October - 

The Month of the Rosary

Many of us may have a set or two of rosary beads that have been given to us at a special point in our lives. I own rosary beads given to me by my Nanna when I celebrated my First Communion. I also own a set that my Granny owned, that were given to my Mum and then in turn me. As a child I had always admired their beautiful blue colour.

In turn, many of us may have prayed the Rosary at significant points in our lives, when a shared prayer was needed for a particular intention, when we paused to remember a loved one.

The Rosary and the prayers in its sequence, are prayers that we can simply say. They enable a time of meditation. They offer a time to reflect on the life of Jesus. They offer a time to reflect on our own life path. They offer a time to reflect on those who travel our journey of life.

Personally when I am sitting and waiting, worrying about something, usually my own children, I use my fingers to count the ten Hail Mary's and say the Rosary. I try and stop my own worrying thoughts and enter a space when I am asking God to step into my consciousness, trying to remind myself that God is travelling with me and I need to have faith in Jesus, whilst asking Mary to pray for me too.

This month at COHR, The Loft will have a special focus on the Rosary, classes will take the opportunity to pray the Rosary and look out for a special display in the Foyer as we as a community gather our prayer intentions in the form of a set of Rosary beads.

The central prayer is the Hail Mary, a prayer of  three parts. 

Hail Mary, full of grace. 

The Lord is with thee. 

Blessed art thou amongst women, 

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, 

pray for us sinners, 

now and at the hour of our death, 

Amen.

The first part, the words of the archangel Gabriel (Luke 1:28), the second part are the words of Elizabeth, the mother of St. John the Baptist (Luke 1:42) and the closing prayer is a petition for ourselves.

I hope that at some time over the month of October, you may take time to pray the Hail Mary or a decade of the Rosary. I hope you may take the time to pause and allow yourself to reflect on the life of Jesus, reflect on your own life path or reflect on those who travel your journey of life.

Take  care,

Jo Cowan

(Religious Education Leader)

jcowan@cohroakeast.catholic.edu.au

Below I have attached some images outlining how to pray the Rosary.