As a child preparing for my First Holy Communion, I recall going to Tonini’s with my mom to pick out my first rosary. I selected one with iridescent ruby-red beads, a shiny little treasure that I still have to this day. It was the first Catholic “thing” that I ever owned.
This month of October is designated by the Church as the month of the holy rosary. Consequently, Pope Leo has encouraged the faithful to make a special effort to pray the rosary every day. Why should we consider doing so?
“The rosary offers something to physically grab onto. This tactility of the rosary — the clacking of the beads, the wrapping of the loop around one’s hands — provides a physical comfort that underpins the prayer.”
— Dr. Karen Shadle, director of the Office of Worship
First, it’s quick and easy. A full recitation of the rosary only takes about 15 minutes. You can easily incorporate it into your routine by anchoring it to something that you already do every day, such as commuting, eating breakfast or going for a walk.
Second, it’s customizable. The rosary is a devotional practice, not a formal public liturgy. It can be done privately and with lots of flexibility.
While there are plenty of guides for how to pray the rosary, there is no official ritual of the rosary. Because its structure derives from tradition and culture rather than rubrics, there really is no wrong way to pray the rosary.
You may notice that different groups and individuals add different prayers at the end or acknowledge the mysteries of each decade in a different way. It’s all correct!
Third, it’s meditative. The rosary is unique among forms of prayer in that it involves lots of repetition. Often, our personal prayer is very direct. It begins with “Dear God,” lists some petitions or points of gratitude and ends with “Amen.” The rosary, with its repeated mantras of well-known prayers, encourages a less linear approach. In a sense, it takes the thinking out of prayer.
My mind often wanders during the rosary. This is not a flaw, but rather a special feature of this devotion. As with knitting or jogging, the repetition spurs creativity. I find that this opens a much more free-form and honest type of communication with God.
Finally, it’s physical. We often think of prayer in conceptual terms as something that is thought or said. The rosary offers something to physically grab onto. This tactility of the rosary — the clacking of the beads, the wrapping of the loop around one’s hands — provides a physical comfort that underpins the prayer.
As I have emphasized many times in my writing about liturgy, faith is sensory. What we know intellectually is monumentally strengthened by image, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Whenever I pray the rosary, I am reminded of the great blessing of this uniquely Catholic devotion. The rosary is such a classic First Communion gift because it offers even to young children a simple and tangible window into the practices of the faith.
Young and old alike, let’s take some time to appreciate this wonderful devotion and incorporate it more frequently into the rhythms of our lives.
Dr. Karen Shadle is director of the Office of Worship for the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Between Amens – A case for praying the rosary daily
As a child preparing for my First Holy Communion, I recall going to Tonini’s with my mom to pick out my first rosary. I selected one with iridescent ruby-red beads, a shiny little treasure that I still have to this day. It was the first Catholic “thing” that I ever owned.
This month of October is designated by the Church as the month of the holy rosary. Consequently, Pope Leo has encouraged the faithful to make a special effort to pray the rosary every day. Why should we consider doing so?
First, it’s quick and easy. A full recitation of the rosary only takes about 15 minutes. You can easily incorporate it into your routine by anchoring it to something that you already do every day, such as commuting, eating breakfast or going for a walk.
Second, it’s customizable. The rosary is a devotional practice, not a formal public liturgy. It can be done privately and with lots of flexibility.
While there are plenty of guides for how to pray the rosary, there is no official ritual of the rosary. Because its structure derives from tradition and culture rather than rubrics, there really is no wrong way to pray the rosary.
You may notice that different groups and individuals add different prayers at the end or acknowledge the mysteries of each decade in a different way. It’s all correct!
Third, it’s meditative. The rosary is unique among forms of prayer in that it involves lots of repetition. Often, our personal prayer is very direct. It begins with “Dear God,” lists some petitions or points of gratitude and ends with “Amen.” The rosary, with its repeated mantras of well-known prayers, encourages a less linear approach. In a sense, it takes the thinking out of prayer.
My mind often wanders during the rosary. This is not a flaw, but rather a special feature of this devotion. As with knitting or jogging, the repetition spurs creativity. I find that this opens a much more free-form and honest type of communication with God.
Finally, it’s physical. We often think of prayer in conceptual terms as something that is thought or said. The rosary offers something to physically grab onto. This tactility of the rosary — the clacking of the beads, the wrapping of the loop around one’s hands — provides a physical comfort that underpins the prayer.
As I have emphasized many times in my writing about liturgy, faith is sensory. What we know intellectually is monumentally strengthened by image, sound, smell, taste and touch.
Whenever I pray the rosary, I am reminded of the great blessing of this uniquely Catholic devotion. The rosary is such a classic First Communion gift because it offers even to young children a simple and tangible window into the practices of the faith.
Young and old alike, let’s take some time to appreciate this wonderful devotion and incorporate it more frequently into the rhythms of our lives.
Dr. Karen Shadle is director of the Office of Worship for the Archdiocese of Louisville.
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