What is "The Rosary"?

Redguard · Feb 10, 2005

Catholics often talk about "praying the rosary"... and sometimes praying it more than once if they want it to be even more special.

And then at other times, I hear them refer to it as an object... which I think is a beaded necklace with a cross on the end of it.

Confused.

Gold Dragon · Feb 10, 2005

Redguard said:
Catholics often talk about "praying the rosary"... and sometimes praying it more than once if they want it to be even more special.

And then at other times, I hear them refer to it as an object... which I think is a beaded necklace with a cross on the end of it.

Confused.

Rosary beads are a beaded necklace that helps a Catholic count during recitation of long passages or prayers like a Rosary prayer.

Wikipedia - Rosary

The Rosary is an important and traditional prayer recited by many Roman Catholics, combining prayer and meditation in a sequence of ten "Hail Marys" called a decade. [1] (http://www.rosary-center.org/nrosary.htm) The name comes from Italian Rosario, meaning "crown of roses". A standard rosary involves the repetition of five decades of the Rosary. A complete Rosary involves the completion of twenty decades. While the Rosary was said by many Roman Catholics in the past, its use has declined since Vatican II.

...

Rosary Beads
A Rosary Beads usually contains 50 beads in groups of ten (the decades), with an additional large bead before each decade. Some beads have been known to have one hundred or one hundred and fifty are also known. These numbers were chosen to match the number of psalms, or a third or two-thirds of them. This was because in ancient times monks and clergy used to recite the entire psalter every day; the practice of saying one hundred and fifty Pater Nosters developed as an alternative for those who were illiterate or who could not afford a psalter. It was only in the Middle Ages, however, when prayer to Mary became common among Catholics, that the use of Ave Marias instead of Pater Nosters came about. The beads were traditionally made from the seeds of the Bead tree, but are now more usually made of artificial materials.

Redguard · Feb 10, 2005

This repetition of "hail mary's" isn't biblically supported, is it? I can't see the purpose of saying hail mary 50 times, versus saying it once and having faith.

Gold Dragon · Feb 10, 2005

Redguard said:
This repetition of "hail mary's" isn't biblically supported, is it? I can't see the purpose of saying hail mary 50 times, versus saying it once and having faith.

It is a common but not universal Catholic practice but not a doctrine. Baptist have our own practices that are not biblically supported (ie potlucks).

Redguard · Feb 10, 2005

Heh

I guess the potluck thing is a baptist denominational joke.

I'm not really Baptist, but I've been attending a baptist church for the last few months... yet to see a potluck. But if it means anything to anyone here, there are other denominations that have potlucks as well.

Cright · Feb 10, 2005

Most Catholic's would be offended to see a rosary used as a necklace. It's not one.

The Rosary

Click to expand...

The word rosary comes from Latin and means a garland of roses, the rose being one of the flowers used to symbolize the Virgin Mary. If you were to ask what object is most emblematic of Catholics, people would probably say, "The rosary, of course." Were familiar with the images: the silently moving lips of the old woman fingering her beads; the oversized rosary hanging from the waist of the wimpled nun; more recently, the merely decorative rosary hanging from the rearview mirror.

After Vatican II the rosary fell into relative disuse. The same is true for Marian devotions as a whole. But in recent years the rosary has made a comeback, and not just among Catholics. Many Protestants now say the rosary, recognizing it as a truly biblical form of prayerafter all, the prayers that comprise it come mainly from the Bible.

The rosary is a devotion in honor of the Virgin Mary. It consists of a set number of specific prayers. First are the introductory prayers: one Apostles Creed (Credo), one Our Father (the Pater Noster or the Lords Prayer), three Hail Marys (Aves), one Glory Be (Gloria Patri).

After the "introductory prayers you continue by saying an Our Father (on the big bead) and then 10 hail mary's (1 for each small bead in between) there are 5 "decades" and during each Our Father you meditate on one of the "Mysteries" (joyful, sorrowful, ect..)

here's the link to the article for more answers from Catholics.
http://www.catholic.com/library/rosary.asp

They obviously believe this is biblical because the words "Hail, Mary, full of grace" is in the bible.

I'm not going to argue weather or not it is in an open forum, but if you want me to show you what the bible says about prayer from my research I'd be happy to PM you.

God Bless,
Carina

Diane_Windsor · Feb 10, 2005

Redguard said:
Catholics often talk about "praying the rosary"... and sometimes praying it more than once if they want it to be even more special.

And then at other times, I hear them refer to it as an object... which I think is a beaded necklace with a cross on the end of it.

Confused.

I'm confused as well. I'm confused on why you didn't ask this on the RC forum.

Interesting you bring this up as the Dallas Morning News had a front page story of the rosary in it's religion section a few weeks ago. You might enjoy it:

Old beads, new twists

05:57 PM CST on Saturday, January 29, 2005

By MARY A. JACOBS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

The request came from a chaplain in Iraq American soldiers were asking for rosaries. But the chaplain was Episcopalian, and none of the soldiers was Catholic.

"We were surprised," said the Rev. Jim Burns of the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest in New York City, which responded to the chaplain's request. He said he thought the rosary appealed to the soldiers because, Catholic or not, "when you are in harm's way, you want a talisman." Father Burns organized a group of parishioners to make Anglican prayer beads, a variation of the rosary that omits Catholic devotions to Mary. The group sent about 100 sets, and the project got some parishioners interested enough to try the rosary themselves.

You may read the rest of the story here.

Also, there is an Ecumenical Rosary and Anglicans have their own rosary.

DW

Redguard · Feb 10, 2005

Thanks,

I thought of asking in the RC forum, but I was afraid that they may have taken the question as being insincere.

Gwenyfur · Feb 10, 2005

Redguard said:
Heh

I guess the potluck thing is a baptist denominational joke.

I'm not really Baptist, but I've been attending a baptist church for the last few months... yet to see a potluck. But if it means anything to anyone here, there are other denominations that have potlucks as well.

My father in law is Luthern....
They have potlucks too, but according to him if anyone refers to their dish as a casserole they're considered an "uppity baptist"

ROFL

I get a lot of lame baptist jokes from him

Iollain · Feb 10, 2005

Redguard said:
This repetition of "hail mary's" isn't biblically supported, is it? I can't see the purpose of saying hail mary 50 times, versus saying it once and having faith.

I can't see the purpose of saying it at all because God does not want us calling on those passed on.

Diane_Windsor · Feb 10, 2005

Cright said:
Most Catholic's would be offended to see a rosary used as a necklace. It's not one.

Yep, and guess what, the Dallas Morning News had a write-up about that in the religion section a few weeks ago:

Church aghast at 'rosary chic'

09:59 AM CST on Saturday, January 29, 2005

By MARY A. JACOBS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

Before, it was Madonna with her Kabbalah yarn bracelets.

Now it's Britney and Becks with their rosaries.

When they and other trendy celebs started wearing rosaries as necklaces last fall, sales of the beads boomed in Europe.

"Rosaries are the new pearls," declared one fashionable blog.

British soccer star David Beckham showed up at a party with four rosaries around his neck. Later, he appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair wearing a $1,000 rosary from Dolce & Gabbana. Britney Spears was photographed in London wearing a white set of the prayer beads.

Catholic clergy, not surprisingly, aren't impressed with the craze.

Fearing that the rosary was being "trivialized," the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales put out a leaflet on proper use of the beads in prayer.

"I am sorry that people are wearing them as fashion accessories and are not mindful of their religious significance," the Rev. Allen Morris, an official of the conference, told the BBC.

Father Morris noted that the rosary includes a crucifix, an "odd thing" to wear.

"The cross is an instrument of torture," he said. "Why not wear an electric chair?"

Source

DW

Celticflower · Feb 10, 2005

I have an Anglican rosary that I use from time to time. It helps me stay focused during meditative prayer. And while I may start with a simple repetitious prayer, I often find that deep seated concerns rise to mind, sometimes things I wasn't even aware were there. And sometimes I forget I even have the beads-I'm so focused on God that I spend the time listening for Him instead.

Celtie

Monica02 · Feb 10, 2005

Redguard said:
Thanks,

I thought of asking in the RC forum, but I was afraid that they may have taken the question as being insincere.

You should get alot of good answers in OBOB. I did not think your question was insincere. The Catholic Answers link from a previous post was very informative. I think some non-Catholics fail to understand the importance of the meditations associated with praying the rosary. They tend to focus on the "Hail Mary" aspect of the prayer.

Iollain · Feb 10, 2005

Yes you will probably get a lot of good answers but none of them match up with the Written Word.

CrystalBrooke · Feb 10, 2005

Redguard said:
Thanks,

I thought of asking in the RC forum, but I was afraid that they may have taken the question as being insincere.

no we wouldn't, we love honest questions, and believe me, we get a lot of questions. anytime you need to ask anything about Catholicism, dont hesitate to come ask us about it, chances are, we'll be able to explain it better.

if i insulted anyone with that comment...i apologize

Iollain · Feb 10, 2005

I don't know about that.......your asking Mary to pray for you because Mary is in heaven and the prayers of a righteous saint are the best there is, however that still goes against the Bible, and i've read all about those Mary and Jesus apparations that want people to pray the rosary, they are downright scary.

seebs · Feb 10, 2005

I think everyone covered the main things already.

FWIW, while I'm very down on "vain repetition", I don't think the Rosary is an example of the same. The point of that is the endless requests that God do something. I mean, once you've asked, you've asked. But praying the Rosary isn't attempting to tell God something He doesn't know, or compel Him to act a certain way; it's a meditative thing done to make yourself more receptive to whatever God wants of you.

I don't think the Catholics have the idea that, if they just pray the Rosary often enough, God's going to suddenly smack His forehead with surprise as He realizes that Mary is full of grace. I think they are echoing words from the Bible which have meaning to them and help them pray.

Monica02 · Feb 10, 2005

Monica02 said:
You should get alot of good answers in OBOB. I did not think your question was insincere. The Catholic Answers link from a previous post was very informative. I think some non-Catholics fail to understand the importance of the meditations associated with praying the rosary. They tend to focus on the "Hail Mary" aspect of the prayer.

www.catholicculture.org/lit/Prayers/view.cfm?id=212

Iollain · Feb 10, 2005

seebs said:
I think everyone covered the main things already.

FWIW, while I'm very down on "vain repetition", I don't think the Rosary is an example of the same. The point of that is the endless requests that God do something. I mean, once you've asked, you've asked. But praying the Rosary isn't attempting to tell God something He doesn't know, or compel Him to act a certain way; it's a meditative thing done to make yourself more receptive to whatever God wants of you.

I don't think the Catholics have the idea that, if they just pray the Rosary often enough, God's going to suddenly smack His forehead with surprise as He realizes that Mary is full of grace. I think they are echoing words from the Bible which have meaning to them and help them pray.

Asking Mary isn't asking God though.

Iollain · Feb 10, 2005

http://members.aol.com/bjw1106/marian5.htm#7

Here is a good site too that explains why some people believe they should pray the rosary.

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