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Is the family rosary still said?

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  • 30-09-2020 4:47pm
    #1
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭


    I wonder is the family rosary still said anywhere in Ireland. After Fr Peyton's rosary crusades in Ireland in the 1950's it seemed most families said this family prayer. Has it survived anywhere?


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    #2
    OneMan37
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭OneMan37


    monara wrote: »
    I wonder is the family rosary still said anywhere in Ireland. After Fr Peyton's rosary crusades in Ireland in the 1950's it seemed most families said this family prayer. Has it survived anywhere?


    Seems, not from the reply’s you’ve received. I started saying it daily while living in London in 2016, and my life has changed exponentially since. The Rosary is the best and surest way to heaven. But sadly I say it alone, my mum says it now and then to, but none of my siblings say it and my father didn’t say either, to the best of my knowledge.


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    #3
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    OneMan37 wrote: »
    Seems, not from the reply’s you’ve received. I started saying it daily while living in London in 2016, and my life has changed exponentially since. The Rosary is the best and surest way to heaven. But sadly I say it alone, my mum says it now and then to, but none of my siblings say it and my father didn’t say either, to the best of my knowledge.

    Thanks for your input. The Rosary is said in some churches after daily or Sunday masses and I have heard that it is said by elderly couples or widows or widowers who live alone after their families have left the home. The traditional Irish Rosary involved the announcement of the mystery at the beginning of the decade of Hail Marys only and people used to find it difficult to maintain concentration on the mystery while repeating the Hail Mary. Yes, it is a powerful prayer and can change lives.


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    #4
    John Hutton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭John Hutton


    It certainly still is said, although I do not, nor do my family, do a family rosary daily. But I know people who do.

    You might find this interesting OP:
    Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland has called for a Family Rosary Crusade against Covid-19 during the month of October.

    “I invite families all over Ireland to pray the Rosary together at home each day for God’s protection during this time of Coronavirus.

    “These past six months have reminded us of the importance of the “domestic Church” – the Church of the sitting room and kitchen – the Church that meets every time a family stands or kneels down, or sits down to pray together!
    https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2020/09/24/archbishop-eamon-martin-calls-for-family-rosary-crusade-against-covid-19/


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    #5
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    John Hutton wrote: »
    It certainly still is said, although I do not, nor do my family, do a family rosary daily. But I know people who do.

    You might find this interesting OP:


    https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2020/09/24/archbishop-eamon-martin-calls-for-family-rosary-crusade-against-covid-19/

    Thanks for the reference to Archbishop Martin's request. I understand that in the past, the rosary was said to avert natural plagues and disasters as well as a weapon in battle as in Lepanto whose anniversary is on 7 October I think. In Ireland it was often referred to as the lay liturgy. :)


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    #6
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,456 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    OneMan37 wrote: »
    Seems, not from the reply’s you’ve received. I started saying it daily while living in London in 2016, and my life has changed exponentially since. The Rosary is the best and surest way to heaven. But sadly I say it alone, my mum says it now and then to, but none of my siblings say it and my father didn’t say either, to the best of my knowledge.

    How do you reckon its the surest way to heaven?


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    #7
    John Hutton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭John Hutton


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    How do you reckon its the surest way to heaven?
    Hard to go too wrong with lots of daily prayer!


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    #8
    Sorolla
    Registered Users Posts: 996 ✭✭✭Sorolla


    monara wrote: »
    I wonder is the family rosary still said anywhere in Ireland. After Fr Peyton's rosary crusades in Ireland in the 1950's it seemed most families said this family prayer. Has it survived anywhere?

    I was listening to Fr. Gabriel Harty on the John Murray Show many years ago and was facinated listening to him.
    http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2012/pc/pod-v-24091220m36stjmsrosary-pid0-1236024_audio.mp3

    I remember as a young lad how we used to kneel down after the evening meal and recite the rosary.

    We used to turn down the sound of the television and if anyone knocked on the door during the rosary we would all sit down and look at the television and our visitors would think we were mad lip reading the television.

    I think we might have been embarrassed to have let the neighbours know we recited the rosary.

    Do you and your family recite the rosary ?

    Do you recite all the mysteries ?

    Do you know what the mysteries are ?

    Father Gabriel mentioned that the rosary is a great form of meditation.

    Do you meditate whilst saying the rosary regardless of wheter you have great faith or not ?

    I remember Fr. Peyton, a priest who dedicated his life to promoting the rosary.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Peyton

    He always said that the family that prayed together stayed together and a world that prays is a world at peace.

    Do you think the break up of Irish family life is due to our reluctance to pray ?

    Do you think the wars in the world are due to us having lost our way – of having lost our God ?

    Our Lady of Fatima, also known as „Our Lady of the Rosary“ urged us to partake in daily prayer and this would lead to world peace and the defeat of Communism in Russia.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Fátima

    Is it time to start reciting the Rosary ?

    What do you think ?


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    #9
    OneMan37
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭OneMan37


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    How do you reckon its the surest way to heaven?

    As it seems to be a great sign of predestination.

    As Louis De Montfort states.
    ‘’If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory. Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell, even if you have sold your soul to the devil as sorcerers do who practise black magic, and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if– and mark well what I say– if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins. ‘’

    Whoever recites my Rosary devoutly, reflecting on the mysteries, shall never be overwhelmed by misfortune. He will not experience the anger of God nor will he perish by an unprovided death. The sinner will be converted; the just will persevere in grace and merit eternal life. - Daily: 15 Reasons Straight From Our Lady


    One of the greatest means of salvation is devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. The saints are unanimous in saying that, "A devout client of Mary shall never perish." St. Thomas Aquinas said that "many souls are now in Heaven, through the prayers of Mary, who otherwise would not be there." Mary Herself assures us in one of Her promises of the Rosary, to St. Dominic, "Devotion of My Rosary is a great sign of predestination." Devotion to Mary — A Great Sign of Predestination

    Also look up the seven blessing of the Rosary, by Saint Louis de Montfort. The Rosary or and the Eucharist are the best and surest ways to heaven and saints back up both statements.


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    #10
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    Sorolla wrote: »
    I was listening to Fr. Gabriel Harty on the John Murray Show many years ago and was facinated listening to him.
    http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2012/pc/pod-v-24091220m36stjmsrosary-pid0-1236024_audio.mp3

    I remember as a young lad how we used to kneel down after the evening meal and recite the rosary.

    We used to turn down the sound of the television and if anyone knocked on the door during the rosary we would all sit down and look at the television and our visitors would think we were mad lip reading the television.

    I think we might have been embarrassed to have let the neighbours know we recited the rosary.

    Do you and your family recite the rosary ?

    Do you recite all the mysteries ?

    Do you know what the mysteries are ?

    Father Gabriel mentioned that the rosary is a great form of meditation.

    Do you meditate whilst saying the rosary regardless of wheter you have great faith or not ?

    I remember Fr. Peyton, a priest who dedicated his life to promoting the rosary.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Peyton

    He always said that the family that prayed together stayed together and a world that prays is a world at peace.

    Do you think the break up of Irish family life is due to our reluctance to pray ?

    Do you think the wars in the world are due to us having lost our way – of having lost our God ?

    Our Lady of Fatima, also known as „Our Lady of the Rosary“ urged us to partake in daily prayer and this would lead to world peace and the defeat of Communism in Russia.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_Fátima

    Is it time to start reciting the Rosary ?

    What do you think ?

    Thanks for a great set of questions which will easily keep us posting for months.

    We too used to kneel after tea to say the rosary, resting our arms on our kitchen chairs. If anyone called while we were saying the rosary they had to take their place and join in. Our visitors loved it and one particular lady made a habit of arriving for the rosary twice a week or so. If a visitor was there at the start of the rosary they were always invited to lead a decade. We finished the rosary with the trimmings, remembering by name those who had died and I always felt they were present to us as we prayed.

    I say the rosary (5 decades) every night in bed but by myself. I have kept to the old pattern of Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious starting on Monday but I say the Luminous on Sundays. I was too used to the old pattern to change it when the Luminous were recommended. I meditate a separate meditation on each Hail Mary of each decade. It is a very powerful meditation and is a great source of grace. I have my own set of trimmings when I remember those I have known and whom I always invite to join me as I pray.

    I am from Mayo, close to where Fr Peyton was born and heard him speak once. He was a saint and his Rosary Crusades were for some people life changing events. They cemented family relationships.

    I think many of the evils of the world are due to loss of faith leading to people ceasing the practice of prayer including family prayer. The rosary is the easiest form of family prayer particularly if each decade is preceded by a few words of meditation. The full set of mysteries captures the full rhythm of all our lives.

    Yes I would like to see the rosary recited publicly in our churches. We used to have rosaries in our church every evening in May and October and they seemed to mark the passing of the year. Now alas no more.
    :)


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    #11
    Spanish Eyes
    Registered Users Posts: 15,865 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    Two families I know still do it. After tea about 7.30 or so, kneel down and pray. Their kids are not partakers.

    But whatever works for you. Drugs and alcohol solve most of it in a different way now I guess. I wouldn't judge anyone. What works for you works for you, as long as you do not preach to me to do it. But the rosary is like a Buddhist chant isn't it. Repeat, repeat, move into another plane and all that. Well when I was a kid I was always thinking when the feck can I get outta here to go play with my friends.


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    #12
    Bubbaclaus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,461 ✭✭✭Bubbaclaus


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    How do you reckon its the surest way to heaven?

    Back in the day you could pay your way into heaven. They should bring that back, would be handy out.


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    #13
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,382 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    Bubbaclaus wrote: »
    Back in the day you could pay your way into heaven. They should bring that back, would be handy out.

    Why would you pay when you can just repeat prayers someone else wrote?
    Its the least sincere and most mindless form of prayer in my opinion.


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    #14
    SouthWesterly
    Registered Users Posts: 6,456 ✭✭✭SouthWesterly


    John Hutton wrote: »
    Hard to go too wrong with lots of daily prayer!

    So praying gets you to heaven. Where is that in the bible exactly?


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    #15
    John Hutton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭John Hutton


    SouthWesterly wrote: »
    So praying gets you to heaven. Where is that in the bible exactly?

    Not directly, but you cant deny that daily prayer is a great place to start from and a solid foundation for ones day and life. Lots of grace can result from prayer


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    #16
    homer911
    Registered Users Posts: 5,113 ✭✭✭homer911


    John Hutton wrote: »
    Not directly, but you cant deny that daily prayer is a great place to start from and a solid foundation for ones day and life. Lots of grace can result from prayer

    I could learn and recite the rules of football, its doesn't make me a referee

    Praying certainly doesn't hurt, but its surely far more important where the person's heart is - anyone can recite a prayer, it doesn't mean they are a christian

    Its one thing to know about God, another thing to know God


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    #17
    John Hutton
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,301 ✭✭✭John Hutton


    homer911 wrote: »
    I could learn and recite the rules of football, its doesn't make me a referee

    Praying certainly doesn't hurt, but its surely far more important where the person's heart is - anyone can recite a prayer, it doesn't mean they are a christian

    Its one thing to know about God, another thing to know God
    You can get to know god, through prayer! And your heart can be moved


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    #18
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users Posts: 26,056 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    homer911 wrote: »
    I could learn and recite the rules of football, its doesn't make me a referee

    Praying certainly doesn't hurt, but its surely far more important where the person's heart is - anyone can recite a prayer, it doesn't mean they are a christian
    Yeah, but this is true whether the prayer is a memorised, ritual prayer like the Rosary or the Lord's Prayer, or one freely composed on the spot, and arising from the impulse of the moment. Either kind of prayer need not necessarily reflect what is in someone's heart.

    A lot of people who make use of ritual prayers use them as a centreing technique. The memorised and repetitive nature of the rosary, for instance, enables you to use it as a device for excluding external distractions and distracting thoughts, and so make it easier for you to centre your attention on God. It's explicitly designed for this purpose. So I don't see any basis for assuming that people who pray the rosary are not praying with the heart. Helping you to pray with the heart is the whole point of the rosary; why doubt that this is what the people who pray it are trying to do?

    And, conversely, is prayer you compose yourself is no guarantee of an authetically prayerful disposition. We have gospel examples of where it is not - e.g. "I thank you, Lord, that I am not as other men". Not to mention "the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them".

    So, yeah. Decide for yourself if the rosary (or any other prayer practice) helps you to pray from the heart. If it does, use it; if not, don't. But don't make that judgment about or on behalf of other people. We have scriptural warrants against doing that, too, remember.


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    #19
    Jimmy Bottlehead
    Registered Users Posts: 10,118 ✭✭✭✭Jimmy Bottlehead


    John Hutton wrote: »
    You can get to know god, through prayer! And your heart can be moved

    If your heart can be moved, you probably need a doctor.


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    #20
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Why would you pay when you can just repeat prayers someone else wrote?
    Its the least sincere and most mindless form of prayer in my opinion.

    No such thing as mindless prayer I'm afraid. You must choose to pray, or at least be open to God; mindless prayer is a contradiction in terms.:)


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    #21
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    homer911 wrote: »
    I could learn and recite the rules of football, its doesn't make me a referee

    Praying certainly doesn't hurt, but its surely far more important where the person's heart is - anyone can recite a prayer, it doesn't mean they are a christian

    Its one thing to know about God, another thing to know God

    I agree. Yes anyone can pray who can leave themselves open to God. Many non-christians pray also to their own constructs of God. To know God is the ultimate goal of all human activity. :)


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    #22
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    Peregrinus wrote: »
    Either kind of prayer need not necessarily reflect what is in someone's heart.

    We have gospel examples of where it is not - e.g. "I thank you, Lord, that I am not as other men". Not to mention "the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them".
    .

    You make some very good points although how can we pray if our prayer does not reflect what is in our heart?

    I have always considered the prayer of the Pharisee a very good prayer; he prayed what was in his heart and reminded God that he thought himself better than the publican. Proud yes but justifiably so in his own eyes. And heart.

    The hypocrites were not praying, simply putting on a show for their neighbours.

    The family rosary had a special place in Irish life and I was wondering if there was any evidence that it had an effect on the subsequent lives of families or indeed the country.:)


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    #23
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »
    If your heart can be moved, you probably need a doctor.

    If your heart can't be moved you need a grave.


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    #24
    bocaman
    Registered Users Posts: 229 ✭✭bocaman


    If it helps you get through the darkness I've no problem with prayer.


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    #25
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users Posts: 26,056 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    monara wrote: »
    You make some very good points although how can we pray if our prayer does not reflect what is in our heart?

    I have always considered the prayer of the Pharisee a very good prayer; he prayed what was in his heart and reminded God that he thought himself better than the publican. Proud yes but justifiably so in his own eyes. And heart.

    The hypocrites were not praying, simply putting on a show for their neighbours.

    The family rosary had a special place in Irish life and I was wondering if there was any evidence that it had an effect on the subsequent lives of families or indeed the country.:)
    What kind of evidence would you be thinking of? :):)


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    #26
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,382 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    monara wrote: »
    No such thing as mindless prayer I'm afraid. You must choose to pray, or at least be open to God; mindless prayer is a contradiction in terms.:)

    Reciting a prayer repeatedly without any thought is totally worthless in my opinion.

    Like going to mass and falling asleep. Box ticking.
    Having witnessed rosaries, where half a Hail Mary takes 4 seconds - it might as well be nursery rhymes.


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    #27
    OneMan37
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭OneMan37


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    Reciting a prayer repeatedly without any thought is totally worthless in my opinion.

    Like going to mass and falling asleep. Box ticking.
    Having witnessed rosaries, where half a Hail Mary takes 4 seconds - it might as well be nursery rhymes.


    Our lady asks us to pray with the heart. St. Louis De Montfort. States that praying the rosary with the heart, ‘’purifies our souls, washing away sin’’ ‘’it gives us victory over all our enemies’’ including demonic I imagine. ‘’it gradually gives us perfect knowledge of Jesus’’ and ‘’it makes it easy for us to practice virtue’’ I’ve witnessed these rosaries said with great hast to, but the fruits of saying a meditative rosary with the heart are incredible indeed. I’ve heard it said by someone very credible, that saying the rosary slowly with the heart is more valuable that many rosaries, say 10, speedily without any meditative input or love.


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    #28
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,382 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    I would suggest that the majority of roasries said in are as described above, and their absence is no great loss.

    Ive no issue with anybody praying, but I’d see the rosary as like doing 100 lines in school. I’m sure some people are getting a small kick out of saying loads of prayers but I doubt there’s any spiritual value unless you actually say it ‘with the heart’ as you put it.


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    #29
    OneMan37
    Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭OneMan37


    colm_mcm wrote: »
    I would suggest that the majority of roasries said in are as described above, and their absence is no great loss.

    Ive no issue with anybody praying, but I’d see the rosary as like doing 100 lines in school. I’m sure some people are getting a small kick out of saying loads of prayers but I doubt there’s any spiritual value unless you actually say it ‘with the heart’ as you put it.


    Well, I definitely attempt to say it slow, with love, from the heart and in a meditative state and I know friends who do likewise. It’s been encouraged by the saints, preached by Popes and repeatedly advocated by the Blessed Mother herself. Why would Our Lady repeatedly implore the faithful to say this prayer, if there is no ‘’spiritual value’’ from it ? Many saints have said it’s the most fruitful way of praying and Our Lady has said no prayer delights her as much as the Rosary. And Saints including Saint Pius x said it’s the greatest form of prayer. Padre Pio said it’s the weapon for our time. Surely these mystical Saints, Popes, and Our Lady herself can’t be all wrong ?


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    #30
    colm_mcm
    Registered Users Posts: 73,382 ✭✭✭✭colm_mcm


    I’m not disagreeing with you (some of your sources are arguable but that’s for a whole other thread). The point I’m making is that the rosary in the form that was most common in Ireland for the last 30 years I can remember is anything but a spiritual experience.

    What are your thoughts on the priest saying the first half of the Hail Mary and the congregation saying the second half? With a few seconds of overlap?


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    #31
    monara
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭monara


    Peregrinus wrote: »
    What kind of evidence would you be thinking of? :):)
    Was there less family breakdowns, more stable society, less crime, more law keeping, more religious vocations per head of population in relation to other countries. Other criteria too I'm sure.


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