Encouraged by the popular response of the Hymn for the Holy Rosary posted on the feast-day, HERE, we offer below, today and on the two succeeding days, the traditional liturgical prayers for the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, so rarely found published in modern books. These were much loved by our confrère Pope Saint John XXIII, who recited the rosary daily, kneeling, with great humility. By complete coincidence today is the celebration of the feast of this saintly Pope.
The meditations and prayers allow us to focus more clearly on the content of each mystery. There is no right and wrong way to pray the Rosary, and these prayers may not suit everyone, not would one be expected to use them reguarly. Other methods, such as the traditional intentions and fruits of each mystery, which are much more widely available, are of great value, as is the German practice of troping the Hail Mary in the middle with a Christological description of the mystery, which used regularly may be found very effective; this too is available in modern publications. Highly commended by some spiritual directors are sets of pictures of each mystery which allow the mind to imagine the scene free from the harness of words, both the great Mgr Augustine Hoey and our late chaplain Canon MacDonald recommended this practice. Perhaps the most important thing is to do whatever suits one’s character, and to avoid sticking to a method which turns over time into simple repetition. The prayers should free the mind, not chain it.
These texts, then, are taken from “The Manual of Prayers: Authorized by the Hierarchy of England and Wales for Congregational Use”, published by Burnes, Oates and Washbourne, 1953, with an Inprimatur by Bernard Cardinal Griffin. They are given here without alteration, they may therefore be freely used in public, even in any church before the Blessed Sacrament exposed, without any further permissions.
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
Usually recited on Mondays and Thursdays throughout
the year, and the Sundays from Advent to Quinquagesima.
I. THE ANNUNCIATION
Let us contemplate in this mystery, how the angel
Gabriel saluted our Blessed Lady with the title, “full
of grace,” and declared to her the incarnation of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times.
Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
O HOLY Mary, Queen of virgins, through
the mystery of the incarnation of thy beloved
Son our Lord Jesus Christ, by which our salvation
was so happily begun ; obtain for us, through thy
intercession, light to be aware of the greatness
of the benefit which he has bestowed on us, in
becoming our brother, and in making thee, his
Mother, our Mother also. Amen.
II. THE VISITATION
Let us contemplate in this mystery, how the
Blessed Virgin Mary, understanding from the
angel that her cousin St Elizabeth had conceived,
went with haste into the mountains of Judea to
visit her, and remained with her three months.
Our Father, Hail Mary, ten times.
Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
O HOLY Virgin, spotless mirror of humility,
by that charity which moved thee to visit thy
holy cousin, obtain for us, through thy inter-
cession, that our hearts being visited by thy holy
Son and freed from all sin, we may praise and give
thanks for ever. Amen.
III. THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOUR
JESUS CHRIST IN BETHLEHEM
Let us contemplate in this mystery, how the
Blessed Virgin Mary, when the time of her de-
livery was come, brought forth our Redeemer
Jesus Christ at Bethlehem, and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for him in the inn.
Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times.
Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
MOST pure Mother of God, through thy
virginal and joyful delivery, whereby thou
gavest unto the world thy only Son our Saviour ;
we beseech thee, obtain for us, through thy inter-
cession, the grace to lead such pure and holy lives
that we may become worthy to sing without
ceasing the mercies of thy Son and his benefits to
us through thee. Amen.
IV. THE PRESENTATION OF OUR BLESSED
LORD IN THE TEMPLE
Let us contemplate in this mystery, how the
Blessed Virgin Mary, on the day of her purifica-
tion, presented the child Jesus in the Temple,
where holy Simeon, devoutly giving thanks to
God, received him into his arms.
Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times.
Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
O HOLY Virgin, admirable pattern of obedi-
ence, who didst present in the temple the
Lord of the temple; obtain for us, of thy beloved
Son, that with Simeon and Anna we may praise
and glorify him for ever. Amen.
V. THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS
IN THE TEMPLE
Let us contemplate in this mystery, how the
Blessed Virgin Mary, after having lost her beloved
Son in Jerusalem, and sought him for the space of
three days, found him at last, on the third day,
discoursing with the doctors in the temple.
Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times.
Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
BLESSED Virgin, more than martyr in thy
sufferings, and the comfort of such as are
afflicted; by that unspeakable joy wherewith thy
soul was ravished at finding thy Son in the temple,
obtain of him that we may seek him, and find him
in the holy Catholic Church, and be never more
separated from him. Amen.
SALVE REGINA
HAIL, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, hail,
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 vale of tears. Turn, then, most
gracious advocate, thy eyes of mercy towards us;
and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed
fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
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 upon these mysteries, in the most
holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may
both imitate what they contain, and obtain what
they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
The painting at the top shows the Madonna of the Rosary by Caravaggio,
in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
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