The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1955-10-07
Just Among Ourselves


October is the month of the holy rosary of
the Blessed Mother. Every Catholic is familiar
with his rosary-beads and with their proper
USE And yet it is of great profit to talk about the
rosary; the most valuable fruits for mind and
for soul are won from the consideration of what
is already familiar
The rosary is devotion, religious practice,
which honors God in His Holy Mother 1t consists
of fifteen decades Tor groups of ten) of the Agel
ical Salutation which we know more commonly
as the Hail Mary Before each group of ten
Hail Marys, the Lords prayer is recited; at the
end of each group or decade, the Glory be TO
the Father I. is said.
Since the prayer is definitely matter of
numbers beads are helpful for keeping count
And because a string or loop of beads of fifteen
decades is likely to be unhandy, the smaller
five-decade set of beads is commonly used. This
five-decade loop of beads is properly called
corona or chapLet; commonly, however 1t
is simply called "a rosary" or "the beads
The five-decade rosary or ehaplet is not only
convenient; it is suitable because the full rosary
of fifteen decades is actually divided into three
groups of five. For the rosary devotion consists
not only in reciting the Our Fathers and Han
Marys, but in piously thinking of various truths
or mysteries" as those prayers are said. The
rosary devotion is not, therefore, 3 mere matter
of the lips; 1t is also mental prayer.
Proposed for our consideration as we recite
the first five of the fifteen decades Cor "tens"t
are the religious truths known as the Joyful
Mysteries. Reciting these five decades we con-
slider successfully five truths that present our
Blessed Mother in points or phases of her won
drous service to God. We behold her as Gods
messenger came to tell her she was to be the
Mother of God-made-Man; we see her going for
silent time of prayerful retreat with her aged
cousin ST. Elizabeth mother of St John Baptist;
We consider her at Bethlehem when her Son
. was born and laid in manger; we behold Mary
with St Joseph offering the Divine Child in the
Temple; we see the holy couple reunited with
Our Lord after His three days loss in Jerusalem
Thus reciting the first five decades of the ros-
ary we mentally consider the Annuncation, the
Visitation the Nativity, the Presentation, and the
Finding in the Temple All five considerations
are filled with holy joy. They are the Joyful
Mysteries.
Joy is followed by sorrow. For the second
five decades of the rosary present Our Lord
in His agony His scourgng, His crowning with
thorns, His painful journey to Calvary, His
Crucifixion In all these sorrowful events, we
keep the figure of Mary suffering supremely as
Her Divine Son bears the terrible burden of
sion to aid us, that we may take profit from all
that Christ endured for love OF us Here we
contemplate Sorrowful Mysteries.
Out of the sacred sorrow comes not only re-
newed JOY but glory. AS we recite the tnal tiVe
decades of the rosary, we think of Our lOro ris'
ing from the dead; ascending into heaven; SEND
ing the Holy Ghost upon His Church; raising uR
His dear Mother body and soul to heaven crown
nF H.
the joyful Mysteries and Sorrowful Mysteries
we have the Glorious Mysteries
The rosary Is a vocal prayer, for We reeite 1t
with our lips IL is o mental prayer, Tor we
think as we reciie it, OF sacred things that nave
deep meaning for our appreciation OF the faltn
and for our drawing ever nearer to God. 1t IL
set nrayer not depending on whim or emotion
for its length; it is neither cut short nor long
drawn out
The rosary is an easy form OF prayer, Tor
Il consists OF elements with which every Ca
tholic is familiar from early childhood. 1t is
prayer for all, young and old, learned and un-
learned because II offers field for thought that
each may take in according to capacity. This IS
a field so wide and deep that the most learned
and sanity can always find new inspiration In
il and yet ii is a field so clear and plain that
the simplest mind can grasp wealth OF meaning
there.
The rosary is most convenient form OF
prayer II can be said quietly in any situation
that affords Jew minutes Of interior privacy.
II is the ideal family prayer, for every member
of the household past the age of infancy can
take active and intelligent part in IT. II is most
suitable prayer for the shut-n and the bedfast,
for il requires no book, and it supplies eopiouS
and ready matter for meditation.
The beads themselves are only an adjunct;
many a truly deyout recitation of the rosary
has been made with no other counter than the
fingers Yet the beads are great convenience,
and since they are so readily available no one
ought to be without them Indeed, the beads
have come to be the recognized badge of the
Catholic. Beads in the pocket or purse are better
than an Identification card in case OF accident;
a priest will be instantly summoned in such
event.
And the Church has made many indulgences
available To those who carry and use blessed
rosary beads. A person depriyes himself Of rich
treasure If. through his own fault, he neglects
To provide himself with "a pair of beads" Besides,
the very presence of the beads on ones person
is 4 reminder and a suggestion; carrying the
beads leads TO saying the beads.
II the Mysteries of the Rosary prove exactng
to any one who recites it he may without loss of
merit or indulgence, fix his thoughtful mind
unon the words he utters-the words of the Hail