The Rosary is a scripture-based prayer. It helps us to pray to Jesus through Mary. When we pray the Rosary, we think about the special events, or mysteries, in the life of Jesus.
The Mysteries of the Rosary center on the events of Christ's life. There are four sets of Mysteries: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and––added by Saint John Paul II in 2002––the Luminous.
The repetition in the Rosary is meant to lead one into restful and contemplative prayer related to each Mystery. The gentle repetition of the words helps us to enter into the silence of our hearts, where Christ's spirit dwells. The Rosary can be said privately or with a group.
At the parish, you can pray the rosary in community:
