The Rosary, we can say, is always old and always new. It leads us to Jesus through Mary, because it takes us into the life of Jesus unfolded at the side Mary. Meditating on Mary’s path in life and following her lead takes us into the mystery of Chrit’s life. It also takes us into his mission, person, message, and work. In the Rosary we discover how Christ was the beloved Child of God, willing to carry his cross and die on it, for the sake of our salvation. Therefore, reciting the prayers of the Rosary is not enough. We are called to meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary.

Father Joseph Kentenich, the founder of Schoenstatt, once said the following regarding the fruits of meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary:

The Rosary is our good and best friend. What the Rosary tells us and exemplifies, will find an echo in our lives. If we hold on to the Rosary, we will grow in Marian likeness, we will become Marian apparitions. We hear it, now let’s live accordingly. We may not stay behind the others, but lead the way! (Fr. Joseph Kentenitch, 1946)

We can trace the beginning of the Rosary to the 12th century when the people who could not read or write would count their prayers on a string of beads. The word rosarius means a garland or bouquet of roses

The Blessed Mother urged everyone to pray the Rosary during her apparitions at Fatima, Portugal. She called herself the “Lady of the Rosary,” and promised that the Rosary would help people grow in their faith, convert sinners and bring about world peace.

The main prayers are the Our Father, taken from the words of our Lord in the gospels (Lk11:2) and the Hail Mary. The first part is the angel’s words to Mary, announcing Jesus’ birth and the second part is Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary. The last part, our response, was officially added by St. Pius V. The mysteries of the Rosary focus our attention on the history of our salvation and Christ’s life. We pray and meditate on four different sets of mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious. In 2002 Pope John Paul II added the Luminous.

By repeating certain prayers in the Rosary we find rest in the presence of God in our lives. We find silence and the nearness of Christ and Mary, whether we pray it alone or in community. We also discover the relationship between Christ and Mary and let ourselves be inspired by it. We, too, want to live, like Mary, very close to our Lord, concerned about the salvation of humanity, willing to respond positively to the challenges of everyday life, God’s will for us, and the needs of those around us.