Before Bernadette was allowed to make her First Holy Communion she was examined by the chaplain to the nuns, Father Pomain. He asked her what she knew. She replied, “The Our Father, the Hail Mary, I believe”. Then you know enough to say your Rosary. And after two more questions “Who made you”, and “why did God make you” she was deemed to know sufficient to make her Holy Communion.
Praying the Rosary is a meditation on the “Mysteries” or events of the life of Jesus who came to reveal to us God’s plan for the salvation of the human race. This meditation goes with the recitation of the Rosary. A set of Rosary beads is made up of 5 decades, with three Mysteries – Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious. The meditation on these mysteries makes up the Rosary: these are recalled in Lourdes in the fifteen side altars of the Basilica that carries that name. A decade of the Rosary begins with the “Our Father” followed then by ten “Hail Mary’s” and concluded by a prayer of praise to God the Trinity. In his Apostolic letter “Rosarium Virginis Mariae”, dated 16th October 2002, Pope John Paul II invited the faithful to meditate on five new Mysteries of the Rosary: the Mysteries of Light – the Baptism of the Lord, the Wedding Feast of Cana, The Proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Institution of the Eucharist.
OUR FATHER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Nôtre Père qui es aux cieux, que ton nom soit santifié, que ton regne vienne, que ta volunté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel.
Donne-nous aujourd’hui notre pain de ce jour. Pardonne-nous nos offenses, comme nous pardonnons aussi a ceux qui nous ont offenses. Et ne nous souments pas à la tentation, mais dellivre-nous du mal. Amen Pater noster, qui es in caelis: sanctificetur nomen tuum: adveniat regnum tuum: fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra.
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
HAIL MARY
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen Je vous salue Marie, pleine de grace, le Seigneur est avec vous, vous êtes benie entre toutes les femmes, et Jesus, le fruit de vos entrailles, est beni.
Sainte Marie, mere de Dieu, priez pour nous pauvres pécheurs, maintenant et a l’heure de notre mort. Amen. Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui lesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.
GLORY BE
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Gloire soit au Pere, et au Fils, et au Saint-Esprit.
Comme il etait au commencement et maintenant et toujours et dans les siecles des siecles. Amen. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
1. The Annunciation
“You are to conceive and bear a Son and you will call him Jesus” (Luke 1:31)
Like Mary, let us always be open to the will of the Lord at all times.
2. The Visitation
“Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?” (Luke 1:43)
Like Mary, let us also carry the Gospel to the world.
3. The Birth of our Lord
“Today, in the town of David a saviour has been born to you.” (Luke 2:11)
With Mary, let us make Christ present to the world.
4. The Presentation in the Temple
“My eyes have seen your salvation, a light to enlighten the pagans.” (Luke 2:30-32)
People of every nation, give thanks for the light you have received.
5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
“Three days later, Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the Temple.” (Luke 2:46a)
Like Mary, let us seek the Lord unceasingly.
THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
1. The Baptism of Jesus
“You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you” (Mark 1:11b)
With Mary, let us realise fully that we are children of God.
2. The Wedding Feast of Cana
“Mary said to the servants: ‘Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)
Like Mary, let us do what the Lord tells us.
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
“Jesus said: Repent and believe in the Good News.” (Mark 1:15)
In Lourdes and elsewhere, Mary calls us to conversion. Let us listen to that call.
4. The Transfiguration
“Lord, it is good for us to be here.” (Matthew 17:4a)
Like Mary, let us allow ourselves to be transfigured by the Holy Spirit.
5. Jesus institutes the Eucharist
Jesus says to us: “Do this as a memorial of me” (Luke 22:19b)
With Mary, let us be united in Christ’s saving passion and resurrection.
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
1. The Prayer and Agony in the Garden
Jesus said: “Father, let your will be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42)
With Mary, let us watch and pray in the midst of trials and temptation.
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
“After Pilate had ordered Jesus to be scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15)
With Mary, let us pray for all who suffer mentally or physically.
3. The Crowning with Thorns
“The soldiers twisted some thorns into a crown and placed it on the head of Jesus” (John 19:2)
With Mary, the mother of sorrows, let us seek humility.
4. The Carrying of the Cross
“And carrying his own cross he went out of the city to the place of the skull.” (John 19:16-17)
With Mary, let us pray for all who are crushed by life.
5. The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord
“Jesus said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ Then he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46)
United with Mary in suffering, let us pray for all who have died and for those who are in their last agony.
THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
1. The Resurrection
“Why search among the dead for someone who is alive?” (Luke 24:6)
With Mary, let us be witnesses of the resurrection.
2. The Ascension of our Lord into Heaven
Jesus tells us:”I will be with you always, until the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20b)
Like Mary, let us be one with Christ who lives for ever.
3. The Coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles
“Filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostles proclaimed the marvels of God.” (Acts 2:11)
With Mary, let us all proclaim the wonders of God in our own image.
4. The Assumption of our Lady into Heaven
“In heaven, I saw a woman with a crown of twelve stars on her head.” (Rev 12:1)
With Mary, Bernadette and all the saints let us live in the hope of heaven.
5. The Crowning of our Lady as Queen of Heaven
“All nations will call me blessed.” (Luke 1:48b)
Through Mary, may the peace of Christ reign in us, around us and in our world.
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy; hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banish ed children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. L: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
A: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Let us pray. O God, whose only begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that meditating on these mysteries, in the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may both imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.