The word Rosary comes from the Latin rosarium, meaning
a wreath or crown (chaplet) of roses which was used to
denote a collection of sayings and prayers. In Catholic
parlance, “rosary” refers to the standard 5 or 15 decade
prayer beads, and if a strand has any other number of
beads, it is called a chaplet.
The Rosary Prayers are powerful and efficacious in
seeking Christ, and as weapons against evil. The very
power of the words themselves can lead those who feel
weak in their prayer life toward a deeper relationship with
Jesus, through his Blessed Mother (who always, and only
points the way to Him), by creating a general mood, and an
attitude and posture of prayer, through which their open
spirits can learn from the Holy Spirit.
The Rosary is a prayer taken directly from Holy Scripture,
with the first part of the Hail Mary taken from the words of
the Archangel Gabriel, who called Mary “Full of Grace,”
and the second part from the lips of Mary’s cousin
Elizabeth, who exclaimed, “Blessed art thou among
women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!” The Holy
Catholic Rosary is the life and ministry of Jesus, given to us
by the Virgin Mary herself for meditation and prayer in an
orderly, reverential manner, whereby we learn who Jesus
is.
The Rosary IS not a mantra, nor a good luck charm, nor a
magic spell, or to be worn as ornamentation. To pray the
Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a sweet chain linking
us go God!
The Rosary:
Can offer a focus point, a way of keeping the mind still
while praying.
Can provide an “anchor,” something solid to hold onto.
Has been used for hundreds of years.
In using the Rosary we touch the traditions and heritage of
the ages.