"Pray that you will not fall into temptation." (Lk. 22:40)

Praying the Rosary​

​​​​​​

The Holy Rosary (or "garland of roses") is also known as the Dominican Rosary. The Rosary refers to a set of prayers used in the Catholic Church as well as to the string of knots or beads used to count the component prayers. The prayers that compose the Rosary are arranged in sets of ten Hail Marys and are called decades. Each decade is preceded by one Lord's Prayer (more frequently known as the "Our Father") and traditionally followed by one Glory Be. Many Catholics also choose to recite the "O my Jesus" prayer after the Glory Be because it is the most well-known of the seven Fatima Prayers.

Prior to the recitation of each decade of a set, thought is given to one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which recall events in the lives of Jesus and of Mary. Five decades are recited per Rosary. The Rosary beads (or knots) are an aid towards saying these prayers in the proper sequence.

Pope Pius V (1566–1572) established a standard 15 Mysteries of the Rosary which were based on long-standing custom. The mysteries are grouped into three sets: the Joyful Mysteries (which focus on the birth and early years of Jesus), the Sorrowful Mysteries, (which focus on Jesus' passion), and the Glorious Mysteries (which focus on Jesus' Resurection from the dead. In 2002 Pope John Paul II said that it was fitting that a new set of five be added,. He named them the Luminous Mysteries (which focus on five gospel revelations of Jesus as the Messiah). The Glorious Mysteries are prayed on Sundays and Wednesdays, the Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Saturdays, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Luminous Mysteries on Thursdays. Usually only one set of Mysteries is recited at a time..

The Rosary is seen in the Catholic Church partly as a veneration of Mary but is essentially a meditation on the life of Christ. Mary is included to the extent that she was a willing participant in God's plan of salvation when she accepted God's call to be the mother of the Messiah in human form..

For more detailed information we have several books in our church library on the Rosary or you can contact the Parish Office for a pamphlet on praying the Rosary.

The Stations of the Cross are a long-standing 14-step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man. The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of that last day, beginning with his condemnation by the Jewish leaders of the time and then by the then-Roman governor, Pontius Pilate (who, if you follow archaeological discoveries was recently proven to have existed when a stone—likely from a step or memorial—was found with his name engraved on it along with the years of his governorship). The stations are most commonly prayed during Lent on Wednesdays and Fridays, and especially on Good Friday, the day of the year upon which Christians believe the events actually occurred.

The stations are commonly viewed as being a mini-pilgrimage the individual takes while moving from station to station. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ's last day. Specific prayers are then recited before the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are completed.

The Stations of the Cross are commonly found in churches, usually along the walls, as a series of 14 small icons or images. They can also appear in church yards arranged along paths. Here in Juneau out at the National Shrine of St. Therese there is a nearly life-sized set that surrounds the chapel there. The Good Friday service held out there is often an emotional event.

For more information on the Stations of the Cross in general, contact the Parish Office to receive a pamphlet or contact the Shrine for information on location and times for their devotional opportunities.