Having sang [What a friend we have in Jesus](https://hymnary.org/text/what_a_friend_we_have_in_jesus_all_our_s) since childhood, sharing with Jesus my griefs (verse 1), my struggle with temptation (verse 2), and my toiling in life (verse 3) is natural for me. But when I encourage a lapsed Catholic friend (who grew up in pre-Vatican II era) to do the same with Jesus, I received a strong pushback, saying he is extremely uncomfortable seeing Jesus that way, how what he most appreciated about the Tridentine Mass is the **utmost respect** that everyone shows to God and to Christ, which is another reason he doesn't like to go to church anymore. I happened to hear him talking to his old high school friend, who to this day remains a devoted Catholic (and who also is a catechist at his parish), telling my friend that **for him missing daily mass feels like not visiting a "friend"** (he meant Jesus who is present bodily in the Eucharist). He then tried to disabuse my friend of his misconceptions of the *Novus Ordo* mass, how it's essentially unchanged doctrinally from the *Tridentine* mass, and encouraged my friend to resume his sacramental life. I don't plan to convert my friend to Protestantism but I am trying to **share the Gospel in Catholic terms**. I would be happy if my friend is willing to go to church again and to have a good relationship with Jesus, even in Catholic terms, like how his high school friend is doing. My friend is fine praying the Rosary, which is [in the same spirit](https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/h/hail-holy-queen-prayer.php) as *Salve Regina*. The *Salve Regina* text (see [here](https://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/BVM/SalveRegina.html) , along with the history and the liturgical use of the prayer) **contains similar language with *What a friend we have in Jesus* hymn but directed to Mary** > To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. followed by a request for Mary to "see" us with compassion and to "show" us Jesus: > Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. While I personally do not have a problem with praying to Mary as an individual believer's 1. **spiritual mother** who as the second Eve has *compassion* for us, casualties of the original sin of the first Eve, who like an earthly mother *embraces* and *comforts* a crying child 2. **intercessor**, praying for our salvation, along with the angels and the saints 3. **advocate**, who points us to the One who can help us: God the Father who ***only*** through Jesus Christ His Son takes away our pain, sin, and suffering by our participating in the sacraments, I do wonder whether there is some truth in the Protestant's objection of how prayers to Mary **redirect some aspects** of a believer's relationship with Jesus. It seems to me that Catholic spirituality takes a **BOTH-AND** approach with regards to Jesus and Mary, **dividing the affections** that Protestants direct solely to Jesus. This division of affection by a Catholic seems to match the two main Catholic prayers: - **relating to Mary in the Marian prayers (Rosary, *Salve Regina*):** - as someone who understands us in our weakness like a close friend - as someone whom we are not afraid to approach, because she is "one of us" - as someone who loves us and comforts us like our earthly mother and who wants the best for us - **relating to Jesus as celebrated in the Mass:** - who is the awesome standard of holiness, thus reminds us of our sinfulness (*Kyrie Eleison*) - who is sent by the awesome glorious ruler of heaven and earth (*Sanctus*) - who is also the means of grace through His sacrifice (*Agnus Dei*, the Lamb "who takes away the sins of the world") which then explains perfectly my friend's reticence to relate to Jesus like how the hymn suggests (as a friend). This also explains his preferred attitude when going to mass (utmost respect). Given the above analysis, it now makes sense to me how Eleonore Stump labels her new Atonement Theory described in his 2018 book [*Atonement*](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0198813864) **Marian Interpretation** because her theory cannot be easily subsumed under any previous theories in history, though she relies heavily on Thomas Aquinas. In her account Jesus is portrayed as highly compassionate and as having complete solidarity with us in our weaknesses through complete **mind reading** in compassion & solidarity, hence the Marian aspects in *Salve Regina* ("see" and "show"). Believers no longer need to feel distant to God nor afraid of God's justice and holiness, but are instead motivated to lay our burdens to Jesus, receiving his love for us, being united with Him in the Eucharist, and agreeing to be molded to Jesus's image by being yoked with him. I try to understand a theological tradition and a spirituality in their own terms, so I want to understand the Catholic logic of the devotion to both Mary and Jesus **as Catholics understand it**. So, seeing how Catholics seem to relate to Mary as mother and "friend" but to Jesus mostly as Lord, Savior, and Exemplar, although both are united in love toward us (sojourners in exile, striving in the Church Militant), **can you help me understand the role of "friendship with Jesus" in Catholic spirituality**?

I have always found it deeply confusing that Pope St. John Paul II said: "The Rosary is my favourite prayer. A marvellous prayer! " (Angelus Sunday, 29 October 1978) but still recited the *Aves* in the rosary very quickly; at least in the recordings I have found. To me it just sounded like he rushed through the prayers and did not focus on meditation at all. What I nowadays know is that many people recite Aves quickly and can meditate. They might focus more on contemplation or meditation found in Dominican traditions. Dominican friars seem to focus on reciting it in more quick repetitious ways like we can see in this YouTube video: [The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7YDElMg8Rg&t=436s) I have listened to some Montfortians reciting the *Aves* and they do not focus on a quick repetitious recitation. The Dominican friars say the rosary in such a way that it become a kind of painful penance. This attitude is really confusing to me. I don't like to view prayer as painful penance but people are different. That is how I understand what the Dominican friars are doing in the video. Sadly it is very hard to find good information on this topic. It is a topic that might be avoided. Most people who recite the rosary seem to be influenced by Dominican traditions and their contemplation. What is Dominican contemplation (found in the rosary) and why do most people focus on Dominican contemplation and not Montfortian contemplation when praying the rosary?

In the history of the Catholic Church, I know there's been extra days of fasting and prayer called for by the Pope and Bishops, but other than prior to the Battle of Lepanto and today (March 19th 2020, The Solemnity of St. Joseph) at 9:00 PM Rome Time . Has the Pope ever asked all Catholics to pray the Rosary in unity (or as simultaneously as possible prior to mass communication and computerized synchronization)?

From the Fatima prayer we read where Mary says: > I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. And after each one > of the mysteries, my children, I want you to pray in this way: O my > Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. Take all > souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need. Now that part in Rosary has changed to: > O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead > all souls into heaven, especially those in most need **of thy mercy**. > Amen. What is the history of the added: **of thy mercy**. This was also added in other languages not just English.

I've been trying to understand the *Rosary* but it just confuses me. The most popular way is to recite one *Pater Noster*, ten *Ave Marias*, one *Gloria Patri* and perhaps one *O my Jesus* while at the same time contemplating a mystery from the Gospels. The idea seems to be that people want to combine vocal prayer with contemplation. I am not sure really how to understand the term "contemplation" in the Rosary. Some use the term to refer to the Ignatian Method of Gospel contemplation in which you imagine being present in the scene with all your senses. I am aware that this method is pre-Ignatian in origin. In [*Rosarium Virginis Mariae*](https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/2002/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae.html) St. John Paul II used the term but never defined it. This means that he might have other things in mind than Gospel contemplation. I myself like *lectio divina*. This is easier because I don't have to do any difficult Gospel contemplation. This is also easier since you don't have to move between five mysteries in a very short time. To me, the *Jesus prayer* is easier. The *Jesus prayer* is shorter than the *Ave Maria* so it is easier for me to use as a repetitive prayer. The *Rosary* seems to be a prayer for people who are good at Gospel contemplation. People like me just get frustrated. But it is encouraged by the Popes. The [*Life of Christ Rosary* or the *Carthusian Rosary*](https://www.lifeofchristrosary.com/) seems way easier but I am talking about the popular version. **My question: Is the *Rosary* primarily a *Gospel contemplation on the Five Mysteries*, done in a short time with vocal prayers added to it?** Why do the Popes care so much for this way of praying? Why is this way of praying so important and even more important than mental prayer?

In many languages, countries when people pray rosary they insert the mysteries in the Hail Mary after saying "Jesus". It is used officially in public places by everyone. For example: > Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus **"who was scourged at the pillar,"** Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Why wasn't this custom adopted in English-speaking countries? This makes praying the rosary to go faster and easier to forget the mystery you are currently praying, or it can even turn the prayer into vain repetition. Some asked for an example of the phrases commonly used (provided here via *Google Translate*): 1. Joyful mysteries: >Jesus, whom you conceived by the Holy Spirit Jesus, with whom you visited Elizabeth Jesus, whom you bore in Bethlehem Jesus, whom you presented in the temple Jesus, whom you found in the temple 2. Sorrowful Mysteries >Jesus, who sweated blood for us Jesus, who was flogged for us Jesus, who was crowned with thorns for us Jesus, who carried a heavy cross for us Jesus, who was crucified for us 3. Glorious Mysteries >Jesus, who rose from the dead Jesus, who ascended to heaven Jesus, who sent the Holy Spirit Jesus, who took you to heaven, O Virgin Jesus, who crowned you in heaven 4. Luminous Mysteries >Jesus, who was baptized in the Jordan Jesus, who revealed his divine power in Cana Jesus, who proclaimed the kingdom of God and called for repentance Jesus, who revealed his glory on the Mount of Transfiguration Jesus, who instituted the Eucharist [List of resources edited in by @GratefulDisciple] - Common English names of the 20 mysteries from the USCCB website: [How to Pray the Rosary](https://www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary)] - [thanks, @njuffa] lightly edited *Google Translate* of the seemingly official German phrases, since it is published in **katholisch.de** (a news and information portal for the Catholic Church in Germany, operated by a non-profit company in cooperation with 27 German dioceses) in the article [*Das Rosenkranzgebet, so wird es gebetet*](https://www.katholisch.de/artikel/41-das-rosenkranzgebet) ("The Rosary, how it is prayed"): > **The Joyful mysteries**: 1 ... Jesus, whom you, O Virgin, conceived of the Holy Spirit 2 ... Jesus, whom you, O Virgin, carried to Elizabeth 3 ... Jesus, whom you, O Virgin, gave birth to in Bethlehem 4 ... Jesus, whom you, O Virgin, presented in the temple 5 ... Jesus, whom you, O Virgin, found again in the temple > > **The Luminous mysteries**: 1 ... Jesus, who was baptized by John 2 ... Jesus, who revealed himself at the wedding in Cana 3 ... Jesus, who announced the kingdom of God to us 4 ... Jesus, who was transfigured on the mountain 5 ... Jesus, who gave us the Eucharist > > **The Sorrowful Mysteries**: 1 ... Jesus, who sweated blood for us 2 ... Jesus, who was scourged for us 3 ... Jesus, who was crowned with thorns for us 4 ... Jesus, who bore the heavy cross for us 5 ... Jesus, who was crucified for us > > **The Glorious Mysteries**: 1 ... Jesus who rose from the dead 2 ... Jesus who ascended into heaven 3 ... Jesus who sent us the Holy Spirit 4 ... Jesus who has taken you, O Virgin, into heaven 5 ... Jesus, who has crowned you, O Virgin, in heaven

In the 16th century, Pope Pius V established a 15-Mysteries Rosary comprising of Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries. In the year 2002, Pope John Paul II added five Luminous Mysteries depicting key points of the Public Life of Jesus. There are different schools of thought as to whether the Luminous Mysteries form integral part of the devotion of Rosary, or not. The points of objection include a deviation from the matching of numbers of the Rosary beads used for three sets of Mysteries in 15 decades, that is 150 with the number of Psalms, vis-a-vis the number of beads now required to be used, that is 200, in case the complete Rosary is recited in one go. My question therefore is: **What is the official stand of Catholic Church on the inclusion of Luminous Mysteries as integral part of the devotion of Rosary?**

It seems to me that most Catholic lay people do not focus on the 150 Psalms (found in the Bible) in their daily prayer life. It seems that many focus on pious devotions instead. I have always felt that the Psalms are way more interesting than pious devotions. The Rosary is said to have come from a tradition that did not allow the laity to focus on the 150 Psalms. It seems that many lay people find pius devotions way easier to focus on. It is like they are drawn to it rather than the Psalms. What are some of the reasons why Catholics would feel more drawn to focus on pious devotions than the Psalms?

I just read a quote from Pope Pius XI: > “If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with many cares and labors.”   (common in Catholic pages about praying the Rosary such as [here](https://stboniface-lunenburg.org/pray-the-rosary) , [here](https://reflectionsofpeter.org/the-rosary-is-a-powerful-weapon-to-put-the-demons-to-flight-and-to-keep-oneself-from-sin/) , [here](https://madisoncatholicherald.org/pray-the-rosary/) , and [here](https://catholicgentleman.com/2014/10/powerful-weapon-15-quotes-holy-rosary/) as well as pamphlets on the Rosary such as [here](https://ia903208.us.archive.org/7/items/fatimamaryspeace00knig_0/fatimamaryspeace00knig_0.pdf)) **Has the Church provided a way for us to interpret such a statement?** I doubt that Pope Pius XI meant that unless you pray the Rosary you are not a very spiritual person. I think we must look at the context of the quote. The Church has made many statements that must be interpreted such as "baptism is necessary for salvation", but at the same time there is no teaching saying that you cannot enter Heaven without being baptized. People have told me that we must look at the context in which the Church said something. **How should we interpret this statement from Pope Pius XI?**

Pope Paul VI wrote in his 1974 Apostolic Exhortation [*Marialis Cultus*](https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_p-vi_exh_19740202_marialis-cultus.html) (paragraph 54): > But there is no doubt that, after the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours, the high point which family prayer can reach, the Rosary should be considered as one of the best and most efficacious prayers in common that the Christian family is invited to recite. ... Does this mean that he thought that the Rosary is more important than the daily examen?

I'm working on setting up a guide book for a Eucharistic procession for Corpus Christi and I was told that it's not exactly traditional to pray the Rosary during one of these processions, but we orphaned traditionless Wisconsinite Catholics don't have a ton of songs memorized and nobody knows the traditional hymns by heart. We do, however, know how to Pray the Rosary and that's what we've been doing for the last couple of years. I was thinking though, this year, instead of Praying the Glorious Mysteries (because we're doing the procession on Sunday, not Thursday) that we'd announce these mysteries (two Joyful and three Luminous) 1. Annunciation 2. Nativity 3. Wedding at Cana 4. Transfiguration 5. Institution of the Eucharist Because they, in my opinion, are the "most Eucharistic" of the 20 mysteries. Now, since I am just a layman whose only credentials is a Gold Catholicism badge on Stackexchange, my wife says I shouldn't just go an make this kind of stuff up. We've reached out to other people in the group for planning it, but nobody seems to want to give a critique of the idea and our priests are seemingly too busy with their transitions to new assignments to worry about this. So, what I want to know is: Is it OK to mix and match mysteries of the Rosary and if so, is it OK to call it a "Eucharistic Rosary"?

One of the promises given by Mary to the people who pray the rosary is > Devotion to my Rosary is a special sign of predestination. Reference I read many things on predestination and can't really find a proper description of what it means in regards to this message. It's something that highlights we were predestined by God. We were predestined to receive his grace but not predestined, as Calvinists believe, to obtain his salvation after we die. Is there any explanation what it means to obtain a special sign of predestination according to the Catholic Church?

I was readIng an ad for a movie about blessed Duns Scotus which said he was debated and won against the Dominicans in the 13th century about the special privilege given to Mary, her Immaculate Conception. What I don't know (and don't really want to buy the movie to find out is) 1. For what reason did they doubt her Immaculate Conception? (and) 2. Is this why the Rosary starts with the Annunciation and not the Immaculate Conception?

**Are blue rosary beads based on blue ribband (tzitzit) from Numbers 15?** **Numbers 15:38-39** (KJV) : > "38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they **put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue**: > > 39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the Lord, and do them"

I started praying the Rosary after St. John Paul II added the Luminous mysteries to the Rosary, so I virtually no remembrance of a Rosary being prayed before they came on board. When he writes about them in [Rosarium Virginus Mariae](http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2rosar.htm) he kind of just slides them in and says what he _thinks_ they should be. > Moving on from the infancy and the hidden life in Nazareth to the public life of Jesus, our contemplation brings us to those mysteries which may be called in a special way “mysteries of light”. Certainly the whole mystery of Christ is a mystery of light. He is the “light of the world” (Jn 8:12). Yet this truth emerges in a special way during the years of his public life, when he proclaims the Gospel of the Kingdom. In proposing to the Christian community five significant moments – “luminous” mysteries – during this phase of Christ's life, I think that the following can be fittingly singled out: (1) his Baptism in the Jordan, (2) his self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana, (3) his proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with his call to conversion, (4) his Transfiguration, and finally, (5) his institution of the Eucharist, as the sacramental expression of the Paschal Mystery. So, does anyone know what prompted him to add more mysteries? He explains why he chooses the individual mysteries in the letter, but he doesn't really say why he thinks that the Rosary needed more stuff.

I'd like to know the Catholic teaching or opinion on rosary similarities with eastern religion prayers like chanting mantra. I checked something about chanting mantra and it uses the same way of focusing on every word and even the way how it sounds.

It's common sense knowledge that millions of Catholics pray the Rosary and make devotion to Mary an integral part of their everyday spirituality. See for example this [answer](https://christianity.stackexchange.com/a/86690/50422) to the question https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/86688/50422 Many books have been written on the reasons for and the benefits of praying the Rosary and having a genuine devotion to Mary, such as: - [True Devotion to Mary: With Preparation for Total Consecration](https://www.amazon.com/True-Devotion-Mary-Preparation-Consecration-ebook/dp/B0083Q18B8) - [Total Consecration Through the Mysteries of the Rosary](https://www.amazon.com/Total-Consecration-Through-Mysteries-Rosary/dp/1622824504/) - [The Rosary Prayer by Prayer](https://www.amazon.com/Rosary-Prayer-Mary-K-Doyle/dp/0967744946) - [The Secret Of The Rosary](https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Rosary-St-Louis-Monfort/dp/0895550563/) - [The Hinge of the Hail Mary: The Art of Praying the Rosary](https://www.amazon.com/Hinge-Hail-Mary-Praying-Rosary/dp/B08PJ1LGNH/) - [Beneath Thy Protection: Finding Jesus in the Arms of Mary: Mary's Mysteries of the Rosary](https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Thy-Protection-Finding-Mysteries/dp/B09HFSN634/) - [The Miraculous Medal: Stories, Prayers, and Devotions](https://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Medal-Stories-Prayers-Devotions-ebook/dp/B00EO5X860) - [Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother](https://www.amazon.com/Devotion-Sorrowful-Mother/dp/0895557266/) - Etc. **Question**: How do Protestants explain / make sense of the fact that so many Catholics report spiritual benefits from praying the Rosary and having a deep devotion to Mary? If God disapproves of Marian devotion, then how come so many Catholics experience spiritual benefits? Doesn't this contradict / disprove the Protestant position regarding Mary? __________ #### Brainstorming of possible Protestant explanations: **Hypothesis 1**: *"Catholics are simply experiencing psychological benefits, just like a Buddhist experiences psychological benefits from meditation, etc."*. The issue with this hypothesis is that it can easily backfire on the Protestant: how does a Protestant who defends this hypothesis know that his/her own spirituality is not also nothing but mere psychology? How does this Protestant know that his/her spirituality is genuine but everyone else's spirituality is just brain tricks and psychology? **Hypothesis 2**: *"Catholics are being deceived by a demonic counterfeit"*. This is a pretty strong claim, so we should naturally expect a pretty heavy burden of proof on the Protestant who claims this to be the case. What kind of evidence could be offered to defend a hypothesis like this? If Catholics are being deceived by evil spirits, then the first thing I would look for is evidence of demonization / demon possession among former Marian devotees. To make a parallel, there are plenty of testimonies from former New Agers, former witches/warlocks, former Hinduists, etc., who can attest to the demonic nature of their former pagan practices. Is this also the case among Marian devotees, and if so, where is the evidence? **Hypothesis 3**: *"Catholics are wrong, but God in His mercy still allows them to grow spirituality through their practices, because He values their sincerity, their motivations and their heart"*. Honestly, this hypothesis sounds very loving and compassionate -- it takes a sort of inclusivist stance --, yet it is a claim nonetheless, so whoever defends this hypothesis has the burden of proof upon them to show that God does indeed act in this way. ___________________ Possibly related or relevant questions: - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/86124/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/83832/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/86467/50422 - https://christianity.stackexchange.com/q/84362/50422

According to some Catholic traditions, the Rosary was given to Saint Dominic in a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary and it was then promoted by Blessed Allan de la Roche. But here I read > Saint Peter Canisius, a Doctor of the Church, who is credited with > adding to the Hail Mary the sentence "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray > for us sinners", ... which means it wasn't part of the original rosary. What was the exact form of the original rosary given by Blessed Virgin Mary and who added **"now and the hour of our death"**?

In St. Louis de Montfort's [The Secret of the Rosary](http://www.rosary-center.org/secret.htm) he quotes the Blessed Virgin Mary talking to St. Dominic: > "I want you to know that, in this kind of warfare, the battering ram has always been the Angelic Psalter which is the foundation stone of the New Testament. Therefore if you want to reach these hardened souls and win them over to God, preach my Psalter." At a recent FNE Timberwolf meeting my brother leader, Mang says that the Angelic Psalter is the Rosary prayed 150 times and the other leader Ricki Ticki says "Oh I thought that was the Psalms themselves". The boys were a bit confused, but we muddled through without intense theological debate. Now, (not to get all technical and worried about consistencies like I would over Star Wars) if she said that the battering ram has _always been_ the Angelic Psalter, and the Angelic Psalter is the Rosary, then wouldn't the Rosary have had to have pre-existed St. Dominic. But, if it is actually the book of Psalms that Our Lady was talking about, where did tell St. Dominic explicitly to pray the Rosary?

Many Catholics pray the Rosary every day. This is very good. They are meditating on the holy Mysteries. What I don't really get is the ten Hail Marys. I am not saying that it's vain repetition. That's not even an issue for me at all. This kind of repetition is very good according to me. I am only thinking about the purpose of the ten Hail Marys. I myself have tried to pray the Rosary (and the Angelus) and always focused on the words of the Hail Mary and how it relates to the mysteries. The thing is: many people say that you should not even focus on the ten Hail Marys. It's hard to say prayers and trying not to focus on them. I am confused. There are books with added words to the Hail Marys which allow you to focus on the words of the prayer. It can take some time to learn how to say prayers and never focusing on them. THe Rosary can be difficult for a beginner. All kinds of prayer have things that make them difficult for beginners. The Rosary is bassically Lectio Divina with some added prayers. What is the purpose of the ten Hail Marys in the Rosary if you should not focus on them?