The Rosary is taken from the Latin word “rosarium” which means “crown of roses” or “garland of roses.” To us members of Faith, the Rosary is a form of prayer that we use along with its namesake prayer beads. According to tradition, the idea of the Rosary was given to Saint Dominic when the Virgin Mary appeared to him in an apparition in the year 1214. This Marian apparition is given the title of Our Lady of the Rosary. The Dominican priest and theologian Alanus de Rupe promoted the practice of the Rosary by establishing the “fifteen rosary promises” and founding several rosary confraternities. The Rosary inspires us to meditate on the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and Mary. Meditation is an important part of our lives as Christians. The Church teaches, meditation “engages thought, imagination, emotion and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart and strengthen our will to follow Christ.”

• Share