(5)Apostolic letter of the (5)Apostolic letter of the supreme pontiff John supreme pontiff John Paul II on the Most Holy Paul II on the Most Holy RosaryRosary Rosarium Virginis Mariae Oct. 16. 2002Rosarium Virginis Mariae Oct. 16. 2002

“The Church has always attributed particular efficacy to this prayer, entrusting to the Rosary the most difficult problems. At times when Christianity itself seemed under threat, its deliverance was attributed to the power of this prayer, and Our Lady was acclaimed as the one whose intercession brought salvation.” In Her many Apparitions on earth, like in Lourdes and Fatima, the Virgin Mary always recommended the recitation of the Rosary to obtain peace, and to stop heresies. St. Dominic received the revelation of the Rosary at a time when the Church was in a critical battle against the heresy of Albegensians. It was at Prouille in France in 1208 that Dominic suddenly experienced an Apparition of the Blessed Mother, who said, “Wonder not that you have obtained so little fruit by your labors. You have spent them on barren soil, not yet watered with the dew of Divine grace. When God willed to renew the face of the earth, He began by sending down on it fertilizing rain of the Angelic Salutation. Therefore preach my psalter composed of 150 Angelic Salutations and fifteen Our Fathers, and you will obtain an abundant harvest.”

1. With the Rosary, the Christian peoplesits at the school of Mary, and is led tocontemplate the beauty on the face ofJesus and to experience the depths ofhis love.2. The Rosary is an effective weaponagainst the evil afflicting society. -------Pope Leo XIII3. How many graces have I received these years from the Blessed Virginthrough the Rosary.My motto: Totus Tuus!(Totally yours) -----Pope John Paul II4. The Rosary goes to the very heart of Christian life; it offers spiritual andeducational opportunity for personalcontemplation, the formation of People of God, and the new evangelization.

5. The Rosary is a genuine “5. The Rosary is a genuine “training in holiness”.training in holiness”. What is What is needed is a Christian life distinguished above all in the needed is a Christian life distinguished above all in the art of art of prayer. prayer. It is more urgent than ever that our Christian It is more urgent than ever that our Christian communities should become communities should become “genuine schools of“genuine schools of prayer.”prayer.”

6.6. Learning Christ from Mary Learning Christ from Mary: No one knows Christ better than : No one knows Christ better than Mary; no one can introduce us to a profound knowledge of his Mary; no one can introduce us to a profound knowledge of his mystery better than his Mother. The mystery better than his Mother. The School of MarySchool of Mary is all the is all the more effective if we consider that she teaches by obtaining for us more effective if we consider that she teaches by obtaining for us in abundance the gifts of the Holy Spirit.in abundance the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

7. To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to 7. To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with contemplate with Mary,Mary, the face ofthe face of ChristChrist.. In a unique way, the face of the Son to In a unique way, the face of the Son to belongs to Mary. Mary constantly sets before the faithful, the” belongs to Mary. Mary constantly sets before the faithful, the” Mysteries” of her Son, with the desire that the contemplation of Mysteries” of her Son, with the desire that the contemplation of those mysteries will release all their saving powers.those mysteries will release all their saving powers.

8.8. The Rosary The Rosary mystically transports us to Mary’s sidemystically transports us to Mary’s side.. This enables This enables her to train us and to mould us with the same care, until Christ is her to train us and to mould us with the same care, until Christ is “fully formed” in us.“fully formed” in us.

“ “Think of Mary, Call on Mary” ------St. Bernard’s homily & Think of Mary, Call on Mary” ------St. Bernard’s homily & Motto of Oblates of the Virgin MaryMotto of Oblates of the Virgin Mary

9. The Rosary is both meditation and 9. The Rosary is both meditation and supplicationsupplication.. Insistent prayer to the Mother of God is based on Insistent prayer to the Mother of God is based on confidence that her maternal intercession can obtain all confidence that her maternal intercession can obtain all things from the heart of her Sonthings from the heart of her Son. . The wedding of Cana The wedding of Cana clearly shows the power of Mary’s intercession as she clearly shows the power of Mary’s intercession as she makes known to Jesus the needs of others: “They have makes known to Jesus the needs of others: “They have no wine left.”no wine left.”

10 .The simple prayer of the Rosary marks the “ rhythm 10 .The simple prayer of the Rosary marks the “ rhythm of human life”. It becomes natural to bring to this of human life”. It becomes natural to bring to this encounter with the sacred humanity of the Redeemer all encounter with the sacred humanity of the Redeemer all the problems, anxieties, labours and endeavours which the problems, anxieties, labours and endeavours which go to make up our lives. “Cast your burden on the Lord go to make up our lives. “Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you”. and he will sustain you”. To pray the Rosary is to hand To pray the Rosary is to hand over our burdens toover our burdens to the merciful hearts of Christ and his the merciful hearts of Christ and his Mother.Mother.

11. Christians, while they are 11. Christians, while they are called to prayer in commoncalled to prayer in common,, must also go to their own rooms to pray to their Father must also go to their own rooms to pray to their Father in secret.in secret. Indeed, according to the teaching of the Indeed, according to the teaching of the Apostle, they must pray without ceasing.Apostle, they must pray without ceasing.

12.The Rosary has been proposed as 12.The Rosary has been proposed as a a prayer for peace.prayer for peace. To rediscover the Rosary means to contemplate the To rediscover the Rosary means to contemplate the

mystery of Christ who is “our peace”, since he made mystery of Christ who is “our peace”, since he made “the two of us one, and broke down the dividing wall of “the two of us one, and broke down the dividing wall of hostility.” hostility.” The Rosary has a peaceful effect on those The Rosary has a peaceful effect on those who pray itwho pray it, disposing them to receive and experience in , disposing them to receive and experience in their innermost depths, and to spread around them the their innermost depths, and to spread around them the true peace.true peace.

The rosary leads to an The rosary leads to an encounter with Christencounter with Christ in his mysteries and so cannot fail in his mysteries and so cannot fail to draw attention to the face of Christ in others, especially the most afflicted. to draw attention to the face of Christ in others, especially the most afflicted. How could one possibly contemplate the mystery of the Child of Bethlehem How could one possibly contemplate the mystery of the Child of Bethlehem without experiencing the desire to welcome defend and promote life, and to without experiencing the desire to welcome defend and promote life, and to shoulder the burdens of suffering children all over the worldshoulder the burdens of suffering children all over the world? How could one ? How could one possibly follow in the footsteps of Christ without resolving possibly follow in the footsteps of Christ without resolving to bear witness to his to bear witness to his “Beatitudes” in daily life“Beatitudes” in daily life? How could one contemplate Christ carrying the ? How could one contemplate Christ carrying the Cross and Christ Crucified, without feeling the need Cross and Christ Crucified, without feeling the need to act as a “Simon of to act as a “Simon of Cyrene” for our brothers and sisters weighed down by grief or crushed by Cyrene” for our brothers and sisters weighed down by grief or crushed by despairdespair? How could one possibly gaze upon the glory of the Risen Christ or of ? How could one possibly gaze upon the glory of the Risen Christ or of Mary Queen of Heaven, without yearning Mary Queen of Heaven, without yearning to make this world more beautiful, to make this world more beautiful, more just, more closely conformed to God’s planmore just, more closely conformed to God’s plan??

13.The Rosary is also a 13.The Rosary is also a prayer of and for the family.prayer of and for the family. We We need to return toneed to return to the practice of family prayer and prayer the practice of family prayer and prayer for familiesfor families. . The family that prays together stays The family that prays together stays togethertogether. Individual family members, in turning their . Individual family members, in turning their eyes towards Jesus. Also regain the ability to look one eyes towards Jesus. Also regain the ability to look one another in the eye, to communicate, to show solidarity, another in the eye, to communicate, to show solidarity, to forgive one another and to see their covenant of love to forgive one another and to see their covenant of love renewed in the Spirit of God. renewed in the Spirit of God. How beautiful is the How beautiful is the family that recites the Rosary every evening.family that recites the Rosary every evening.

14.The family that recites the Rosary together reproduces 14.The family that recites the Rosary together reproduces something of the atmosphere of the household of something of the atmosphere of the household of Nazareth: its members place Jesus at the centre; they Nazareth: its members place Jesus at the centre; they draw from him the hope and strength to go on.draw from him the hope and strength to go on.

15. We need to pray the Rosary 15. We need to pray the Rosary for childrenfor children and even and even more, more, with childrenwith children. .

16. The Rosary is an 16. The Rosary is an exquisitely contemplative prayer.exquisitely contemplative prayer. Without this Without this contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul contemplative dimension, it would lose its meaning, as Pope Paul VI clearly pointed out: “Without contemplation, the Rosary is a VI clearly pointed out: “Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas in violation of the admonition mechanical repetition of formulas in violation of the admonition of Christ: ‘In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the of Christ: ‘In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their many gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their many words’.words’.

17. Announcing each mystery, and perhaps 17. Announcing each mystery, and perhaps even using a suitable icon even using a suitable icon toto portray it,portray it, is as it wereis as it were to open up a scenarioto open up a scenario on which to focus on which to focus ourour attentionattention,, and direct the imaginationand direct the imagination and the mind towards a and the mind towards a particular episode or moment in the life of Christ. In the particular episode or moment in the life of Christ. In the Church’s traditional spirituality, the veneration of icons and the Church’s traditional spirituality, the veneration of icons and the many devotions appealing to the senses, as well as the many devotions appealing to the senses, as well as the method of method of prayer proposed by Saintprayer proposed by Saint Ignatius of LoyolaIgnatius of Loyola in the Spiritual in the Spiritual exercises, exercises, make use of visual andmake use of visual and imaginative elements,imaginative elements, judged to judged to be of great help in concentrating the mind on the particular be of great help in concentrating the mind on the particular mystery. This methodology moreover, corresponds to the inner mystery. This methodology moreover, corresponds to the inner logic of the Incarnation: in Jesus, God wanted to take on human logic of the Incarnation: in Jesus, God wanted to take on human features. It is through his bodily reality that we are led into features. It is through his bodily reality that we are led into contact with the mystery ofcontact with the mystery of his divinity. his divinity.

--------APOSTOLIC LETTER OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF--------APOSTOLIC LETTER OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF JOHN PAUL II. 16JOHN PAUL II. 16thth October. 2002. October. 2002.

She also taught it to Blessed Alan de la Roche She also taught it to Blessed Alan de la Roche and said to him in a vision, "When people say and said to him in a vision, "When people say 150 Hail Marys, that prayer is very helpful to 150 Hail Marys, that prayer is very helpful to them and a most pleasing tribute to me. But them and a most pleasing tribute to me. But they will do better still andthey will do better still and will please me more will please me more if they say these salutations while meditating if they say these salutations while meditating on the life, death, and passion of Jesus on the life, death, and passion of Jesus Christ, for this meditation is the soul of this Christ, for this meditation is the soul of this prayer."prayer."

For the Rosary said without the meditation on For the Rosary said without the meditation on the sacred mysteries of our salvation would the sacred mysteries of our salvation would almost be a body without a soul, excellent almost be a body without a soul, excellent matter, but without the form, which is the matter, but without the form, which is the meditation, and which distinguishes it from meditation, and which distinguishes it from other devotions. ----St Louis De Montfort.other devotions. ----St Louis De Montfort.

We learn to imitate the mysteries and the We learn to imitate the mysteries and the virtues of the life, death, passion and glory virtues of the life, death, passion and glory of Jesus and Mary.of Jesus and Mary.

. . For the Rosary teaches people about the For the Rosary teaches people about the virtues of Jesus and Mary, and leads them virtues of Jesus and Mary, and leads them to mental prayer, to the imitation of Jesus to mental prayer, to the imitation of Jesus Christ, to the frequentation of the Christ, to the frequentation of the sacraments, the practice of genuine virtue sacraments, the practice of genuine virtue and of all kinds of good works. and of all kinds of good works. It also helps It also helps us to gain us to gain many wonderful indulgencesmany wonderful indulgences, , which people are unaware ofwhich people are unaware of..

St. Louis de MontfortSt. Louis de Montfort