Ladies of Charity – Rosary resources

Call to Prayer   Leader:   “…, please, tell us how we can practice the devotion of that lady … who kept a picture of the Blessed Virgin in her sleeve.”

Reader: “You can do it this way:  at the beginning of any action or conversation and from time to time throughout the day, touch the rosary … or the medal or crucifix attached to it.    Raise your heart to God and say to Him,

ALL: ‘My God, may I speak this word or do this action for your glory and love.’”

Correspondence, Conferences  Vincent de Paul  Coste,  Vol. 9, #5. Fidelity to … Mental Prayer, August 16, 1640, p. 31

Leader: O God, come to our assistance

ALL: O Lord, make haste to help us.

Leader: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

ALL: As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end.  Amen.

Hymn: (Sing three times.)  “O Mary, Conceived”

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us, pray for us.
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Remarks of St. Vincent to the Daughters of Charity on the Rosary

(Rotate paragraphs, please, with each read by a different participant.)

Leader: ”We’ll continue the reading of your Rules.   This is what the sixteenth article says regarding the Rosary:  … they will say part of their Rosary at different times, …

“Now, you know how important it is to pray it well because of all prayers, it’s the only one – I mean the Pater Noster –that Our Lord taught His Apostles, at least it’s the principal prayer that makes up the Rosary.  ‘When you pray,’ He said to them, ‘say, Our Father, who art in heaven, etc.’ (Mt. 6: 9-14)   Let’s imagine that He’s here among us and is telling us to do the same.

(Pray the “Our Father” together.)

“The other prayer that makes up the Rosary is the Ave Maria, which was composed by the Holy Spirit.   The angel began it by greeting the Blessed Virgin and Saint Elizabeth composed part of it when she was visited by her cousin; the Church added the rest.   So this prayer was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

(Pray the “Hail Mary” together.)

“Accordingly, the Rosary is a very efficacious prayer when it’s well said.   About four or five hundred years ago (in the 1200s), God inspired Saint Dominic to put it into practice.   Since this good saint saw the world filled with sin, he thought that if he could teach the people those two prayers, he’d be doing something very pleasing to God; so he and all his sons began to teach it wherever they went.

“As a result, the Popes, realizing the importance of establishing this devotion among Christians, especially among simple people, granted indulgences to those who would pray the Rosary.  And this is the means by which we see so many holy souls come together to praise God and the Blessed Virgin.

“That, then, is [why] you’ll pray your Rosary, … be very careful to do it well; it’s your breviary. So, take great care to pray your Rosary.

Remarks of St. Vincent  

“Now, just as all priests must pray their Office for the intention of the Church, in like manner you, too, must take care to pray your Rosary for the intention of the Company, so that God will sanctify it and bless its work and everything it does for the service of the neighbor. …  And just as priests are to say their Office with great attention, so you, too, must pray your Rosary with attention, devotion and reverence to obtain from God, through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin, the graces the Company needs to be pleasing to Him.                              Coste, Vol. 10, #107.Order of Day, December 8, 1658, pp. 497-99

Leader:   “ … isn’t it only right that you should have great devotion toward the Blessed Virgin? …

Coste Vol. 10, #107.Order of Day, December 8, 1658, p 499

ALL:  “… the recitation of the rosary is a very beautiful devotion … [Let us] always have great devotion to the Blessed Virgin.”

Coste, Vol. 9, #21.Observance of the Rule January 22, 1645, p. 175

(Pray the rosary together – one decade or all.)

Personal Reflection and Sharing

What does praying the Rosary mean in my life?   How does it enrich me?

How is Mary an intercessor and model for me in my service as a Lady of Charity?

Closing Prayer:   Memorare   (All pray in unison, please.)

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided.   Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful;  O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.                                                       

Manual The Ladies of Charity of the United States, 2012, p. 21

Prayer Texts

Luke 1: 26-38     “Rejoice … the Lord is with you.”…

Luke 1: 39-45    “Blest are you among women …”

John 2: 1-12      “Do whatever he tells you.”

  prepared for the Ladies of Charity by Sr. Carol Schumer, D.C., October, 2012