Our Lady of the Rosary

The Prayers of the Rosary in English


Here are collected all the prayers that you need to pray the Rosary in English, in the order in which you will need them.

Our Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary
Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived from the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary,
who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried,
descended into hell, rose again from the dead on the third day,
ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty,
who will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Hail Mary

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.

Glory Be

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.

O My Jesus (Fatima Prayer)

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need of your mercy.

Repent by a renewal of your mind: Light in the Dark

Repent by a renewal of your mind: Metanoia

Repent by a renewal of your mind: That is what Metanoia means in the Christian context.

The Call to Repentance

How does this definition come about? In Matthew 4:17, we read thus:

”From that time, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:17, KJV

Repent – Μετανοεῖτε – this is a call to action! Now, how do we repent? Is it enough to say “I’m sorry. I will do better next time?” Let us have a quick look at the meaning of the Greek word that we translate “repentance” or “to repent”.

The Greek “mετανοεῖτε” transliterates to “Metanoia”, and taken literally, translates to “Go beyond (meta) your mind (nous).” Thus, it describes an insight that goes far beyond the intellect. It denotes instead a profound understanding, in our case a profound understanding of just how deeply flawed human nature is, of just how grievous our personal and communal sins are, and of just how much in need of cleansing each and every one of us is. Nothing impure will hold its own when face to face with God, and so only a movement of the soul that goes far beyond “I am sorry” or “I’ll never do THAT again” can properly be called metanoia, repentance.

How does one repent properly?

What does it mean, then: to repent? Can we even go beyond our own mind? The most common Scriptural books to go to for such “How to” questions are Paul’s letters. Practical advice seems to be largely (although obviously not exclusively) his domain. Only think of the never-ending discussion about head coverings for women, or familial hierarchy, or the qualifications of elders, to name only three. So let us go to Paul, and let him answer our question of how to repent:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2, KJV

The key phrase here is “be not conformed to this world”. Paul is not the only one who stresses this. James says

“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4, KJV

How does he know? Jesus Himself said it:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 KJV

Now, these days, when they are trying to make you believe that it is money that makes the world go ’round, remember one other verse in this context of the renewal of your mind. Remember that

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24, KJV

In short…

The first step on this road is trust in God the Father, trust in Jesus the Son, and trust in

Metanoia starts when you sever yourself from the wisdom of the world and cling to the Wisdom from above. As Paul put it, a renewal of the mind will lead us to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” And who will assist us in this metanoia?

“… the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26 KJV

Lent Meditation on Jesus and an angel during the Agony in the Garden

Lent Meditation – The Days Before Holy Week

These are the last days before Holy Week, and they offer a last opportunity for some Lent Meditation. Ponder with us the last journey to Jerusalem. Let us get ready to re-member the last stage of the most important week in the history of mankind.

Passion Sunday is past, Palm Sunday not yet upon us, Lent is slowly but surely coming to a head. Aren’t these days like waiting for a challenging situation you have been preparing for? You want it to come, you know you are ready, but it is not here yet. If only it had already begun! The waiting almost seems to be the worst of it all.

These last days of Lent invite us to meditate on Jesus growing ever more somber in His discourse with the apostles and disciples, ever more sad. And He becomes ever more outspoken with regards to the terrifying suffering that awaits Him in Jerusalem. No Lent Meditation of the last week can be complete without considering Lam 1:12:

“Is it nothing to you, All ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.”

He knows His suffering will be unspeakably great. During His Agony in the Garden, He sees just precisely how unspeakably great it will be! He Himself will suffer most ignominious treatment. His Beloved Mother will inwardly experience His own pain. His beloved friends will watch helplessly while their Lord and their Hope runs the most cruel gauntlet and dies the most shameful death.

And they that longed to see Him die on the cross wag their heads and mock and revile Him with ever growing ferocity. Indeed, His sorrow is nothing to them. And yet, they know not that they are but tools in the toolbox of Someone Greater: The Son’s unparalleled suffering and sorrow is the final nail in the adversary’s coffin. See, He is making something New!

“Not my will but Thine be done.”

"Not my will but Thine be done."
Frans Schwartz “Agonie in the Garden” 1898, detail