Rosary Beads?

[steve-in-kville]

Can some of our resident Catholic members explain this to me? I tried looking it up and I am more confused than ever. I understand it has something to do with prayers, but that's it.

Thanks.

[Sudsy]

I an not a Roman Catholic but my brother was. This may help -
https://www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-r ... r%20Father.

[MaxPC]

PSA, Catholics are not required to pray the rosary; it is recommended only. It is a devotion left to personal choice. In those eras in which the populace was illiterate, it was a devotion that allowed them to pray on the events of Christ's life. There are 150 Psalms and this parallels that number in the Hail Mary beads.

The beads are a means of counting prayers while meditating on the life of Christ. The large bead is where one prays the Lord's Prayer. The ten smaller beads, the Hail Mary (from Luke 1:28) is prayed. The prayers themselves form a background "noise" to help one to focus upon the events in Christ's life.

[barnhart]

When the rosary is properly prayed, are more prayers offered than the Lord's prayer and the prayer to Mary, and how many of each?

[Judas Maccabeus]

When the rosary is properly prayed, are more prayers offered than the Lord's prayer and the prayer to Mary, and how many of each?

Basically it is a 10:1 ratio, with the Hail Marys the predominant prayer.

[Soloist]

When the rosary is properly prayed, are more prayers offered than the Lord's prayer and the prayer to Mary, and how many of each?

Basically it is a 10:1 ratio, with the Hail Marys the predominant prayer.

The focus throughout Catholics does seem to be on the queen of heaven…

[MaxPC]

When the rosary is properly prayed, are more prayers offered than the Lord's prayer and the prayer to Mary, and how many of each?

It begins with:
Apostles’s Creed
One Our Father
3 Hail Marys
One Glory Be

These prayers are part of the praise for God and reminds of the personal connection to the Lord. It serves to help the mind settle and focus on this communication time with God.

Next each decade is one Our Father (Lord’s prayer); ten Hail Marys; one Glory Be.

Mystery is identified (e.g. Jesus is crucified).
Our Father
Ten Hail Marys
Glory Be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

It takes some practice for this method to be fruitful for meditating on the events of Christ’s life. Once familiar with this devotion, the rhythm of the prayers becomes apparent. Full attention is given to the Apostles’ Creed, the Our Fathers, and the Glory Be’s. The Hail Marys (which are shorter) become a gentle background hum while meditating on the event from the life of Christ.

[JayP]

I am not here to defend the practice of praying the rosary.

But Max’s information is correct. I would suggest rather than criticize or even feel a need to pass judgment, particularly an uninformed one, simply recognize the following.

Some groups promote what I would call ad how or free form prayer, others see a place (that is, not ONLY but a time and place) for structured prayer. It is incorrect to say a person praying the rosary makes more prayers to Mary than God.
The RCC clearly teaches worship is for God alone.

Rather, the recitation of prayers, within the context of prayerful intent is found by some, particularly those of us with liturgical worship backgrounds, to help focus on the goal of our prayer. Most people that pray the rosary begin with the specific intentions (or prayer request, or prayerful thanksgiving, etc.) for which that rosary as a whole is offered.

Finally, what words of the Hail Mary could any Christian object to?
The first Half of it is straight out of the Bible.
The second half simply identifies Mary as the Mother of God and asks her to pray for us sinners.
We can debate if you can ask people in heaven to pray for us. Fine, a worthy debate.
But hardly heretical if you believe those in heaven, like souls on earth, are capable of prayer.

[Judas Maccabeus]

I am not here to defend the practice of praying the rosary.

But Max’s information is correct. I would suggest rather than criticize or even feel a need to pass judgment, particularly an uninformed one, simply recognize the following.

Some groups promote what I would call ad how or free form prayer, others see a place (that is, not ONLY but a time and place) for structured prayer. It is incorrect to say a person praying the rosary makes more prayers to Mary than God.
The RCC clearly teaches worship is for God alone.

Rather, the recitation of prayers, within the context of prayerful intent is found by some, particularly those of us with liturgical worship backgrounds, to help focus on the goal of our prayer. Most people that pray the rosary begin with the specific intentions (or prayer request, or prayerful thanksgiving, etc.) for which that rosary as a whole is offered.

Finally, what words of the Hail Mary could any Christian object to?
The first Half of it is straight out of the Bible.
The second half simply identifies Mary as the Mother of God and asks her to pray for us sinners.
We can debate if you can ask people in heaven to pray for us. Fine, a worthy debate.
But hardly heretical if you believe those in heaven, like souls on earth, are capable of prayer.

The phraseology “mother of God” has been not been without controversy since the fourth century. Mother of Jesus would be a more accurate phrasing. God has no mother, as He is eternally existent.

[JayP]

Better minds than ours have debated Theotokos.
Let’s leave it to them.

I am sure you did not want your preference for “mother of Jesus” rather than Mother of God to be interpreted that you do not believe that Jesus is God, do you? LOL

And I certainly do not want to have my Orthodox side fight with my RCC side, let alone explain my Lebanese worry beads,

As I said, I joined Max in EXPLAINING it and answering the questions.

Any argument or debate would be fruitless.