joseph...
All: ...pray for us. Amen.
The Twenty Mysteries

Here is a brief listing and description of all twenty Mysteries.
The Joyful Mysteries

* The Annunciation: The Archangel Gabriel "announces" to Mary that she shall conceive the Son of God.
* The Visitation: Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist.
* The Nativity: Jesus is born.
* The Presentation: Mary and Joseph "present" Jesus in the Temple where they meet Simeon.
* The Finding in the Temple: After losing Him, Mary and Joseph find young Jesus teaching the Rabbis in the Temple.

The Luminous Mysteries (The Mysteries of Light)

* The Baptism in the Jordan: The voice of the Father declares Jesus the beloved Son.
* The Wedding at Cana: Christ changes water into wine, his first public miracle.
* The Proclamation of the Kingdom: Jesus calls to conversion (cf. Mk 1:15) and forgives the sins of all who draw near to him.
* The Transfiguration: The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ.
* The Institution of the Eucharist: Jesus offers the first Mass at the Last Supper with his apostles, establishing the sacramental foundation for all Christian living.

The Sorrowful Mysteries

* The Agony in the Garden: Jesus sweats water and blood while praying the night before his passion.
* The Scourging at the Pillar: Pilate has Jesus whipped.
* The Crowning with Thorns: Roman soldiers crown Jesus' head with thorns.
* The Carrying of the Cross: Jesus meets His mother and falls three times on the way up Calvary.
* The Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies before His mother and His apostle John.

The Glorious Mysteries

* The Resurrection: Jesus rises from the dead.
* The Ascension: Jesus leaves the Apostles and bodily "ascends" to heaven.
* The Descent of the Holy Spirit: The Apostles receive the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire in the upper room with Mary.
* The Assumption: Mary is taken bodily--assumed--into heaven by God at the end of her life here on earth.
* The Coronation: Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.

Mysteries for Certain Weekdays

Traditionally, many people say the Joyful Mysteries on Monday, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday, the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday, and start again with the Joyful Mysteries on Thursday, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Friday. The Glorious Mysteries are then prayed on Saturday and Sunday. Now that the Luminous Mysteries have recently been added, the schedule is:

Monday - Joyful
Tuesday - Sorrowful
Wednesday - Glorious
Thursday - Luminous
Friday - Sorrowful
Saturday - Joyful
Sunday - Glorious

Try to place yourself "into" the scene of the particular mystery as you pray, imagining the sights, smells, sounds, and emotions that Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and other participants experienced during the actual events.

It is also okay to meditate on the meaning of the words of the prayers as you pray them, or even to meditate on the person for whom you are offering the Rosary.
Offering Intentions

Practically everyone who prays the Rosary "offers" the Rosary to God and Our Lady for an intention. Some people offer particular intentions before each decade. You can ask God to grant you a favor, heal a sick person, or convert a sinner. Some people offer the same intention every day--sometimes for years on end--especially when asking the Father for the conversion of a particular person. Intentions are as varied as the people who pray.

Ask for big and small gifts. Be bold! In this sense, the Rosary is an exchange of gifts between friends.

It is widely known that Our Lady answers seemingly impossible intentions to those who are first beginning to pray the Rosary. This is her way of drawing you closer to Her and to Jesus. If you are praying your first Rosary, or returning to the Rosary after years of not talking to Our Lady, ask for something big, spectacular, "impossible." She'll often surprise you.
Meriting a Plenary Indulgence

The Catholic Church, exercising its authority to "bind and loose on heaven and earth," and in perfect accord with God's Mercy, has set the following conditions for the granting of a plenary indulgence for those who pray the Rosary:

* Be in a state of grace--that is your soul is free from mortal sin.
* Be free from attachment to--that is, not in the habit of--venial sin.
* Go to confession several days before or after praying the Rosary.
* Receive Holy Communion on the day you pray the Rosary.
* Say a prayer for the Pope.

By fulfilling these simple (but often difficult) conditions, you merit the grace to release one soul from Purgatory. While we are free to ask God to apply this grace to a particular soul, God can do as he pleases, according to His Will and Mercy. You can also ask God to apply this special grace to your own soul. A plenary indulgence will relieve the temporal punishment due to sin (it will not absolve the sin or cause the sin to be forgiven).
The Full Rosary

A "full Rosary" consists of saying all twenty decades, that is, all four sets of five Mysteries. A "Rosary" consists of praying five decades of one set of Mysteries. Many people pray a full Rosary every day; either by praying four separate Rosaries in the morning, midday, afternoon, and evening; or all twenty Mysteries at one time (it is not necessary to repeat the preamble--the Apostles Creed, etc.--between the four sets of Mysteries if one is praying a full Rosary. Conclude with Hail Holy Queen after the last of the Glorious mysteries).
The Family Rosary

The Family Rosary is usually prayed out loud after dinner or before going to bed. Family members can take turns "leading" the decades with one person praying the beginning of the prayers, and all others praying the endings. Some families announce intentions before they begin the Rosary; others take turns announcing special intentions before they begin the Rosary; others take turns announcing special intentions before the beginning of each decade. Many families add favorite prayers at the end of the Rosary, or ask favorite saints and angels to pray for them.
Rosary Novenas

Any time you pray any set of prayers nine consecutive times, it is a novena (novena is Latin for nine). There are many traditional Catholic novenas, and several involve the Rosary. The most common is to say nine straight Saturdays or for nine consecutive hours in one day.
The Most Powerful Novena

Perhaps the most powerful novena is the 54 Day Rosary Novena, which is a series of six consecutive nine day novenas. The first three novenas are offered for the intention, while the last three are offered in thanks to God in anticipation of granting the favor.

The Mary Foundation and many of its benefactors pray five 54 day novenas every year. You don't have to pray alone--join us.

60 seconds with God

During 60 seconds, leave whatsoever you're doing and seize this opportunity! Let's see if satan can stop this.

THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS

At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty.

That was then the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals could die like Jesus. And with Jesus things were worst, because not all the criminals condemned to death could receive nails on their hands and feet

Of course, nails... Big nails! Each was 15 - 20 cm long, with a point of 6 cm.. Another point was sharp.
The nails were struck into the pulses, and not into the palms, as we are have been told. In the pulse, there's a tendon which extends to the shoulder, and when the nails were being hammered, that tendon broke, obliging Jesus to reinforce all the muscles of his back, so that he could breath as He was losing all the air from his lungs.
In this way, He was forced to support Himself onto the nail struck in his feet, which was bigger than those struck into his pulses, for both feet were nailed together. And, as his feet could not endure for a long time without tearing, Jesus was forced to alternate that "cycle" so that He could breath.
Jesus endured that reality for over 3 hours.


Yes, over 3 hours! Long time, isn't it? Few minutes before He died, Jesus was not bleeding anymore.



He was simply pouring water from his cuts and holes.
When we imagine Him injured, we only picture Him with injuries, but it is not enough; His wounds were true holes, made in his body.

He had no more blood to bleed, He only poured water.

The human body is composed of nearly 3.5 litres of blood (for an adult).

Jesus poured all 3.5 litres of his blood; He had three nails hammered into his limbs; a crown of thorns on his head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who nailed a spear into his side.
All these without mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying his own cross for almost 2 kilometres, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight, only for its higher part, where his hands were nailed).
Jesus had to pass all this experience, so that you can have free access to God.

So that your sins could be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception! Don't ignore this situation. HE DIED FOR YOU! For you, who now read this e-mail. Do not believe that He only died for others (those who go to the church or for pastors, bishops, etc).
He died for you! It is easy to pass jokes or foolish photos by e-mail, but when it comes to God, sometimes you feel ashamed to forward to others because you are worried of what they may think about your morals.




Accept the reality, the truth that JESUS IS THE ONLY SALVATION FOR THE WORLD.


God has plans for you, show all your friends what He experienced to save you. Now think about this! May God bless your life!

60 seconds with God....



During 60 seconds, leave whatsoever you're doing and seize this opportunity! Let's see if satan can stop this.

All you have to do is:

1. Simply pray for the person who sent this message to you: Lord, you better know the life of _________. I ask You to bless him/her in all realms and make him/her prospering. Take care of his/her family, his/her health, his/her work and all his/her plans for this year.. Lead him/her not into temptation, but deliver him/her from evil. In Jesus' name, amen.

2.Then, send this message to 10 people.

3. Once, 10 people will pray for you and you will make that many people pray to God for other people.

4. Think a moment and appreciate the power of God in your life, for doing what pleases Him.

If you are not ashamed in doing this, please, follow Jesus' instructions. He said (Matthew 10:33): "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven".

If you are not ashamed, send this message... Only if you believe in Him.

Yes, I love God. He is my source of life and my saviour. He keeps me alive day and night.

Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". Philippians 4:13.

Kahwin atau tidak?

Kahwin atau tidak kahwin? Inilah dua perkara yang selalu menjadi persoalan segelentir umat manusia. Ada orang memperjuangkan idea bahawa setiap manusia harus kahwin dan ada juga orang yang mempertahankan pilihan mereka hidup tanpa terikat kepada perkahwinan. Pendek kata kita ada pilihan didalam hidup ini iaitu hidup berkahwin atau pun hidup membujang.

Sebaiknya didalam hal ini tidak perlulah kita terlalu mempersoalkan tentang hal ini sehingga menyebabkan persahabatan dan hubungan diantara kita menjadi tegang dan renggang. Kerana kita harus menghormati apa juga pilihan yang dibuat oleh seseorang. Kerana setiap manusia itu berhak memilih cara hidup yang dia fikirkan sesuai dan baik untuknya. Jadi, tugas kita bukanlah untuk mengutuk dan membenci pilihannya tetapi menghormati pilihannya. Samada dia senang atau susah dikemudian hari, itu adalah tanggungannya sendiri dan bukan menjadi masalah kita. Apa yang penting bagi kita ialah menghormati pilihannya dan jika perlu memberi sokongan yang sewajarnya.

Ingatlah didalam Alkitab tidak terdapat yang mewajibkan seseorang berkahwin atau membujang. Ini jelas sekali didalam Injil Matius yang berbunyi: "Karena ada orang yang tidak dapat kawin, sebab mereka memang lahir begitu. Ada juga yang tidak dapat kawin sebab ia dibuat begitu oleh orang lain. Dan ada pula yang memilih sendiri untuk tidak kawin, supaya dapat melayani Allah. Orang yang sanggup menerima pengajaran ini, biarlah ia menerimanya."(Mat.19:12)

Jestru itu, marilah kita saling menghormati cara hidup yang masing-masing kita pilih. Disamping itu, jangan lupa untuk saling memberi sokongan supaya kita setia dan tabah menempuh cara hidup yang kita sendiri pilih. Amin.

I always follow one of the Priest blog, Fr Eric Jerome. I love the article, so i decided to take the article as my daily reflection.

i surrender all

Lets us take just a minute for GOD

Holy Communion

In the ancient sacrifices, both Jewish and pagan, those who took part were given part of the meat of the sacrificed animal, in the hope of a sort of communion with the divinity. In the Mass, after the sacrifice itself is completed, we have the unspeakable privilege of receiving the flesh and blood of the Divine Victim, who is not dead, but living, and comes to give life in abundance to our souls.

This Holy Communion, if we are rightly disposed, produces an increase in sanctifying grace - the ability to take in the vision of God in the life to come - plus a special claim to actual graces as needed, forgiveness of venial sin for which one is repentant, help to keep from mortal sin, and an increase in the virtue of love.

But dispositions are needed, for even though the Eucharist contains the very Author of all grace, it does not operate like magic: we must do what we can.

We must of course have the state of grace. Without it it would be sacrilege, and an added mortal sin to receive. Right intention is also needed, i.e., to please God, to be more closely united with Him, to gain a remedy for our weaknesses.

It is not required to be free from all venial sin. The reception itself may forgive venial sins for which one is sorry. But the fruits of receiving are reduced. It is especially needed that one be free from all deliberate venial sin - in contrast to sins of weakness, sins when one is taken off guard.

For fullest benefits, we should be free from all attachment to anything sinful. Some have as it were a gap in their purpose of amendment, as if they said, for example: "I do not intend to commit mortal sins, nor all venial sins. But there are some reservations: if it is hard to stick to the truth, I will not do so, or if it is hard to keep a conversation going without a bit of detraction, that is all right too. These dispositions, sometimes called "affection to venial sin" impose as it were a clamp on one's heart, for he/she has decided to go so far and no farther. So they effectively prevent spiritual growth beyond a certain point. How sad that many who could grow much, block growth by this means.

But mere carelessness, lack of preparation, or lack of thanksgiving can be harmful. Pope John Paul II, in his very first Encyclical, Redemptor hominis #20, said that if one does not constantly try to grow spiritually, receiving the Eucharist would "lack its full redeeming effectiveness" and there could even be a spiritual loss. To receive out of mere routine, with no special care, no thanksgiving, is more apt to cause spiritual loss than gain.

To prepare, one should think in advance about what he/she is going to do, especially during the Mass. After receiving, it is valuable to try for recollection, in humility to adore the Lord present we adore the Lord present within us, to give thanks, to express sorrow for deficiencies, to ask for helps to do better. It is very good to stay a few minutes after the end of the Mass to continue this thanksgiving.

Of course one should be decently dressed to receive. Some give scandal and lead others into sin in the very act of coming.

The Eucharistic fast has now been reduced to one hour - abstaining from food and drink (except water). The time is computed up to the actual time of reception. The sick, even if not confined to bed, and those actually engaged in caring for them at the time, need not observe any period of fasting. The same applies to the elderly, according to the new Code of Canon Law # 919. 3.

Children should begin to receive when they have reached the use of reason, but not before they have made their first confession. Once one has begun to receive, there is the obligation of receiving at least once a year, at Easter time, unless there is a reasonable cause for using a different time.

Pastors should see to it that the sick can receive at times. Those who are in danger of death are obliged to receive the Sacred Host as Viaticum, which means provision for the journey -into the next life.

The present law allows quite a few occasions when the Holy Eucharist may be received under both species. However, Christ is received whole and entire under one form only, for He dies no more: body and blood are never separated. (Cf. First Corinthians 11. 26-27, noting that in v. 26, the word and shows that both species are needed to express the death of the Lord, but for Holy Communion, only one species is needed. Hence the word or is used in v. 27).

When actual reception is not possible, one may profitably make a spiritual communion, by a fervent desire to receive sacramentally. This keeps the soul united with Jesus during the day, and prepares better for the actual reception.