My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee! I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love Thee. Amen.
- Prayer taught by the Angel of Peace to the three children during his first apparition
The Rosary is a special prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary that recalls events in the Life of Christ and of His Blessed Mother. The use of a string of Rosary beads helps to pray the Apostles Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father. On each large bead we say an Our Father and on each small bead a Hail Mary. The Our Father and ten Hail Mary’s is followed by the Glory Be and together referred to as a decade of the Rosary. While reciting these prayers, we think of Our Blessed Lord and look at Him through Our Blessed Mother’s eyes to understand Him with our heart. We should try our best to pray Our Lady’s Rosary, bringing our mind back to the mysteries if our mind wanders or we get distracted. Families that pray the rosary together daily are especially blessed by God.
In 1571, Pope St. Pius V urged all of Christendom to implore Our Lady by means of the rosary in defense against an advancing Moslem Turkish force that threatened the Mediterranean and the West. The outnumbered Christian fleet prevailed at the Battle of Lepanto and, attributing this victory to the praying of the Rosary, the Feast of the Holy Rosary was established the following year on October 7. Such importance is the value of the rosary in the life of the Christian that in 1858 Our Lady appeared 18 times to St. Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France each time holding a Rosary in her hands and imploring us to meditate on its mysteries, to help her save souls. Then in 1917, the Blessed Virgin appeared again to three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal asking for penance and prayer, and for the Rosary to be said daily and devoutly for the peace of the world. At the last apparition on October 13, 1917 she said that she wanted to be called Our Lady of the Rosary while warning the faithful to amend their lives, ask pardon for their sins, and that “they must say the Rosary."
- Pre knotted string
- 53 Hail Mary beads
- 6 Our Father beads
- Crucifix
- Copper rose center bead (or other bead of choice)
- Small beads for on either size of the Our Father beads
- Small bead to connect the crucifix
Directions:
1. Take the pre-knotted string and start by threading a small bead, an Our Father bead, then another small bead, followed by 3 Hail Mary beads, then once again with a small bead, Our Father bead, and another small bead.
2. Add the rose center bead followed by 10 Hail Mary beads. Then a small bead, Our Father bead, small bead, and 10 Hail Mary beads again. Repeat this pattern until you have all 5 decades on the string.
3. Now take the string end and feed it back through the copper rose center bead. Pull until tight. Split the string and tie a few knots around the center string.
4. Add the small clear bead and crucifix to the other end of the string and feed the string end through the small bead. Tie off like the center.
5. After you have tied all the knots trim the strings to about ¼-½”.
6. Have an adult take a lighter and melt the trimmed ends.
7. As Our Lady of Fatima instructed Sister Lucia, “Continue to pray the Rosary every day.”
O JESUS, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings, all that this day may bring, be they good or bad: for the love of God, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for all the sins committed against the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
- Fatima Morning Offering
while I brewed a pot of coffee, visited with friends, and finished getting the crafts ready.
