This past weekend, an estimated 30,000 people in the UK joined a growing list of countries (Poland and Ireland) and an American state (California) in consecrating their geographical homes to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The United States is poised to join the movement on October 7, 2018. While it is still months away, you can still get into the habit of praying a daily Rosary.
“But I don’t have the time,” you may want to argue. It usually takes anywhere between 15-20 minutes of your time; time you can easily find if you spend less time on time wasters. Yes, we’re looking at you, social media and Netflix.
Still not convinced? Here are some reasons why you should consider adding the Rosary to your daily prayer time.
1. We need a break from chaos
News and social media are inundated with stories full of violence and strife. We see some of the worst of humanity on display and it often fills us with feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and even anger. What a better way to combat those negative comments than by taking a break and focusing on the meditations of the the mysteries?
Read more: Do You Know the Mysteries of the Rosary?
Yes, the problems will still be there. But taking the time to focus on something else often helps re-orientate our thoughts to the One Who can help us through chaotic times. As a bonus, you can add the intentions of whatever is weighing heavily on your mind to each decade since our Blessed Mother is a powerful advocate.
2. The Rosary can lead to conversions
Through a private revelation, our Blessed Mother showed Blessed Alan de la Rocha that “through the Rosary, hardened sinners of both sexes became converted and started to lead a holy life, bemoaning their past sins with genuine tears of contrition.”
Read more: Epic Stories of the Rosary
Need an example? Blessed Bartolo Longo was a Satanic priest who converted to Catholicism thanks to his praying the Rosary! This is a powerful witness to what Our Lady can do for those most people would (erroneously) consider lost causes.
3. The Rosary can offer protection against temptation
Nobody is immune to feeling tempted to do or say things that may lead us in the confessional. Blessed Pope Pius XI said that the Rosary is “a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin. If you desire peace in your hearts, in your homes, and in your country, assemble each evening to recite the Rosary.”
Saint Louis de Montfort was so sure of the power of the this prayer that he said, “Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood.” We can’t think of a better endorsement than that!
4. Rosaries helps children learn the faith
The Rosary is so simple (yet so powerful) that even a child can do it. As Saint John XXIII once said that the prayer is “a summary of the whole Gospel.” What better way to help your children learn the faith than by reciting the Rosary with them, as a family?
If they are too young, they may start with only a decade at a time. They will soon learn about the life of Christ, even before they learn how to read!
5. You can receive indulgences
Once you get into the habit of praying the Rosary on a daily basis, you may want to consider joining the Confraternity of the Rosary. Did you know that the Confraternity has existed (in various forms) since the 15th century? On October 2, 1898, Pope Leo XIII restructured the Confraternity with his Apostolic Constitution, Ubi Primum. Did you also know you can also receive indulgences once you join? It’s all true!
Members of the Confraternity can receive an indulgence on the day of enrollment and on specific feast days (Christmas, Easter, Annunciation, Purification, Assumption, Our Lady of the Rosary, and Immaculate Conception). To receive a plenary indulgence the Rosary must be prayed in Church or in a Public Oratory, with your family (family Rosary), or a religious community. Otherwise only a partial indulgence is granted. The only obligations are to pray 15 decades per week and to include the intentions of your fellow Confraternity members. Easy peasy!
Whether you’re new to praying the Rosary or needed the additional inspiration, I hope this article has helped in some way. Praying this prayer isn’t the easiest habit to form for some people – Saint Therese of Lisieux famously struggled with it – but it is one worth your while.
