Praying the Rosary

I attended Regis College (now Regis University)  after moving to Denver from Greeley, Colorado. When a Jesuit professor mentioned that praying the rosary was not necessary and that "only old ladies prayed the rosary,"  I believed him. I had grown up with my grandmother and aunt praying the rosary every evening at 5 p.m. Anyone showing up at that time was asked to kneel and join them. They were old so what the Jesuit said made sense to me.  When my brother was stationed overseas, he bought me a beautiful rosary blessed by Pope Pius the XII, yet I still did not pray the rosary.  The only time I remember praying the rosary was at funerals.

Years later, in a confessional, I repeated what the Jesuit had said in class.  My confessor happened to also be a Jesuit and he said, "I'm sorry that you have missed opportunities to pray to Our Blessed Mother.  The rosary is a beautiful way to communicate with her and to know the life of Christ." Even his comment did not inspire me to pray the rosary.



Our Lady of
Guadalupe 

On a tour to Mexico City I visited Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine on her feast day of December 12. It seemed that 98% of the people had a rosary in their hand. I was amazed at the many thousands of people who come to the Basilica. I saw many devotees carrying images of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.


Mass at the Basilica in
Mexico City

People also carried flowers, candles, photos of loved ones, and their rosaries! Matachines danced their native dances to honor her feast day. It seems that her image is on every car, bus, calendar, flag, dish, tattoo, t-shirt or window. To see people walking on their knees on the rough cement made me cringe. Inside the Basilica it was impossible to move and I was at the mercy of the crowd as I went where the sea of bodies took me. Maybe there was something to praying the rosary.

Our Lady of
Lourdes in France
 

Years later I traveled to Portugal to see the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima and then to France to see the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. In Lourdes I learned of the miraculous water and of miracles of  healing.  I continue to be amazed at so many people from all over the world visiting the shrines, bathing in the water, praying in thanksgiving for promises fulfilled, asking for help in regaining their health, or for forgiveness of past sins.
Words reported to have been said by Our Lady of Fatima: "Say the rosary every day to earn peace for the world and the end of the war."

At Our Lady of Fatima
in Portugal.

A silver rosary in a gift shop in Lourdes seemed to beckon to me.  As I held the rosary in my hand something moved me to buy the rosary.   How I  wished I could have the faith that I saw in the people around the shrines. One morning I got up at 4:30 hoping to be the first to arrive at the shrine, but already, kneeling on the cold rock, were people praying the rosary. I joined them with my new rosary!

Getting blessed water at Lourdes

I came home and began a daily routine of praying my silver rosary. Visiting the shrines had moved me closer to Our Blessed Mother. One day, I was tired and decided to skip saying the rosary. As I turned off the lights, a rosary suspended in the air seemed to float in front of me.  I know my Mother in heaven was reminding me to pray the rosary. (The phenomenon surprised me because I have lived in my home for over forty-five years, the fluorescent rosary has been on that wall and I have never seen the rosary glow as it did that night.  And, it has not glowed since!)


Somehow, my life changed as I visited the Marian Shrines and I believe I was guided to become a devout follower of Our Blessed Mother by praying the Rosary daily. Even though I have only gone to three shrines, there are many shrines where Our Blessed Mother has appeared. In France she appeared in three different locations. Some other places are Japan, Italy, France, Ireland, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, England, Philippines and Vietnam. I try to find time each day to pray and meditate and yes, sometimes my mind wanders to other thoughts but with my rosary in hand, I can return to the mysteries of the rosary. I like what a lady on one of my pilgrimages told me.
"If you fall asleep while praying the rosary, the angels will finish it for you."

Rosary blessed by Pope Pius XII

Hail Mary, full of grace,

the Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death,

Amen.