Rosary Prayer Groups

                                                                                                                                                        During the past year I have joined a rosary prayer group which meets on Saturdays before the 5:00 pm mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Albuquerque. I have occasionally attended a similar rosary prayer group which meets on weekdays after the 5:30 pm mass at Annunciation Church. It would seem that praying the rosary is gaining acceptance again within the Catholic faith community. Furthermore this practice is expanding its base. As an altar boy at St.Patrick's Church in Tacoma during the pre-Vatican II era, I remember elderly women kneeling in their pews and fingering their rosary beads as they prayed in whispering voices. I also remember my own mother leading her children in the rosary, after correcting our homework and before sending us up to our bedrooms. It seemed that the rosary was principally a prayer of Catholic women, albeit with their children during the 50's and early 60's. After Vatican II the practice of saying the rosary seemed to have almost vanished. Actually I don't remember ever saying the rosary at a Jesuit high school in the mid to late 60s. At my parish, St. Charles, as well as at Annunciation, the rosary is currently attracting more followers of both genders and of all ages. I have met seminarians,  professionals, skilled laborers and retirees. At St.Charles, a facilitator will call for prayer intentions. Often persons will ask the group to pray for sick family members or acquaintances, for family members or friends facing crises in their personal lives, for reconversion of family members, for the parish priest, for the intentions of the Pope and for other matters. The elements of the rosary are almost identical to those I remember my mother praying with the exception that the Luminous Mysteries of Jesus' life were subsequently added for contemplation by Pope John Paul II. The rosary begins at the crucifix with the  the Apostles' Creed. The next 5 beads correspond to an Our Father, 3 Hail Marys and the Glory Be. One of the mysteries of Jesus' life is presented for contemplation then an Our Father begins each decade of Hail Marys followed by the Glory Be. In all there are 5 decades of Hail Marys to be recited so 5 Mysteries of Jesus' life require meditation.

When I'm asked why I attend rosary prayer groups, my immediate response is that I need the prayers to help me thru life's difficulties. I also refer to Matthew 18: 20  " For where 2 or 3 are gathered together in My name, there am I in their midst." From a personal perspective, praying the rosary has been a respite from the distractions and busyness of my life. By meditation on  the mysteries of Jesus' life, I try to understand their relevance to my own life. How Christ centered am I becoming?
When I'm asked ( and this question is repeatedly brought up) by my spouse and friends who aren't Catholic, why pray to Mary when you can directly pray to God, I tell them that as a Catholic, I believe that Mary is in heaven so I beseech her prayers just as members of the rosary group ask each other to pray for our own special intentions. We are all gathering in Christ's name and praying thru Christ to the Father.
Praying  the rosary with a group of Catholics typically takes 30 minutes to complete. Certainly 30 minutes of prayer doesn't interfere with any of my other activities . I could pray the rosary faster by myself and sometimes do so but there is something very satisfying when I pray alongside others and we share our prayer intentions. There is a sense of belonging to Christ's community  - what we Catholics call the Mystical Body of Christ. I encourage Catholic pilgrims to seek out rosary prayer groups or at least to pray the rosary on their own. Praying the rosary and meditating on the Mysteries of Jesus Christ's life may open the door to a pilgrimage into one's inner spiritual self.
 For a refresher on praying the rosary click on www.catholicity.com/prayer/rosary.html