The Grace of My First Rosary

Author: Beth Zanotelli, Diocese of Palm Beach Coordinator of Family Life

Do you remember the first time you prayed the Rosary?  My first Rosary wasn’t until my 30’s.  It’s hard to believe that a cradle Catholic who is the product of a lifetime of Catholic School does not remember praying the Rosary.  There are many of us out there, perhaps we could form a club, the “Forgotten children of the 70’s and 80’s”.  Well the good news is that there is still hope for this group.  Because finding the Rosary, however we find it, brings a rich devotion that binds us to the life of Christ and teaches us how to imitate Mary on our journey. 

Here is how it started… I was dropping my daughter off at school, and a few of the moms asked if I could join them for “Parents in Prayer”.  I had no prepared excuse and nowhere else to be, how lovely to go into my daughter’s school and pray with some of the parents for our school and our children.  As I entered the room, they were all arranged in a circle…holding rosaries!  It is the truth, I panicked…I knew how to pray, and I love Jesus, but the Rosary…I was intimidated.  How hard could it be, an Our Father and ten Hail Mary’s, right?  I will never forget how loving the parents in the circle were, they did not judge me, they met me right where I was and gently taught me how to pray the Rosary.  That circle of parents changed my life in so many ways.

We are all on a journey, and some of us find it easy to stay on the path God has set for us,  some of us wander off the path, some are on a slow journey savoring each moment, some on a faster journey, maybe missing things along the way.  What is important is that we are each open to opportunities to meet Jesus in different ways along that path.  If I had let intimidation keep me from learning this devotion, I would have missed an opportunity for my life journey to be forever changed.  The word “Rosary” means “Crown of Roses”.  Each prayer is like giving Jesus and Mary heavenly flowers.  When we pray, we receive graces for our life, for a peaceful death, and for glory in eternity.  The mysteries of the Rosary help us to meditate on the Gospels, the events of Jesus’ life.  We can use our prayers to help others by praying for them and for their intentions. Take the time to learn this devotion or better yet, learn it with someone else.  I can only imagine the graces we receive when we teach someone else to pray this beautiful prayer.  When we teach others to meditate on Jesus’ life, we are leading them to an encounter…an encounter with Christ! 

Here is a link to the Diocese of Palm Beach Family Rosary, join them in prayer:  https://vimeo.com/463441019

The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary (prayed on Sundays and Wednesdays)

1. The Resurrection of our Lord
2. Jesus Ascends into Heaven
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit – Pentecost
4. Mary is Assumed into Heaven
5. Mary is Crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth

The Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary (prayed on Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation
2. The Visitation
3. The Nativity
4. The Presentation of Jesus
5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary (prayed on Tuesdays and Fridays)

1. Jesus’ Agony in the Garden
2. Jesus is Scourged at the Pillar
3. Jesus is Crowned with Thorns
4. Jesus Carries the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

The Luminous Mysteries (prayed on Thursdays)

1. The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan
2. The Wedding at Cana
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom
4. The Transfiguration
5. The Institution of the Eucharist