# A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity/The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.$^{(i)}$
The fifteen Mysteries, as we have said, are divided into three parts—viz., five Joyful, five Sorrowful, and five Glorious Mysteries. Now, the method consists in raising corresponding affections in the will during the recital of each Decade, such as the devotion of each one may suggest: for example, in the first part, sentiments of joy for the coming of our Redeemer; in the second, of compassion for the sufferings of our Lord, and contrition for our sins, which were the occasion of them; in the third, thanksgiving for the exaltation and glory of our Saviour and His Blessed Mother, hoping through the merits of His Passion, and her Intercession, to be made partakers of their glory. To assist the mind in this exercise a short Meditation ​and prayer are usually given to be used before and after each Decade. In order to say the Rosary well, we should not be satisfied with merely pronouncing the words of the prayers, or with a vague and general reflection on the Mysteries; but we should endeavor to acquire the habit of reciting them with great attention and reverence, at the same time dwelling in a vivid manner upon the different Mysteries. In order to do this the better it is sometimes the custom, in addition to the short meditation on the Mystery (which is usually read before the recital of each Decade, and which contains, either expressed or understood, a prayer for the particular Virtue to which it has relation), to subjoin a short ejaculation in reference to the subject of the Mystery, which may be inserted after the holy name of Jesus in the Hail Mary, or to divide the meditation into ten points, one for each Ave. The reading of the meditation, ejaculation, or prayer are only pious practices to assist in the more devout recitation of the Rosary, which consists essentially only in the recitation of the vocal prayers while the mind dwells upon the subject of the Mystery contemplated.
THE FORM OF BLESSING ROSARIES.
Proper to the Order of Preachers.
The Priest, vested in surplice and white stole, says:
The Priest then sprinkles the Rosaries with holy water.
A METHOD OF RECITING THE ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.
IN the name of the Father, ✠ and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord.
R. And my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.
V. Come unto my help, O God.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia.
[From Septuagesima to Easter, for Alleluia say, Praise to Thee, O Lord, King of eternal Glory.]
[At the Cross say the Apostles' Creed. I believe in God, etc. On the three small beads say: 1st, I salute thee, Daughter of God the Father; obtain for us the gift of a firm faith. Hail Mary, etc. 2d. I salute thee, Mother of God the Son: obtain for us the gift of constant hope. Hail Mary, etc. 3d, I salute thee, Spouse of God the Hol Ghost; obtain for us the gift of an ardent charity. Hail Mary, etc.]
THE FIVE JOYFUL MYSTERIES.
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 unto 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 most high Mystery of the Incarnation of thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein our salvation was begun, obtain for us, through thy most holy intercession, light to understand the greatness of the benefit He hath bestowed upon us, in vouchsafing to become our Brother, and in giving thee, His own beloved Mother, to be 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 exceeding love which moved thee to visit thy holy cousin St. Elizabeth, obtain for us, through thine intercession, that our hearts being visited by thy divine Son, and freed from all sin, we may praise and give thanks to Him for ever. Amen.
III. The Birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.
LET us contemplate, in this Mystery, how the Blessed Virgin Mary, when the time of the ​delivery was come, brought forth our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, at midnight, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for Him in the inns of Bethlehem.
Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times. Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
O PURE Mother of God, through thy virginal and most joyful delivery, whereby thou gavest to the world thine only Son, our Saviour, obtain for us, we beseech thee, through thine intercession, the grace to lead such pure and holy lives in this world that we may become worthy to sing, without ceasing, the mercies of thy Son, and His benefits to us by 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 Purification, presented the Child Jesus in the Temple, where holy Simeon, giving thanks to God, with great devotion received Him into his arms.
Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times. Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
O HOLY Virgin, most admirable example and pattern of obedience, who didst present the Lord of the Temple in the Temple of God, obtain for us, of thy Blessed Son, that, with holy Simeon and devout Anna, we may praise and glorify Him forever. 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, sought Him for the space of three days; and at length found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the Doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions.
Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times. Glory be to the Father.
Let us pray.
O MOST Blessed Virgin, more than martyr in thy sufferings, and yet the comfort of such as are afflicted: by that unspeakable joy wherewith thy soul was filled when at length thou didst find thy dearly-beloved Son in the Temple, teaching in the midst of the Doctors, obtain of Him that we may so seek Him and find Him in His holy Catholic Church as never more to be separated from Him. Amen.
Hail, holy Queen, with V. and R., and Prayer (p. 79). Or Prayer of Rosary Sunday (p. 773).
THE FIVE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES.
For Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Sundays in Lent.
I. The Prayer and Bloody Sweat of our Blessed Saviour in the Garden.
LET us contemplate, in this Mystery, how our Lord Jesus was so afflicted for us in the Garden of ​37^ Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Gethsemani that His Body was bathed in a Bloody Sweat, which ran down in great drops to the ground. Our Father. Hail JIary, ten times. Glory be to the Father. Let us pray. O HOLY Virgin, more than martj'r, b}^ that ar- dent prayer which our beloved Saviour poured forth to His Heavenly Father, vouchsafe to intercede for us, that, our passions being subjected to the obe- dience of reason, we may always, and in all things, conform and subject ourselves to the holy will of God. A'tnefi. II. The Scourging of our Blessed Lord at the Pillar. "-w — LET us contemplate, in this Mystery, how our
the house of Pilate ; the number of stripes inflicted upon Him being, it is said, about five thousand. Our Father. Hail Mary, ten times. Glory be to the Father. I ■ '. :is prav. O MOTHER of God, Fountain of patience, through those stripes thy only and dearly-beloved Son vouchsafed to suffer for us, obtain of Him for us grace to mortify our rebellious senses, to avoid the occasion of sin, and to be ready to suffer evers'thing rather than offend God. Adicu. HI. The Crowning of our Blessed Saviour with Thorns.
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