Why Do Catholics Pray the Rosary?

Jimmy Akin answers a non-Catholic caller who asks about the history of the Rosary.

Jimmy Akin is an internationally known author and speaker. As the senior apologist at Catholic Answers, he has more than twenty years of experiencing defending and explaining the Faith.
Jimmy is a convert to the Faith and has an extensive background in the Bible, theology, the Church Fathers, philosophy, canon law, and liturgy.
He is the author of hundreds of articles and dozens of publications, including best-selling books like The Fathers Know Best, Mass Confusion, and The Drama of Salvation.

[cosmicwoman]

I'm a Saudi lady who have chose to follow the lord. I envy those who are born Christians. And I can't understand why there are a lot of them away from the church.

[Dwijhaixuj]

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

[SmithsnMoz]

The Holy Rosary absolutely changed my life. ALL GLORY AND PRAISE TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. .. I'm so so BLESSED to be Catholic.

[eleanatopp]

The Church has always acknowledge (for 2000 years) that only Jesus Christ is our Savior and mediator. We Catholics know that. The ones who keep saying we don't are Protestants. We don't acknowledge The Virgen Mary or the Saints as our mediator between us and God. Only Jesus Christ!!!
The Rosary is a prayer that is full of Scripture.
It starts with (writing also a tiny bit of history):

1.- We doThe sign of the Cross: in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The first evidence we have the Church use of this sign is from the ecclesiastical writer Tertulian (230 AD), one of the early Church Fathers.

2.- Then recite the 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 by the Holy Spirit. Born of the Virgen Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence he shall come 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 life everlasting. Amen

3.- We pray The Lord's Prayer:
As taught by our Lord Jesus Christ.

4.- We pray 3 times the Hail Mary:
Hail Mary full of grace. Our Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.(this part based on Luke 1:28-35, 42-48)
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. (Here we are adking Mary to pray for us. Also, Mary is Mother of God bc Jesús is the only Son of God, having the same divine nature ad his Father and Christ himself proclaimed to be God).

4.- We pray Glory Be:
GLORY BE to the Father, an to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

5.- Recite one of the Mysteries:
The Mysteries and are based on scriptures from the Bible and depending of the day they are Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious or Luminous.

6.- Recite 10 Hails Mary (10 beads)while meditating on the Rosary. Follow by 1 Our Father (large single bead) and one Glory Be

7.- After each decade pray the Fatima prayer: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, specially those who are in most need to Thy mercy.

The Rosary is not a prayer that we Catholics are forced to do. It's not mandatory by the Church. Some Catholic don't do it. But the majority does.

[yourbluesmama]

The Rosary is a walk through the life of Jesus Christ guided by his Blessed Mother. Let her lead you to her son.

[richhenk]

"Jesus loved, adored, and listened to his mother on earth. Why wouldn't he listen to her in heaven". I have asked the same question, about praying to Mary. And this was a terrific answer given to me.

[ClaudiaGonzales]

Plus the DEVIL and hates the rosary. a lot of miracles had happened because we prayed it. it is a powerful shield against demons attacks

[florencemureverwi]

The Rosary is a wonderful prayer in our life it increases our faith everytime we pray it. It makes us really glorifies the lord. I thank God for it.

[fmorant]

Robert hutton...the Holy Trinity IS mentioned in the Bible...Look up St Matthew Chapter 28 verse 19...."Go ing therefore and teach ye all nations baptising them n the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost" = The Holy Trinity.

[michaelbest]

To the caller of this video.  Pray to God.  Jesus is our Lord.   It's okay to ask for things and questions, and for understanding things, and he will freely give to those that truly seek him.  
Pray to God, and by acknowledging Mary, in your prayers, is like thanking God for Mary, because without Mary, there would be no Jesus to deliver us from sin, nor to take our punishment for our sins. 

Mary, how wonderful and great she is! 

The Gospel of John,  in the New Testament, explains many things about God and his relationship with Jesus.

[K]

there's only one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

[barrymcgrath]

+Dan RodecapThe reason many Christians attack the Rosary is that they think honouring Mary takes away from Our Lord what belongs with him.

[MMaaddeelleeiinnee]

Mary is presented in this video as any other saint.
But She's much more.

Praying the rosary is allowing Her to more open our heart so it can fullier recieve God's grace. I can give here my testimony - I was raised catholic and went to church all my life, I always knew it's good to be in Church. But when I get the experience of Miraculous 54 days Rosary Novena (4 parts of rosary for 54 days, in one intention), I truly met the living God and I fell in love. It's hard to describe what actually happened, how Blessed Mother worked in my life, but small by small, She opened my heart and everything became alive. The biggest break was when I prayed with Novena to be open to Holy Spirit's gifts in my life. I swear, what hapened was like FIRE!

And I don't know how She did that! No Church actvity now seems like an obligation, I actually HEAR what the Bible is saying and I know what the saints and mystics are talking about. Not even mentionning the Holy Mass! Of course I "contaminated" all my family with this Novena and miracles are going on :D. She brings God in one's life as She brought Him to the world. And She helps not to lose what we already got, helps not to get lost.

Try rosary that seems so boring, try it, force yourself as Simon of Cyrene was forced, meditate on Jesus' life, on God's plan of salvation, and She will lead you straight to God, you will get the answers you search for and the joy of the Good News that never fails to amaze! God bless!

[fmorant]

Ana Bozarth....Our Lady Recommended it when She appeared to three children at Fatima...

[fmorant]

Candace White.... it doesn't say anything in St Matthew about repeating prayers...you've mis-interpreted...

[jesuscarrera]

well Mary was a vessel that the Lord chose to come into this world but even Jesus himself never called Mary his mother he will always refer to her as woman so she can't be the mother of God because God was not created by her and why would I talk to anybody when I can go directly to the maker

[chrisenglehart]

Mary is great example of faith NOT an object of faith. Praying to dead people, you're saying God is not all powerful to hear prayers, you limit His power. Yes we can pray for each other here on EARTH.

[zuzilda]

How can you say you asking other people to pray for you if Mary is not alive anymore and waiting in the ground just like any other mortal being till resurrection day? Moreover Bible never given or told to give special privileges to Mary, or Jesus never exhaulted her above thous he was teaching to, and always said to pray directly to God as thous who sanctified by grace and Holy spirit. In other words according to Bible we saved under grace of Jesus DO NOT need a mediator in form of passed away person to pray for us.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers
(Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21)46While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

[fmorant]

nicholasramirez.... before you post a comment... make sure you know exactly what you're talking about.

[Super-chad]

This channel is very informative and educational... It's nothing like I've ever seen before....