The Rosary – Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tuesdays & Fridays)
The use of “prayer beads” and repeated recitation of prayers started in the earliest days of the Church, and by the Middle Ages, these beads were used to count Our Fathers and Hail Marys. Eventually, 150 Hail Marys were linked with verses of psalms or other phrases evoking the lives of Jesus and Mary. Tradition has it that in the 13th century, St. Dominic organized these beads around the Mysteries that we have today, and it became known as the Rosary, which means “crown or garden of roses.”
Whenever we say a Rosary, we offer our Heavenly Mother Mary a bouquet or crown of spiritual roses, and Mary leads us to her Son Jesus. The Rosary is also the spiritual sword of Mary, who has crushed evil many times throughout the centuries. Even now, Mary asks us to say the Rosary daily in reparation for all our sins and to help defeat the evil that has invaded our Church and world.
“The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.“ – Venerable Fulton Sheen
Begin with the Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
On Crucifix, say 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; on the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there He will 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.
On large bead, say 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.
On next three small beads, say 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.
Finish with a 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.
and the Fatima Prayer: 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 Thy mercy. Amen.
For each decade, say:
1 Our Father on the large bead,
10 Hail Mary’s on the small beads,
and finish with 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima Prayer
1) Agony in the Garden (Lk 22:44-45)
And being in agony, He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow.
2) Scourging at the Pillar (Mk 15:15)
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.
3) Crowning of Thorns (Mt 26:29-30)
Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head.
4) Carrying of the Cross (Jn 19:17)
And carrying the cross by himself, He went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.
5) The Crucifixion (Lk 23:33,46)
When they came to the place that is called Golgotha, they crucified Jesus … Then Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said “Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.
Conclude rosary with: 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. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation; grant we beseech Thee, that by 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 the same Christ our Lord. Amen