HOW TO PRAY THE ROSARY

Begin the rosary holding the crucifix, then move your fingers onto each successive bead to keep count of the prayers. Meditation upon each decade's (ten Hail Marys) gospel mystery is essential while saying the words of the Hail Mary prayers. Mild accidental distractions are normal, but focus should be maintained on each mystery as much as possible.

  1.   Begin: The Apostle's Creed

  2.  Our Father

  3.  For faith: Hail Mary

  4.  For hope: Hail Mary 

  5.  For the grace of charity: Hail Mary  

  6.  Glory Be; Fatima Prayer

  7.  Dedicate the rosary to a set of mysteries,
        either the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, or
        Glorious. Announce the First Mystery; Our
        Father

  8.  Hail Mary on each of the ten beads while
        meditating on the First Mystery

  9.  Glory Be; Fatima Prayer; Announce the
        Second Mystery; Our Father

10.  Hail Mary on each of the ten beads while
        meditating on the Second Mystery
11.   Glory Be; Fatima Prayer; announce the Third Mystery; Our Father

12.  Hail Mary on each of the ten beads while meditating on the Third Mystery

13.  Glory Be; Fatima Prayer; announce the Fourth Mystery; Our Father

14.  Hail Mary on each of the ten beads while meditating on the Fourth Mystery

15.  Glory Be; Fatima Prayer; announce the Fifth Mystery; Our Father

16.  Hail Mary on each of the ten beads while meditating on the Fifth Mystery

17.  ENDING: Glory Be; Fatima Prayer; Hail Holy Queen; St. Michael Prayer, Final rosary
        prayer

 THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES

1. THE ANNUNCIATION: "And when the angel had come to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women." Luke 1:28

2. THE VISITATION: "Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice, 'Blest are you among women and blest is the fruit of your womb.' "  Luke 1: 41-42

3. THE NATIVITY: "She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the place where travelers lodged." Luke 2:7

4. THE PRESENTATION: "When the day came to purify them according to the law of Moses, the couple brought him up to Jerusalem so that he could be presented to the Lord, for it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every first-born male shall be consecrated to the Lord.' " Luke 2: 22-23

5. FINDING THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE: "On the third day they came upon him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." Luke 2:46

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES

1. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS: "And a voice came from the heavens, saying, 'This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.' "  Matthew 3:17

2. THE WEDDING AT CANA: "Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him." John 2:11

3. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM: "Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God, 'This is the time of fulfillment: The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.' " Mark 1:15

4. THE TRANSFIGURATION: "And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light." Matthew 17:2
5. THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, 'Take and eat; this is my Body,'  Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, 'Drink from it, all of you, for this is my Blood of the covenant, which shall be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.' " Matthew 26:26

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

1. THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN: "In his anguish he prayed with all the greater intensity, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. Then he rose from prayer and came to his disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted with grief." Luke 22: 44-45

2. THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR: "Pilate's next move was to take Jesus and have him scourged." John 19:1

3. CROWNING WITH THORNS: "They stripped off his clothes and wrapped him in a scarlet military cloak. Weaving a crown out of thorns they fixed it on his head, and stuck a reed in his right hand..." Matthew 27: 28-29

4. CARRYING THE CROSS: "...carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha)." John 19:17

5. THE CRUCIFIXION: Jesus uttered a loud cry and said, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." After he said this, he expired.  Luke 23:46

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES

1.THE RESURRECTION: " 'You need not be amazed! You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, the one who was crucified. He has been raised up; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.' " Mark 16:6

2. THE ASCENSION: "Then, after speaking to them, the Lord Jesus was taken up into Heaven and took his seat at God's right hand." Mark 16:19

3. DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST: "All were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them." Acts 2:4

4. THE ASSUMPTION: "A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." Revelations 12:1

5. THE CORONATION: "You are the glory of Jerusalem...you are the splendid boast of our people...God is pleased with what you have wrought. May you be blessed by the Lord Almighty forever and ever." Judith 15:9-10

THE PRAYERS

Apostle's Creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

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.

Hail Mary:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. 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.

Fatima Prayer:

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy.

Hail Holy Queen: 

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Our life, our sweetness, and our hope! 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.  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; O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Leader: Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

All respond: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final rosary prayer:

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 by meditating upon these mysteries in the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise: through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.