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The Rosary Mysteries, Miracles and Marian Apparitions class began on September 8th - basic support information can be found here . . .
From Pope St. John Paul II
The Rosary is a “Prayer for peace and for the family
6. A number of historical circumstances also make a revival of the Rosary quite timely. First of all, the need to implore from God the gift of peace. The Rosary has many times been proposed by my predecessors and myself as a prayer for peace. At the start of a millennium which began with the terrifying attacks of 11 September 2001, a millennium which witnesses every day innumerous parts of the world fresh scenes of bloodshed and violence, to rediscover the Rosary means to immerse oneself in contemplation of the mystery of Christ who “is our peace”, since he made “the two of us one, and broke down the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph 2:14). Consequently, one cannot recite the Rosary without feeling caught up in a clear commitment to advancing peace, especially in the land of Jesus, still so sorely afflicted and so close to the heart of every Christian.”
Rosarium Virginis Mariae on the Most Holy Rosary (October 16, 2002)
newly canonized St. Pier-Giorgio Frassati and St Carlo Acutis
If you don't have a Rosary - there must be a reason God gave you 10 fingers!
Or 10 toes?
What is this class of which I speak?
If you are local and have contacted me in the contact area of this webpage (or by other means) you know the class I am talking about. If not; consider this another resourse on cool Rosary information.
In this page you can keep up with any information from the Class: "Rosary Mysteries, Miracles and Marian Apparitions" you may have missed or just want to repeat. (I will try to keep up)
BEST SOURCES FOR RESOURCES . . .
Often during class I will recommend certain videos, books or Vatican documents. Here are the best places to find them. If you come up with any others, remember to let me know and I will share them after vetting them.
Videos
Catholic Library
USED Books
Catholic Church Documents
CLASS 2 - 16/17 - THE ANNUNCIATION
Our Lady of Las Lajas
This week's videos are "The Fullness of Joy" and "The Annunciation" from Paradisus Dei - See on Formed or the 'Eyeball' link above in 'Resources'
Class 4 - The Nativity
Bl. Bartolo Longo and the Holy Rosary | Fr. Patrick Briscoe & Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress
“José y María” by Everett Patterson.
As you can see, it’s a re-envisioning of the birth of Jesus Christ, asking us to consider what Joseph and Mary might look like in today’s world. They are portrayed as Hispanic immigrants, with José using a public phone outside of a convenience store, probably looking desperately for somewhere to stay. It’s fun to notice at all the biblical references. Here are a few: María riding a mechanical horse and wearing a Nazareth High School sweatshirt; the words “word” and “flesh” written in graffiti under the horse; advertisements for “Weisman” cigarettes, “Good News” chocolate bars, and “Starr” beer on the window; the sticker of the dove on the window; the advertisements for “Shepard Watches,” “Glad” and “Tide” in the newspaper on the ground; the crown over Dave’s City Motel in the distance, along with the missing A from “manager,” creating the word “manger.” There are a few others that I haven’t mentioned, but Patterson refers to them on his page.
The colors are quite washed out, giving a pessimistic view to this unfortunate couple, who find themselves with nowhere to stay in the middle of a storm. The glimmer of hope, however, comes from the plant in between José and María, just starting to shoot through the crack in the sidewalk.
Great art makes us think, and this image makes us rethink what it means to be a Christian. All Christians know the story of Jesus’s birth, but how many of us are indifferent to the plight suffered by immigrants today? Jesus himself spent time with people on the margins of society, and in the Gospel of Matthew he calls his followers to care for the hungry, sick, the imprisoned, and the stranger. If we truly care for the “least” of our brothers and sisters, Jesus tells us, we are also showing reverence and love for Him. The last thought I have on this work is that José and María are quite possibly the two most common Hispanic first names. How many other Josés and Marías are there who could also use our help today? It is inconsistent with Christian doctrine to lack sympathy for immigrants.
Everett Patterson has an online shop (on Etsy) where you can find posters and Christmas cards of “José y María,” as well as prints of his other works. Find the shop by clicking HERE.
Our Lady of Pompeii
Our Lady of La Leche
CLASS 6 - FINDING IN THE TEMPLE - THE SWEET EXCHANGE
WHAT ARE RELICS?
In Catholic tradition, relics are sacred items associated with saints. They come in three classes:
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1st class - parts of a saint’s body, like bone or hair.
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2nd class - items the saint used in life, such as a habit or prayer book.
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3rd class - objects that have been reverently touched to a 1st or 2nd class relic. It’s that act of reverence—making physical contact with something holy—that turns a simple item into a 3rd class relic.
Why do Catholics venerate relics?
Catholics venerate the relics of saints as a way to honor the saint’s inspiring way of life and bold faith. As Catholics, we strive to become saints ourselves and are encouraged to imitate the lives of the saints in our own daily lives.
St. Jerome, a great biblical scholar, said: “We do not worship relics, we do not adore them, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the creator. But we venerate the relics of the martyrs in order the better to adore him whose martyrs they are” (“Ad Riparium,” i, P.L., XXII, 907).
Can relics perform miracles?
(2 Kings 13:20-21, Matthew 9:20-22, Acts of the Apostles 19:11-12)
While relics may be used in many miracles that are mentioned, the Catholic Church does not believe that the relic itself causes the miracle; God alone does. The relic is the vehicle through which God may work, but God is the cause for the healing.
But the fact that God chooses to use the relics of saints to work healing and miracles tells us that he wants to draw our attention to the saints as “models and intercessors” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 828).
How to care for a third-class relic
While third-class relics don’t require the same level of care as first- or second-class relics) they still deserve reverence. Try not to throw them around or let them get torn or dirty. Keeping them on a prayer table or in a respectful place at home is appropriate. If a prayer card gets too worn, you can burn it reverently or bury it, similar to how blessed objects are treated.
CLASS 8 - THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR
God of Justice,
open our eyes
to see you in the face of the poor.
Open our ears
to hear you in the cries of the exploited.
Open our mouths
to defend you in the public squares
as well as in private deeds.
Remind us that what we do
to the least ones,
we do to you.
Amen.
WEEK 9 - CROWN OF THORNS
"I am grieved when I consider Your sad condition when You wore the Crown of Thorns upon Your holy Head. I desire to withdraw the thorns by offering to the Eternal Father the merits of Your Wounds for the salvation of sinners. I wish to unite my actions to the merits of Your Most Holy Crown, so that they may gain many merits, as You have promised. Amen."
Class 11 - The Crucifixion
Alma Redemptoris Mater
O loving Mother of our Redeemer, gate of heaven, star of the sea,
Hasten to aid thy fallen people who strive to rise once more.
Thou who brought forth thy holy Creator, all creation wond'ring,
Yet remainest ever Virgin, taking from Gabriel's lips
that joyful "Hail!": be merciful to us sinners.
(Up through the day before Christmas Eve)
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His passion and cross be brought to the glory of His resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Class 14 - Glorious Mystery #2 – Ascension
Act of Love
O my God, I love you above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Amen
Class #16 – Glorious Mystery #4 – Assumption
O Holy Mother of God,
pray for the priests your Son has chosen to serve the church. Help them by your intercession, to be holy, zealous and chaste. Make them models of virtue in the service of God’s people. Help them to be prayerful in meditations, effective in preaching, and enthusiastic in the daily offering of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Help them to administer the sacraments with joy. Amen.
Prayer by St. Charles Borromeo
Class #18 – Luminous Mystery #1 – Baptism in the Jordan
Please note: The apparitions at Itapiranga, Brazil, have a complex status: the local bishop initially approved them as supernatural in 2010, but the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) issued a statement in 2017 clarifying they do not recognize the apparitions as authentic and requested the messages not be spread. While a shrine exists and masses are held, official Church approval is lacking, with the CDF effectively withdrawing support, making the apparitions not officially "legit" according to the Vatican, despite the site's continued popularity as a pilgrimage spot.
AKA the Clausular Rosary
Our Lady of Fatima
Asked:
“Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary to obtain peace in the world . . . for she alone can save it.” (Our Lady, July 13, 1917)
“God has placed peace in her hands, and it is from the Immaculate Heart that men must ask it.” (Jacinta, shortly before her death)
“When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: ‘O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of your mercy.’ “ (June 13, 1917)
Class #19 – Luminous Mystery #2 – The Wedding at Cana
"Virgin of the Grapes" painting by Pierre Mignard (c. 1640s)
Mary hands a bunch of grapes to the child Jesus just as she gave Him, His humanity - the blood that He would eventually give for humanity.
Grapes sit in a bowl in contrast to the apples, reminiscent of the sin that necessitates the gift of salvation.
Christ, the light, just beginning to influence the world of this picture, peeks out from under His mother's veil.
Check Thriftbooks.com for Marian Art for Adults and Kids
Class #20 – Luminous Mystery #3 – Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to our people in a time of distress and comforted them in sorrow. You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to your divine Son, remembering His promise: "Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find". Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick or lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take part ever more reverently in the holy Mass. Pray for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.
The Irish Penal rosary originated in Ireland during the 1500's. Catholic persecution was widespread, and laws prohibited outward signs of the Faith. The penal rosary was a small rosary, easily hidden in a pocket or up a sleeve. The large ring was put on the thumb while the first decade was said, and the ring was moved from finger to finger as one prayed through the 5-decades of the rosary. The Penal crucifix also originated from this time and was full of Catholic symbols for those who knew what they meant. The jug in Our Lord's right hand was meant to represent the chalice at the Last Supper. The cords by His left hand are the cords that were used to bind Him during His passion. The spear on the bottom left is the spear from the piercing. The "rungs" that appear along the right side of the crucifix were meant to represent both the ladder of the crucifixion and the steps taken to reach Heaven. The back of the crucifix holds a few additional, though cryptic, symbols. In the middle of the cross is a "V" shape, to symbolize the three nails used. On the bottom is a bird and boat which illustrate an apocryphal legend regarding Judas and the betrayal of Our Lord.
