THE ROSARY: THE QUEEN OF ALL INDULGENCED PRAYERS

I cannot conceive a man being spiritual who does not habitually pray the Rosary. It may be called the queen of indulgenced devotions.

First consider its importance, as a specially Catholic devotion, as so peculiarly giving us a Catholic turn of mind by keeping Jesus and Mary perpetually before us, and as singular help to final perseverance, if we continue the recital of it, as various revelations show.

Next consider its institution by St. Dominic in 1214, by revelation, for the purpose of combating heresy, and the success which attended it.

Its matter and form are not less striking. Its matter consists of the Pater, and the Ave and the Gloria, whose authors are our Blessed Lord Himself, St. Gabriel, St. Elizabeth, the Council of Ephesus and the whole Church, led in the west by St. Damasus.

Its form is a complete abridgement of the Gospel, consisting of fifteen Mysteries in decades, expressing the three great phases of the work of Redemption, joy, sorrow and glory

Its peculiarity is the next attractive feature about it. It unites vocal with mental prayer. It is an efficacious practice of the presence of God.

It is one chief channel of the traditions of the Incarnation among the faithful.

It shows the true nature of devotion to our Blessed Lady and is a means of realizing the communion of saints.

• Its ends are the love of Jesus, reparation of the Sacred Humanity for the outrages and heresy and a continual and affectionate thanksgiving to the Most Holy Trinity for the benefit of the Incarnation.
• It is sanctioned by the Church, by indulgences, by miracles, by the conversion of sinners and by the usage by the Saints.

See also how much the method of reciting it involves. We should make a picture of the Mystery, and always put Our Lady into the picture; for the Rosary is hers. We should couple some duty or virtue with each Mystery, and fix beforehand on some soul in Purgatory to whom to apply the vast indulgences.

Meanwhile we must not strain our minds, or be scrupulous; for the Rosary well is quite a thing which requires learning. Remember, as the Raccolta teaches, that the fifteenth Mystery is the Coronation of Mary, and not merely the glory of Saints. Our beads land us and leave us at the feet of Mary Crowned.

Taken from Growth in Holiness by Father Frederick Willian Faber, D.D.