Five Practical Tips for Praying the Rosary

The rosary is the great paradox of prayers. Many of the greatest saints (Mother Teresa, St. Francis de Sales, St. Dominic, and St. John Paul II) prayed it ferociously and preached it with greater zeal than any other prayer. And yet, this devotion seems boring and ineffective to many of us. Great warriors have sported it around their necks in battle and it has repeatedly been hailed as the mightiest “spiritual weapon.” And yet, we associate it with senior citizens and first-grade CCD classes.

In his unabashed love letter to the rosary, The Secret of the Rosary, St. Louis De Monfort pulls no punches in explaining why we fail to get anything out of this great prayer. He gives many practical tips to make praying the rosary the truly life-changing prayer it is. Here are a few that have turned the rosary from a dry, ineffective prayer to one that has produced great effects and truly changed me:

Five Tips for Praying the Rosary Better

Before the Opening Prayers:

1. Invite Jesus into your prayer

Prayer is conversation with Christ. Before you begin the rosary, ask the Holy Spirit to help guide your prayer. Ask your guardian angel and St. Michael the Archangel to keep your mind focused. Picture Jesus side-by-side with you or right in front of you in His full humanity. Once you have made an act of faith in his presence (“Jesus I believe you are present”) and have allowed any affections to arise, then your mind and heart will be prepared to receive the graces offered through this devotion.

2. Offer up your prayer intentions

Our prayers have real power in the world. Tell Jesus where you want to send the graces of your prayer. Whether it be for a struggling friend or family member you have promised to pray for, a community you care about, or the victims of a war or injustice, state all of your intentions.

Before Each Decade:

3. Immerse yourself in the mystery

The words of the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” are meant to facilitate meditation on scenes in the life of Christ. They are, as many say, “background music.” After stating the mystery (e.g. “The first sorrowful mystery is the Agony in the Garden”), picture the scene itself right in front of you, or however you can most easily see it. This requires concentration and practice, using the scripture and illustrations of the mystery helps to aid the imagination.

4. Ask for a virtue

Meditation on each mystery bears fruit in our everyday lives. After you set the scene, consider the virtue that stands out to you in the mystery. In the Agony in the Garden, for example, trusting in God’s will may be the virtue you seek. Alternatively, ask persistently for a virtue you struggle with. For help, search online for “rosary mysteries fruits” and “Fr. Ripperger list of virtues.” 

During Each Decade

5. Say the prayers at a deliberate pace

As the “background music,” the “Our Father” and “Hail Mary” prayers should be said at a deliberate, rhythmic pace. St. Louis suggests a slight pause at the end of each phrase (e.g. “Hail Mary — *pause* — full of grace — *pause*…”). It is better to say one deliberate, loving decade than five rushed ones. By forcing yourself to do this, you not only better imagine the mystery but also find far greater peace and enjoyment in the rosary.

The rosary can be a source of incredible peace and grace when prayed this way. Your self-will and bad habits will be demolished, loving God and neighbor will become easier, and your intentions, with persistence, will be answered. Above all, you can become like the great saints who were transformed by the rosary.