The Holy Rosary

Benefits of the Rosary

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The Family Rosary

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"If you want peace in your heart, in your home, in your country, assemble together every night and say the Rosary." (Pope St. Pius X)

"Married couples ought to say the Rosary together each night, for their common prayer is more than the separate prayers of each. When the child comes, they should say it before the crib, as Joseph and Mary prayed there." (Archbishop Fulton Sheen)

The fathers and mothers of families particularly must give an example to their children, especially when, at sunset, they gather together after the day's work, within the domestic walls, and recite the Holy Rosary on bended knees before the image of the Virgin, together fusing voice, faith and sentiment. This is a beautiful and salutary custom, from which certainly there cannot but be derived tranquility and abundance of heavenly gifts for the household." (Pope Pius XI, "Ingravescentibus Malis", 1937 A.D.)

"But it is above all in the bosom of the family that We desire the custom of the Holy Rosary to be everywhere adopted, religiously preserved, and ever more intensely practiced. In vain is a remedy sought for the wavering fate of civil life, if the family, the principle and foundation of the human community, is not fashioned after the pattern of the Gospel. To undertake such a difficult duty, We affirm that the custom of the family recitation of the Holy Rosary is a most efficacious means. What a sweet sight - most pleasing to God - when, at eventide, the Christian home resounds with the frequent repetition of praises in honor of the august Queen of Heaven! Then the Rosary, recited in common, assembles before the image of the Virgin, in an admirable union of hearts, the parents and their children, who come back from their daily work. It unites them piously with those absent and those dead. It links all more tightly in a sweet bond of love, with the most Holy Virgin, who, like a loving mother, in the circle of her children, will be there bestowing upon them an abundance of the gifts of concord and family peace. Then the home of the Christian family, like that of Nazareth, will become an earthly abode of sanctity, and, so to speak, a sacred temple, where the Holy Rosary will not only be the particular prayer which every day rises to heaven in an odor of sweetness, but will also form the most efficacious school of Christian discipline and Christian virtue. This meditation on the Divine Mysteries of the Redemption will teach the adults to live, admiring daily the shining examples of Jesus and Mary, and to draw from these examples comfort in adversity, striving towards those heavenly treasures 'where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys' (Luke 12, 33). This meditation will bring to the knowledge of the little ones the main truths of the Christian Faith, making love for the Redeemer blossom almost spontaneously in their innocent hearts, while, seeing, their parents kneeling before the majesty of God, they will learn from their very early years how great before the throne of God is the value of prayers said in common." (Pope Pius XII, "Ingruentium Malorum", 1951)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | There is No Valid Excuse for Not Praying the Daily Rosary | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray | Misc. / Rosary

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In Defense of the Rosary / Those Who Consider the Devotion an "Annoying Formula"

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"This practice of piety, Venerable Brethren, admirably diffused by St. Dominic, not without the heavenly suggestion and inspiration of the Virgin Mother of God, is without doubt easy for all, even for the ignorant and the simple. But those wander from the path of truth who consider this devotion merely an annoying formula repeated with monotonous singsong intonation, and refuse it as good only for children and silly women! In this regard, it is to be noted that both piety and love, though always renewing the same words, do not always repeat the same thing but always express something new issuing from the intimate sentiment of devotion. And besides, this mode of prayer has the perfume of evangelic simplicity and requires humility of spirit; and, if we disdain humility, as the Divine Redeemer teaches, it will be impossible for us to enter the heavenly kingdom: 'Amen, I say to you, unless you become as little children you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven' (Matt. xviii, 3). Nevertheless, if men in our century, with its derisive pride, refuse the Holy Rosary, there is an innumerable multitude of holy men of every age and every condition who have always held it dear. They have recited it with great devotion, and in every moment they have used it as a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight, to preserve the integrity of life, to acquire virtue more easily, and in a word to attain real peace among men. Nor are there lacking men famous as to doctrine and wisdom who, although intensely occupied in scientific study and researches, never even for a day fail to pray fervently on bended knee, before the image of the Virgin, in this most pious form. Thus kings and princes, however burdened with most urgent occupations and affairs, made it their duty to recite the Rosary. This mystic crown, then, not only is found in and glides through the hands of the poor, but it also is honored by citizens of every social rank. And We do not wish here to pass over in silence the fact that the Blessed Virgin herself, even in our times, has solicitously recommended this manner of prayer, when she appeared and taught it to the innocent girl in the Grotto of Lourdes. Therefore why should We not hope for every grace if We supplicate Our Heavenly Mother in this manner with due disposition and holiness?" (Pope Pius XI, "Ingravescentibus Malis", 1937 A.D.)

"Were a good friend to present us several times with a thousand dollars, we would not object to such a sum, but rather wish the amount to be increased. The good Christian, in like manner, never finds the repetition of the prayers of the Rosary tedious, but rather truly delightful. He knows that one single prayer of the Rosary, which is recited with devotion is of more value than all the money, than all the riches, in the universe. What will money, what will all the riches of this world, avail us after death? But the prayers of the Rosary will then be of more help to us than all the honors and wealth in the world." (Muller)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | Knowing if a Man is For God / Rosary | The Mysteries of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary & The Souls in Purgatory | The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray

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Knowing if a Man is For God / Rosary

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"I have no better way of knowing if a man is for God than if he likes to say the Hail Mary and the Rosary." (St. Louis de Montfort)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray

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The Mysteries of the Rosary

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

Joyful: "The messenger of the heavenly court, disclosing the hidden mysteries of the Divinity, hails as full of grace the Virgin about to become Mother of God. The Virgin visits her relative, the mother of John, who, though yet a captive in the womb, leaps with joy announcing the presence of Christ. The Word that before all ages had proceeded from the Father's Intellect, is born a mortal Babe of a Virgin Mother. The little One is presented in the temple, the Legislator obeys the Law, the Redeemer offers himself in sacrifice" (Hymn of First Vespers)

Sorrowful: "On the mount with olives planted, prostrate the Redeemer prays; he grieves, he fears, he well-night faints, pouring forth a sweat of blood. God, delivered up by a traitor is dragged away to punishment; bound with tight bonds, he bleeds beneath the cruel scourges. A crown of ignominy, woven of sharp thorns, adorns the King of glory clothed with purple tatters. Laboring, breathless, thrice falling beneath the heavy cross, he is compelled by force to bear it to the mountain top. Nailed to the awful gibbet, the Innocent hangs between two criminals; till praying for his torturers, he yields up his Spirit with the last drop of his Blood." (Hymn of Matins)

Glorious: "Death overthrown, Christ rises victorious from limbo, and breaking the bonds of sin, throws open heaven's gate. Having appeared long enough to men, he ascends to the heavenly dwellings and is enthroned at his Father's right hand, a partner in his glory. The Holy Spirit whom he had promised to give them, he sends down upon his sorrowing disciples in fiery tongues of love. With her body set free from earthly weight, the Virgin is raised above the stars; she is welcomed with heaven's jubilant delight, and with the songs of angels. Twelve stars now crown the lovely Mother's brow; and from her throne beside her Son, she reigns over all creation." (Hymn of Lauds)

"For us nothing can be more effective in winning the Virgin's favor and in meriting the most salutary graces than to surround with the greatest possible honor the mysteries of our redemption in which she not only shared but also took part." (Pope Leo XIII)

"As the various mysteries present themselves one after the other in the formula of the Rosary for the meditation and contemplation of men's minds, they also elucidate what we owe to Mary for our reconciliation and salvation." (Pope Leo XIII, "Fidentem Piumque Animum", 1896 A.D.)

"Through the words of the angelic greeting to Mary, there begin to be revealed all the mysteries in which the world's redemption is accomplished: the joyful mysteries, the sorrowful mysteries, the glorious mysteries. Just as happens in the Rosary." (Pope John Paul II)

"For every time that we look once more with devotional remembrance upon these Mysteries we give [the Blessed Virgin] a sign of the gratitude of our hearts; we prove to her that we cannot often enough call to mind the blessings of her unwearied charity in the work of our salvation. At such recollections, practiced by us with the frequency of love in her presence, who may express, who may even conceive, what ever-new joys overflow her ever-blessed soul, and what tender affections arise therein, of mercy and of a mother's love!" (Pope Leo XIII, "Iucunda Semper Expectatione", 1894)

"The diadem which the Church thus offers first to the august Sovereign of the world, is rightly composed of the triple crown of these sanctifying mysteries, the causes of her joy, of her sorrow, and of her glory. The joyful mysteries recall the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth of Jesus, Mary's Purification, and the Finding of our Lord in the temple. The sorrowful mysteries bring before us the Agony of our blessed Lord, His being scourged, and crowned with thorns, the carrying of the cross, and the Crucifixion. While, in the glorious mysteries, we contemplate the Resurrection and Ascension of our Savior, Pentecost, and the Assumption and Coronation of the Mother of God. Such is Mary's rosary; a new and fruitful vine, which began to blossom at Gabriel's salutation, and whose fragrant garlands form a link between earth and heaven." (Liturgical Year)

"Thee exulting with joy, thee wounded with the sword of sorrow, thee girt with everlasting glory, we sing, O Virgin Mother. Hail overflowing with gladness, when thou conceivest; when thou visitest thy cousin; when thou bringest forth thy Son, offerest him to God, findest him in the temple, O happy Mother! Hail, in they bitter sorrow, when thou didst suffer in thy inmost heart the agony, the scourging, the thorns, and the cross of thy Son, O first of martyrs! Hail, O Queen refulgent with glory in the triumphs of thy Son, in the fires of the Paraclete, in the honor and splendor of thy queenliness. Come, O ye nations, gather roses from these mysteries, and wreathe therewith garlands for the Mother of fair love. Glory be to thee, O Jesus born of the Virgin; together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, through everlasting ages. Amen. V. Queen of the most holy rosary, pray for us, R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ." (Vespers Hymn)

"For in the Rosary all the part that Mary took as our co-Redemptress comes to us, as it were, set forth, and in such wise as though the facts were even then taking place; and this with much profit to our piety, whether in the contemplation of the succeeding sacred mysteries, or in the prayers which we speak and repeat with the lips. First come the Joyful Mysteries. The Eternal Son of God stoops to mankind, putting on its nature; but with the assent of Mary, who conceives Him by the Holy Ghost. Then St. John the Baptist, by a singular privilege, is sanctified in his mother's womb and favored with special graces that he might prepare the way of the Lord; and this comes to pass by the greeting of Mary who had been inspired to visit her cousin. At last the expected of nations comes to light, Christ the Savior. The Virgin bears Him. And when the Shepherds and the wise men, first-fruits of the Christian faith, come with longing to His cradle, they find there the young Child, with Mary, His Mother. Then, that He might before men offer Himself as a victim to His Heavenly Father, He desires to be taken to the Temple; and by the hands of Mary He is there presented to the Lord. It is Mary who, in the mysterious losing of her Son, seeks Him sorrowing, and finds Him again with joy. And the same truth is told again in the sorrowful mysteries." (Pope Leo XIII, "Iucunda Semper Expectatione", 1894)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | In Defense of the Rosary / Those Who Consider the Devotion an "Annoying Formula" | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is a Medicine | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray | Misc. / Rosary

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October / Rosary Month

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"We, who seek a remedy for similar evils, do not doubt therefore that the prayer introduced by that most blessed man with so much advantage to the Catholic world, will have the greatest effect in removing the calamities of our times also. Not only do We earnestly exhort all Christians to give themselves to the recital of the pious devotion of the Rosary publicly, or privately in their own house and family, and that unceasingly, but we also desire that the whole of the month of October in this year should be consecrated to the Holy Queen of the Rosary. We decree and order that in the whole Catholic world, during this year, the devotion of the Rosary shall be solemnly celebrated by special and splendid services." (Pope Leo XIII, "Supremi Apostolatus Officio", 1883)

"We decreed by an Encyclical Letter that, to win the help of Heaven for the Church in her trials, the great Mother of God should be honored by the means of the most holy Rosary during the whole of the month of October. In this We followed both Our own impulse and the example of Our predecessors, who in times of difficulty were wont to have recourse with increased fervor to the Blessed Virgin, and to seek her aid with special prayers." (Pope Leo XIII, "Superiore Anno", 1884 A.D.)

"We desire very earnestly, Venerable Brethren, that the Holy Rosary should be recited in a special manner in the month of October and with increased devotion both in the churches and in homes." (Pope Pius XI, "Ingravescentibus Malis", 1937 A.D.)

"For these reasons We have ever repeatedly encouraged the recitation of the Holy Rosary, and have endeavored to increase its dignity by a more solemn cult, following in this the footsteps of our predecessors. Pope Sixtus V, of happy memory, approved the ancient custom of reciting the Rosary; Gregory XIII dedicated a day under this title, which Clement VIII afterwards inscribed in the martyrology, and Clement XI extended to the Universal Church. Benedict XIII inserted the feast in the Roman Breviary, and We, ourselves, in perpetual testimony of Our affection for this devotion commanded that the solemnity with its office should be celebrated in the Universal Church as a double of the second class, consecrating to this devotion the entire month of October. Finally we ordered the addition to the Litany of Loreto of the invocation 'Queen of the most Holy Rosary,' as an augury of victory in our present warfare." (Pope Leo XIII, "Diuturni Temporis", 1898)

"This year is the first centenary of Pope Leo XIII's Encyclical Supreme Apostolatus, with which the great Pontiff decreed that the month of October would be especially dedicated to veneration of the Virgin of the Rosary. In this document he strongly emphasized the extraordinary efficacy of this prayer, recited with a pure and devout spirit, for the purpose of obtaining from the heavenly Father, in Christ, and through the intercession of the Mother of God, protection against the most serious evils that can threaten Christianity and mankind itself, and therefore of attaining to the highest goods of justice and peace among individuals and among peoples. With this historic act, Leo XIII did no more than place himself alongside the numerous Pontiffs who had preceded him - St. Pius V among them - and he left a consignment to those who would follow him in furthering the devotion of the Rosary. For this reason I too want to say to all of you: make the Rosary the 'gentle chain that binds you to God' through Mary." (Pope John Paul II, 1983)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | The Mysteries of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray | Misc. / Rosary

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Praise for the Rosary

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Recitation of the Rosary is Recom-

mended

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The Rosary & Sin

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page) | Sin (Topic Page)

"It is impossible to meditate with devotion upon the mysteries of the Rosary and live in a state of sin." (St. John Vianney)

"Let the life of a sinner have been ever so wicked, ever so full of crimes, if he begins to say the beads, he will soon be delivered from the chains of his sins and endowed with the liberty of the children of God." (Muller)

"The repentant sinner is never rejected by Mary. However numerous may be his crimes, however frightful their deformity, if he breathes with confidence at the feet of Mary one heartfelt sigh of sorrow, she instantly extends her merciful hand, withdraws from him the precipice of despair, and never abandons him until she beholds him reconciled with God, especially if he perseveres in saying the Rosary." (Muller)

"It may be asked, Why is it that a sinner receives the grace of conversion soon after he has begun to practice the devotion of the Rosary? I answer: When saying the Rosary, the sinner naturally thinks of the life of his Savior; he remembers and reflects on his sufferings. Now, to remember the Passion of his Savior, to meditate on it whilst praying, is to present one's self before the Heavenly Father, with all the merits of his well beloved Son; he thus appeases the wrath of the Heavenly Father and regains his favor; for though God the Father be angry with the sinner, casting his eyes upon Jesus Christ crucified, he sees a Son, infinitely worthy of being heard - a Son equal to himself in power, wisdom, and holiness; a Son infinitely amiable, who offers to him his divine Life in sacrifice, who shed all his blood for the reparation of his honor; and the Heavenly Father sees himself thus infinitely more honored by this magnificent reparation than he had been dishonored by the sins of the world. Hence God the Father never beholds a sinner devoted to the sufferings of Jesus Christ without the utmost complacency; he is moved with compassion towards him, and feels himself forced, as it were, to love him and grant him the grace of true repentance." (Muller)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & The Souls in Purgatory | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray

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The Rosary & The Souls in Purgatory

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page) | Purgatory (Topic Page)

"Now, one of the easiest, yet one of the most powerful, means to procure relief for the souls in Purgatory is to say the beads for them with fervor. To say the Rosary for the souls in Purgatory is to offer up to God for their relief all the labors, fatigues, prayers, tears, contempt, sufferings, blood, and death - all the merits of the life of our dear Savior. Next to Mass, no more efficacious offering can be made to God then this for the relief of the souls in Purgatory." (Muller)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | Purgatory (Catholic Basics Reflections)

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The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"There is a certain curious instrument which marks with great accuracy the different degrees of temperature. It contains a fluid which rises when the weather is warm, and falls again as the weather grows cold. You have seen, no doubt, the instrument of which I speak: it is called a thermometer. Now, there is another kind of thermometer, not indeed of the natural, but of the supernatural life - a thermometer which indicates very correctly the warmth of faith in a Catholic, in a family, in a community; and this instrument is the Rosary. It is a well-known fact that wherever the Devotion of the Rosary is practiced, there faith is warm and active." (Muller)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | The Family Rosary | In Defense of the Rosary / Those Who Consider the Devotion an "Annoying Formula" | Knowing if a Man is For God / Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | There is No Valid Excuse for Not Praying the Daily Rosary | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray

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The Rosary in History

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The Rosary is a Medicine

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"Some people do not like to take the medicine that would heal them, and call it nonsense. The rosary is exactly that medicine which cures an amazing deal of nonsense. Call it spiritual homeopathy if you like. Many a proud spirit has been brought down by it - many a faddy spirit has been made patient by it. Many a queasy spirit has been made strong by it. Many a distracted spirit has become recollected by it. The weak things of this world hath God chosen to confound the strong." (Archbishop Ullathorne)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | The Family Rosary | The Mysteries of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary & The Souls in Purgatory | The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer | The Rosary in History | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray

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The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page) | Blessed Virgin Mary (Topic Page)

"Of all the prayers, the Rosary is the most beautiful and the richest in graces; of all it is the one most pleasing to Mary, the Virgin Most Holy." (Pope St. Pius X)

"...it is clearly evident that this form of prayer is particularly pleasing to the Blessed Virgin" (Pope Leo XIII, "Supremi Apostolatus Officio", 1883 A.D.)

"We do not wish here to pass over in silence the fact that the Blessed Virgin herself, even in our times, has solicitously recommended this manner of prayer, when she appeared and taught it to the innocent girl in the Grotto of Lourdes. Therefore why should We not hope for every grace if We supplicate Our Heavenly Mother in this manner with due disposition and holiness?" (Pope Pius XI, "Ingravescentibus Malis", 1937 A.D.)

"Now, among the several rites and manners of paying honor to the Blessed Mary, some are to be preferred, inasmuch as we know them to be most powerful and most pleasing to our Mother; and for this reason we specially mention by name and recommend the Rosary." (Pope Leo XIII, "Octobri Mense", 1891 A.D.)

"It is pleasant to us to remember, Venerable Brethren, that We have in other letters issued from time to time extolled the devotion of the Rosary; for it is in many ways most pleasing to her in whose honor it is employed, and most advantageous to those who properly use it. But it is equally pleasant to be able now to insist upon and confirm the same fact." (Pope Leo XIII, "Fidentem Piumque Animum", 1896 A.D.)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | The Family Rosary | In Defense of the Rosary / Those Who Consider the Devotion an "Annoying Formula" | Knowing if a Man is For God / Rosary | The Mysteries of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is a Medicine | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray | Misc. / Rosary

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There is No Valid Excuse for Not Praying the Daily Rosary

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"Dear Christian, there is no valid excuse for not practicing the daily devotion of the Rosary, and for the most part, those who make these objections and excuses are influenced by a secret unwillingness to lead a Christian life in good earnest. They are unwilling to practice retirement, detachment from creatures, and self-denial. They omit saying the beads in order to avoid the rebuke of their conscience for their sensuality, price, vanity, uncharitableness, and sloth. Miserable are the consequences of such a course of conduct. Not being willing to seek true peace of heart in religion, such men try to find their consolation in exterior things; they multiply faults and imperfections in proportion as they withdraw from God." (Muller)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | The Family Rosary | In Defense of the Rosary / Those Who Consider the Devotion an "Annoying Formula" | The Mysteries of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary & The Souls in Purgatory | The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray | Misc. / Rosary

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Those Who Say Daily Rosary Are Not Led Astray

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood." (St. Louis de Montfort)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | The Family Rosary | The Mysteries of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary as a Spiritual Thermometer | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is a Medicine | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary | There is No Valid Excuse for Not Praying the Daily Rosary

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Misc. / Rosary

Also See: Holy Rosary (Topic Page)

"...for you ought to know that the salvation of my soul depends on saying the Rosary." (St. Alphonsus, Doctor of the Church)

"The Rosary, that is my weapon." [St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)]

"Our Lady wants all to wear the Scapular. The Scapular and the Rosary are inseparable." (Sr. Lucy of Fatima)

"May Mary, the Mother of God and of men, herself the authoress and teacher of the Rosary, procure for Us its happy fulfillment." (Pope Leo XIII, "Laetitiae Sanctae", 1893)

"How grateful and magnificent a spectacle to see in the cities, and towns, and villages, on land and sea-wherever the Catholic faith has penetrated-many hundreds of thousands of pious people uniting their praises and prayers with one voice and heart at every moment of the day, saluting Mary, invoking Mary, hoping everything through Mary." (Pope Leo XIII, "Octobri Mense", 1891 A.D.)

"If you wish to convert anyone to the fullness of the knowledge of Our Lord and of His Mystical Body, then teach him the Rosary. One of two things will happen. Either he will stop saying the Rosary - or he will get the gift of faith." (Archbishop Fulton Sheen)

"But there is no need to seek for examples of this power in a past age, since we have in the present a signal instance of it. In these times - so troublous (as we have said before) for the Church, and so heartrending for ourselves - set as We are by the Divine will at the helm, it is still given Us to note with admiration the great zeal and fervor with which Mary's Rosary is honored and recited in every place and nation of the Catholic world. And this circumstance, which assuredly is to be attributed to the Divine action and direction upon men, rather than to the wisdom and efforts of individuals, strengthens and consoles Our heart, filling Us with great hope for the ultimate and most glorious triumph of the Church under the auspices of Mary." (Pope Leo XIII, "Octobri Mense", 1891 A.D.)

"We do not hesitate to affirm again publicly that We put great confidence in the Holy Rosary for the healing of evils which afflict our times. Not with force, not with arms, not with human power, but with Divine help obtained through the means of this prayer, strong like David with his sling, the Church undaunted shall be able to confront the infernal enemy, repeating to him the words of the young shepherd: 'Thou comest to me with a sword, and a spear, and with a shield; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of armies...and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear, for this is his battle, and he will deliver you into our hands' (I Kings 17, 45-47)" (Pope Pius XII, "Ingruentium Malorum", 1951 A.D.)

"Now Christ stands forth clearly in the Rosary." (Pope Leo XIII, "Fidentem Piumque Animum", 1896 A.D.) 

"Thus the Rosary teaches us every day to think of Jesus and Mary, and be grateful to them; and to think of them and be grateful to them is to love them; and to love God and show gratitude towards him is the end of all religion, the very essence of Christianity." (Muller)

"The Rosary is made up of two things: mental prayer and vocal prayer. In the Holy Rosary mental prayer is none other than meditation of the chief mysteries of the life, death and glory of Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother. Vocal prayer consists in saying fifteen decades of the Hail Mary, each decade headed by an Our Father, while at the same time meditation on and contemplating the fifteen principal virtues which Jesus and Mary practiced in the fifteen mysteries of the Holy Rosary." (St. Louis Marie de Montfort)

"Nor are you only spectators of the difficulty of the situation, but your charity, like Ours, is keenly wounded; for it is one of the most painful and grievous sights to see so many souls, redeemed by the blood of Christ, snatched from salvation by the whirlwind of an age of error, precipitated into the abyss of eternal death. Our need of divine help is as great today as when the great Dominic introduced the use of the Rosary of Mary as a balm for the wounds of his contemporaries." (Pope Leo XIII, "Supremi Apostolatus Officio", 1883)

"If in all this series of Mysteries, Venerable Brethren, are developed the counsels of God in regard to us - 'counsels of wisdom and of tenderness' - not less apparent is the greatness of the benefits for which we are debtors to the Virgin Mother. No man can meditate upon these without feeling a new awakening in his heart of confidence that he will certainly obtain through Mary the fullness of the mercies of God." (Pope Leo XIII, "Iucunda Semper Expectatione", 1894)

"As all men know, [the Rosary] is composed of two parts, distinct but inseparable - the meditation of the Mysteries and the recitation of the prayers. It is thus a kind of prayer that requires not only some raising of the soul to God, but also a particular and explicit attention, so that by reflection upon the things to be contemplated, impulses and resolutions may follow for the reformation and sanctification of life." (Pope Leo XIII, "Iucunda Semper Expectatione", 1894)

"Next to the holy sacrifice of the Mass, there is, indeed, nothing more terrifying to [the devil], nor does he bear a more implacable hatred to anything than to the devotion of the Rosary." (Muller)

"The Rosary has enough outward form to keep us from distraction, and at the same time the prayers of which it is composed are such that we can adapt them to whatever state of mind we may be in at the time." (Muller)

"Ever hold in great esteem the practices and exercises of the devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin which have been recommended for centuries by the magisterium of the Church. And among them we judge well to recall especially the Marian Rosary and the religious use of the Scapular of Mount Carmel." (Pope Paul VI)

"We have seen that the Rosary is one of the most ancient devotions in the Church; that it is a devotion from heaven; that the prayers which compose it have been in part inspired, in part taught us directly by God himself." (Muller)

"Let them strive to obtain from our most loving Mother, especially through this form of prayer [the Rosary], that better times may quickly return for the Church and society." (Pope Pius XII, "Ingruentium Malorum", 1951)

"Since the work of salvation began with the Angelic Salutation, the salvation of each one of us in particular is attached to this prayer." (St. Dominic)

"When a person is healthy, his eyes are, for the most part, looking to the earth; when he is flat on his back, his eyes look to Heaven. Perhaps it is truer to say that Heaven looks down on him. In such moments when fever, agony, and pain make it hard to pray, the suggestion of prayer that comes from merely holding the Rosary - or better still, for caressing the Crucifix at the end of it - is tremendous. Because our prayers are known by heart, the heart can now pour them out and thus fulfill the scriptural injunction to 'pray always'. Prisoners of war during World War II have told me how the Rosary enabled men to pray, almost continuously, for days before their death. The favorite mysteries then were generally the sorrowful ones, for by meditating on the suffering of Our Savior on the Cross, men were inspired to unite their pains with Him, so that, sharing in His Cross, they might also share in His Resurrection." (Archbishop Fulton Sheen)

"When dealing with genuine and solid piety We stated that there could be no real opposition between the sacred liturgy and other religious practices, provided they be kept within legitimate bounds and performed for a legitimate purpose. In fact, there are certain exercises of piety which the Church recommends very much to clergy and religious. It is Our wish also that the faithful, as well, should take part in these practices. The chief of these are: meditation on spiritual things, diligent examination of conscience, enclosed retreats, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, and those special prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary among which the rosary, as all know, has pride of place. From these multiple forms of piety, the inspiration and action of the Holy Spirit cannot be absent. Their purpose is, in various ways, to attract and direct our souls to God, purifying them from their sins, encouraging them to practice virtue and, finally, stimulating them to advance along the path of sincere piety by accustoming them to meditate on the eternal truths and disposing them better to contemplate the mysteries of the human and divine natures of Christ. Besides, since they develop a deeper spiritual life of the faithful, they prepare them to take part in sacred public functions with greater fruit, and they lessen the danger of liturgical prayers becoming an empty ritualism." (Pope Pius XII, "Mediator Dei", 1947)

"Nor may we permit to pass unnoticed the especial Providence of God displayed in this devotion; for through the lapse of time religious fervor has sometimes seemed to diminish in certain nations, and even this pious method of prayer has fallen into disuse; but piety and devotion have again flourished and become vigorous in a most marvelous manner, when, either through the grave situation of the commonwealth or through some pressing public necessity, general recourse has been had - more to this than to even other means of obtaining help - to the Rosary, whereby it has been restored to its place of honor on the altars. But there is no need to seek for examples of this power in a past age, since we have in the present a signal instance of it. In these times - so troublous (as we have said before) for the Church, and so heartrending for ourselves - set as We are by the Divine will at the helm, it is still given Us to note with admiration the great zeal and fervor with which Mary's Rosary is honored and recited in every place and nation of the Catholic world. And this circumstance, which assuredly is to be attributed to the Divine action and direction upon men, rather than to the wisdom and efforts of individuals, strengthens and consoles Our heart, filling Us with great hope for the ultimate and most glorious triumph of the Church under the auspices of Mary." (Pope Leo XIII, "Octobri Mense", 1891)

"The Rosary, or beads, as it is often called, is a devotion consisting of a certain number of Our Fathers and Hail Marys, during the recitation of which the principal mysteries of the life of Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin are meditated upon. We find the first traces of the use of beads among the pious solitaries of Egypt, who lived in the very first ages of Christianity. Those among them who were unable to say the Breviary or Psalter, recited instead as many Our Fathers as they are psalms in the Psalter. Those good monks made use of little pebbles or beads in order to count more easily the required number of prayers. In the course of time these beads were attached to a string, and thus originated the present form of the Rosary. But the manner of reciting fifteen decades or tens of the Angelical Salutation, with one Our Father before each decade, in honor of the principal mysteries of the life of our Lord and of the Blessed Virgin, is ascribed to St. Dominic, who instituted the recitation of one hundred and fifty psalms; and on this account the Rosary has often been called the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin. The Rosary, then, is made up of one hundred and fifty Hail Marys to correspond to the number of psalms in the Psalter. These one hundred and fifty Hail Marys are divided into three parts called Mysteries, because they are recited in honor of the three principal parts of the mysterious life of our Blessed Lord and His Holy Mother; and hence we call them the Joyful, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious Mysteries. These mysteries are subdivided into tens or decades, each of which begins with an Our Father and ends with a Glory Be to the Father. At the beginning of the Rosary we usually make the sign of the Cross, and then say the Creed, in order to make a profession of our faith and to enliven our confidence in God. We also add to the creed an Our Father and three Hail Marys, for an increase of faith, hope, and charity. It is hardly necessary to remark that the entire Rosary of fifteen decades is generally said by religious and by devout persons in the world; the common form of the Rosary on the beads has only five decades." (Muller)

Also See: Benefits of the Rosary | The Mysteries of the Rosary | Praise for the Rosary | Recitation of the Rosary is Recommended | The Rosary & Sin | The Rosary in History | The Rosary is Pleasing to Mary

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