August 2014 - Devout Mom

I recently have fallen in love with the Rosary and hope that maybe many of you will too. Growing up I was taught the basics of the Rosary, the prayers and the mysteries. I was also taught that if I couldn’t go to sleep I should say the Rosary. If I couldn’t finish saying it, the angels would finish it for me. Sure enough it worked every time I was restless.

However, until recently it never really affected me. I went through the motions. Then one day someone said that the Rosary was like Christmas and Easter wrapped into one. A gift worth opening and if you really concentrate on it, it really can affect you.

People have said to me that you are not suppose to pray to Mary and that the Rosary is all about Mary but that is not true at all. We are asking Mary to intercede on our behalf. While we say the prayers we should actively be thinking about the life of Jesus and all he did for us. For me praying the sorrowful mysteries can bring me to tears because you are re-telling the passion of Christ as if you are there. Not only are we asking Mary to pray for us you can also offer up your prayers for someone else in need. It truly is a beautiful gift and can be life changing.

Many Catholics use rosary beads but I often find myself just using my fingers instead. So there is no right or wrong way. There is no right or wrong time to do it either. I love spending my car rides praying, when I am working out or when I actually have a few quiet moments in my house. Here is the info I think can be helpful. One good website is; http://www.theholyrosary.org/

How to pray the rosary

1. Holding the crucifix, begin with the Sign of the Cross and then say the Apostles Creed

2. On the first large bead say the Our Father

3. On the next three small beads say a Hail Mary on each. While saying the first one pray to increase your faith in God. On the second one pray for a deeper desire of hope. On the third one pray to have charity.

4. Then say one Glory Be prayer. Now you are at the medal that joins the beads. Here is where you announce any prayer intentions you have. Then announce the first mystery (Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful or Glorious) depending upon the particular day.

I personally just try to make sure I say each of the mystery sets at least once a week. Some people try and do them all in one day. I don’t think it truly matters what Rosary you say on what day but the Catholic Church has set days to say them on.

5. Then begin the decade with one Our Father while holding the medal.

6. On the ten small beads that follow pray ten Hail Marys.

7. Followed by one Glory Be. Then the Fatima Prayer. After that I have also been saying ‘Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we love you. Save the souls of the unborn children, all priests and religious, all married and families and all those in purgatory.

8. Repeat steps 5-7 starting with an Our Father on the next large bead until you have finished all 5 sets.

9. After the fifth and final decade pray the Hail Holy Queen prayer. I also say: Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, That we may be 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 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. However, I think this is usually said in a group setting.

10. Now end with the Sign of the Cross.

PRAYERS

Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and 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 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 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 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.

The Fatima Prayer: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy.

The 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.

There are wonderful meditations you can use when praying

how to pray the rosary everyday:

Rosary: http://www.rosary-center.org/howto.htm#loaded

EWTN devotionals: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/prayers/rosary/scripture.htm

If you are interested in me providing more details I am more than willing to, just let me know 🙂

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With the very recent death of the amazingly gifted Robin Williams I felt it’s a good time to write about suicide and mental illness. I never knew that he suffered from mental illness. Then again usually we don’t hear about people’s mental illnesses. I was shocked like many to learn that his death was due to suicide.

Growing up in the Catholic Church I felt like I was being taught to fear God and I really began questioning whether or not I wanted to be a Catholic. Through my journey I have come to find answers I have been looking for and I truly believe God has been leading me to my answers. I hope my insight may help some of you.

suicide

Last year a dear friend reached out to me to find some answers and I felt so very honored that she thought I could help her. A girl she had known for years had recently died of suicide and she was heartbroken at the idea of her friend being sent to hell. You see we were taught that suicide was a mortal sin and if you were to commit a mortal sin you went to hell. However, this young lady had been mentally ill and had spent a good amount of her life being abused and treated very poorly. If that was the case then how could she have committed a mortal sin?? AND how could an all loving God send someone broken to hell? I don’t think it would happen cause if it did then he wouldn’t be all loving. She was taken to God’s home where she would be healed and find the peace she so deserve. I also have never had the honor to meet our wonderful new Pope, Pope Francis but I believe if you were to ask him if he agrees with my statements he just might agree.

If you have ever suffered from any kind of mental illness you know that ‘your wires’ in your head are not connected properly and you tell yourself things that aren’t true but you believe them to be true. Well the God I believe in and I know the Catholic Church believes in is all loving and our creator. If he created each of us, he knows what each of us goes through both good and bad. He knows if we are of sound mind when we choose to do something against him or if we are suffering and we don’t realize the affects of the choice we are making. He knows when we are sorry for the things we have done.

However, through it all when someone believes the only answer is suicide and ends up taking their life and you are left to wonder if that person will get into heaven, pray for them. I truly believe in the miracle of prayer. I have found a few prayers that I say for them…

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we love you. Save the souls of the unborn children, all souls in purgatory (I believe in purgatory and I will explain why in a future post), all priests and religious and all marriages and families.

Another one I say is; Oh 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.

Here is another one I found. I have not prayed it before but there is always a first for everything. Almighty God, Our Heavenly Father, we understand that Thy sixth commandment, “Thou shalt do no murder,” includes self murder. But in Thy divine mercy, we beg Thy forgiveness especially for (name), who have been so confounded by the pressures of this life that they felt there was no way they could continue. Grant, we beseech Thee, that they be forgiven their terrible sin and accepted into Thy divine providence, and that they may come to understand Thy ways and Thy nature. We ask this in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

Month: August 2014

Why I Pray The Rosary

Suicide, Mental Illness and the Catholic Church