Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Pope St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto—a victory attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716.
The development of the rosary has a long history. First, a practice developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus’ life was attached to each Hail Mary. Though Mary’s giving the rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of St. Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as “the apostle of the rosary.” He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its present form—with the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the Mysteries of Light (Luminous Mysteries) to this devotion.
There is also a wonderful App for the iPhone, Itouch, and iPad that is helpful in leaning and praying the Rosary that I wrote about in a previous blog–iRosary.
My friend, Father Jay Finelli, who has a wonderful podcast called iPadre, turned me onto a new series of prayer regarding the Rosary. It is a 33-Day Total Consecration, that was first started by Saint Louis-Marie Grognion de Montfort. Today marks the end of my 33-Day Consecration and found it to be a spirtually enlightening excercise that has strengthened my faith. A 33-Day Total Consecration always ends on a Marian feast day. You can learn more about the 33-Day Total Consecration and get a FREE prayer book through the My Consecration Apostolate at My Consecration.org.
Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort studied in Paris and was ordained in 1700, and loved the writings of the church fathers and saints and found a true devotion to the Mary and praying The Rosary. Under Mary’s inspiration, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Wisdom, a religious institute of women devoted to the care of the poor. During this work, he began his apostolate of preaching the Rosary and authentic Marian devotion. In Rome Pope Clement XI conferred on him the title and authority of Missionary Apostolic, which enabled him to continue his apostolate after returning to France. A member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, Saint Louis was one of the greatest apostles of the Rosary in his day, and by means his miraculously inspiring book, The Secret of the Rosary, he is still so today; the most common manner of reciting theRosary is the method that originated with Saint Louis’s preaching.
His greatest contribution is the Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin. He propagated this in his day by preaching and after his own death by his other famous book True Devotion to Mary. Consecration to Mary is for Saint Louis the perfect manner of renewing one’s baptismal promises. His spirituality has been espoused by millions, especially Pope John Paul II, who has consecrated not only himself but every place he has visited as pope. The cause for his declaration as a Doctor of the Church is now being pursued.
In praying this 33-Day Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary, I discovered another prayer to Mary that has become a favorite that I want to share called:
Ave Maris Stella
Hail thou star of ocean
Portal of the sky,
Ever virgin Mother,
Of the Lord Most High.
O! by Gabriel’s Ave,
Uttered long ago,
Eva’s name reversing,
Established peace below.
Break the captives’ fetters,
Light on blindness pour,
All our ills expelling,
Every bliss implore.
Show thyself a Mother,
Offer Him our sighs,
Who for us incarnate
Did not thee despise.
Virgin of all virgins
To thy shelter take us,
Gentlest of the gentle
Chaste and gentle make us.
Still, as on we journey,
Help our weak endeavor,
Till with thee and Jesus
We rejoice forever.
Through the highest heaven,
To the almighty Three
Father, Son, and Spirit,
One same glory be. Amen.
LINKS
Mary, Mother of God (Catholic Online)