May: Prayers of the Rosary

The Rosary is prayed on a set of beads consisting of a crucifix, two large beads and three small beads in the single length and four large with ten small between each on the circle. Praying the complete set of beads incorporates the opening prayers on the straight stretch and then one Our Father, ten Hail Marys and one Glory Be five times. These five are known as decades and after each decade there is a prayer given to the children of Fatima by Our Lady for the Holy Souls. In all we say 5 Our Fathers, 10 Hail Marys and 5 Glory Be's. not including the 5 beads from the crucifix to the circle of beads.

The prayers of the Rosary are basically the same the world over in every language. In Lourdes, Fatima, Garabandal or Medugorje people come from every nation on earth and it makes no difference what language they speak because the format is the same and each person responds to their half of the various prayers in their own language.

Some people have little additions in the prayers said after completion of the Rosary. These additional prayers are voluntary and here in Ireland we call them the 'the trimmings'. My Dad stayed with us until he died and he always requested three Hail Mary's for the Holy Souls in Purgatory when we had the five decades completed. His memory wasn't great towards the end and his 3 went on to 10 or more, so lost was he in his praying. After about 13 we'd steer him back on course again. He loved the Rosary and spent much of his day reciting it.

It's lovely to dedicate each decade to a specific intention so that you pray that decade for a particular person, whether dead or alive, or for a particular group of people - the family, young people, teachers, health care workers, government, world leaders, priests; or for a particular intention close to your own heart - a difficult situation, financial difficulties, personal or work related difficulties, a family situation, personal, family or friends' illnesses.

Non-catholics who might like to pray the Rosary can omit some of the prayers if they wish and say the basic Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father. The main purpose is to reflect on the Mysteries being said, with reverence and total focus on the prayer.

You can find a little about the Mysteries of the Rosary at the link. A Spiritual Rosary includes a Bible passage relevant to each decade of the four Mysteries: Joyful;Luminous; Sorrowful; Glorious. Learn about the History of the Rosary. and Saint Louis de Montfort's famous writings on the Secrets of the Rosary.

The Rosary can be said alone or in a group. When said in a group one person says the first half of the prayers and the group says the second half. In our house we start with the youngest in the house leading the first decade and the rest of us responding and work our way through the next eldest etc. Where only two are gathered, alternate the leader. The division for shared prayer is shown in the table below - blue for the first half and maroon for the second half. Here is how we say the Rosary in our house, we dedicate the first five beads on the straight stretch as an Our Father, three Hail Marys and a Glory Be To The Father for the Pope's intentions:

Sign of the Cross:

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen

Opening prayers:

O, Lord open my lips and my tongue shall announce Thy praise. 
Incline unto our aid O God, O Lord make haste to help us.

Glory Be:

Glory be to the Father, And to the Son, And the the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, Is now, And ever shall be.  World without end. Amen

Apostles' Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead and on the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come again 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.

 

The Five Joyful Mysteries 
Said on Mondays and Saturdays: 
1st: The Annunciation; 2nd: The Visitation; 3rd: The Birth of Our Lord; 4th: The Presentation; 5th: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

 

The Five Mysteries of Light 
Said on Thursdays 
1st. The Baptism of Our Lord; 2nd. The First Miracle at Cana; 3rd. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God; 4th. The Transfiguration; 5th. The Institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper

 

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries 
Said on Tuesdays and Fridays 
1st: The Agony in the Garden; 2nd: The Scourging at the Pillar; 3rd: The Crowning of Thorns; 4th: The Carrying of the Cross; 5th: The Crucifixion

The Five Glorious Mysteries 
Said on Wednesdays and Sundays 
1st: The Resurection; 2nd: The Ascension; 3rd: The Descent of The Holy Spirit; 4th: The Assumption; 5th: The Crowning in Heaven

Start with the Our Father on the join of the circle and on each of the large beads for each decade. Follow with ten Hail Marys and finish with a Glory Be.. Repeat this five times. 
 

At the end of each decade we say the following, the first one was taught to the children in Fatima by Our Lady and requested for in between decades:

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Your Mercy. 
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Peace, Pray for us. 
Saint Michael the Archangel, Pray for us.

Hail Holy Queen - on completion of the five decades recite the following prayer:

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, 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, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray:

O God, Whose only begotten Son, by His life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we besech Thee, that meditating upon these Mysteries of the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

We close with:

May the Divine Assistance remain always with us and may the souls of the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

Source: circleofprayer.com