Thomist-in-Training Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 [quote name='alicemary' post='1901602' date='Jun 25 2009, 09:12 PM']It is certainly a wonderful prayer to pray, but if you have that much time on your hands, you need to get more involved in life. There can be prayer in action, do good for someone, volunteer your time, take a class, help your parents out at home. Sitting there praying all day, while a wonderful advocation, is not reallity. Even the strictest of cloisters realize you need a healthy balance of work and prayer. Jesus went out and healed. When I go to my job, I consider that a very valuable part of my prayerlife. My opinon[/quote] One can say a rosary [b]while [/b]doing many other things, such as walking, waiting in line at the grocery store, driving to work, as well as in chapel. Even praying the Divine Office, which is the official prayer of the Church second only to Holy Mass, was not requested by Our Lady when she appeared at Fatima; the Rosary was. But I think carmelite's question was practical? 1. Terminology... In the general sense, "a rosary" often means "5 decades." More specifically, each set of mysteries is referred to as one chaplet, so in the complete rosary there are 3 chaplets, 15 decades; or 4 chaplets, 20 decades if you choose to use the Mysteries of Light. 2. How many are you [i]allowed [/i]to say? As many as you like; it's not like Holy Communion where there is a limit to how many Communions you may make in one day. 3. How many is one [i]practically capable [/i]of saying? I don't know, depends who you are! 3 or 4 is usually the max for me in a day, but some people have more patience, or more blank stretches of time that are appropriate. It takes me about 20 minutes, so if I go for a walk in the evening I can say one or two chaplets in a little less than an hour. By the way, something that makes it much easier for me to say more than one chaplet in a day is knowing that you don't have to start every one with the Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys. In different countries, there are different customs, so in Italy in some places it might be just started with the sign of the Cross and then the first mystery, or with short versicles: God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be... As it was... (O my Jesus...) and then the first mystery. And even in the U.S. it's perfectly customary, once you've said the Creed, etc., and five mysteries, to go right into another set of mysteries; you don't have to say the Creed again. I don't have anything against the Apostles' Creed, quite the contrary, but omitting it sometimes lets me get right to the 'meat' of the rosary on days I'm feeling sluggish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissyP89 Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 I don't think there's a limit like there's a limit on receiving the Eucharist. Personally, it's a good day if I get through one decade, let alone a whole rosary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeresaBenedicta Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 [quote name='Thomist-in-Training' post='1901724' date='Jun 26 2009, 12:56 AM']By the way, something that makes it much easier for me to say more than one chaplet in a day is knowing that you don't have to start every one with the Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys. In different countries, there are different customs, so in Italy in some places it might be just started with the sign of the Cross and then the first mystery, or with short versicles: God, come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be... As it was... (O my Jesus...) and then the first mystery. And even in the U.S. it's perfectly customary, once you've said the Creed, etc., and five mysteries, to go right into another set of mysteries; you don't have to say the Creed again. I don't have anything against the Apostles' Creed, quite the contrary, but omitting it sometimes lets me get right to the 'meat' of the rosary on days I'm feeling sluggish.[/quote] They pray the rosary before daily Mass at this near-by Dominican Priory that I go to sometimes, and that's how they begin the rosary-- never with the apostles creed, Our Father, and 3 Hail Mary's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnydigit Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 i try to do at least 1 Rosary a day. when visiting monasteries, we may do about 5, depending on the activity level of the monastery. when praying at abortion clinics, we can do 8-9 over a 6-hour morning. that's the most i've ever done in a day so far.. a Rosary can take anywhere from 12 minutes to 3 hours, depending on how deep i meditate on the mysteries. [quote name='Laudem Gloriae' post='1901208' date='Jun 25 2009, 08:06 AM']Padre Pio always said a ton. I know of one recorded incident when a man asked him how many he prayed and it was in the morning or late morning I believe and Padre Pio responded "35, but I can do more than one thing at a time."! I wonder if this was only the morning total how many he did in a day![/quote] from what i read, that's 35 complete Rosaries. one complete Rosary back then = 3 sets of mysteries, so 105 Rosaries a day, or 105 x 50 = 5250 Hail Mary's. it still boggles my mind how Padre Pio was mentally able to do this. i think he said he did 4 simultaneously. i can comprehend saying 2 - one in the foreground and one in the background.. kind of like praying while working, but more than that and my mind can't handle it. [quote name='DominicanPhilosophy' post='1901232' date='Jun 25 2009, 09:19 AM']As far as saying the Rosary myself, I have trouble even getting through one Rosary when not in a group. Praying the Rosary alone, I get so distracted mentally, and it's hard to keep saying the same things over and over with conviction. It's not that I don't love Our Lady, but it's just one of the ways that original sin affects me, personally, I think. +JMJD[/quote] i used to assume that people just need to focus more, but now i sympathize as i've been hearing just how difficult it is for people to do. i don't know, what would St. Dominic say? my advice is to not only memorize the mystery titles, but memorize what happens in the mystery by studying Scripture. e.g. when doing the Sorrowful mysteries, it's like i'm watching the movie "The Passion" play in my head. there are many meditative, or scriptural Rosaries you can find in pamphlet, booklet, or even full book forms. i actually prefer to say it alone so i can control the meditative pace, and a priest told me the Rosary was actually designed to be more of a private/solitary prayer versus a public/group prayer, i imagine for the same meditative reasons.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeniteAdoremus Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 [quote name='johnnydigit' post='1901988' date='Jun 26 2009, 12:13 PM']it still boggles my mind how Padre Pio was mentally able to do this. i think he said he did 4 simultaneously. i can comprehend saying 2 - one in the foreground and one in the background.. kind of like praying while working, but more than that and my mind can't handle it. i used to assume that people just need to focus more, but now i sympathize as i've been hearing just how difficult it is for people to do. i don't know, what would St. Dominic say?[/quote] A hermit I know always prays the Jesus prayer (in Greek, I believe), even while talking to you. You see the beads turning in his hand. St. Dominic would probably say that there are many different ways to pray and we should practise them all, but focus on the ones that best lead us to contemplation. Then he would go to his room and stand next to his bed and pray until he passed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominicansoul Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 [quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1901992' date='Jun 26 2009, 04:26 AM']Then he would go to his room and stand next to his bed and pray until he passed out.[/quote] HE SURE WOULD! I love Papa!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeniteAdoremus Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 [quote name='dominicansoul' post='1902693' date='Jun 27 2009, 06:16 PM'] HE SURE WOULD! I love Papa!! [/quote] He is such an inspiration - that someone with his incredible intellect still totally depends on God, on prayer and humility. I need that example, otherwise I get the insane idea that I can do things myself At Compline, the Sisters add ...to Blessed Dominic, our father... in the penitential rite. I needed to get used to it, but he's really becoming a spiritual father to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomist-in-Training Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 [quote name='DominicanPhilosophy' post='1901232' date='Jun 25 2009, 11:19 AM']As far as saying the Rosary myself, I have trouble even getting through one Rosary when not in a group. Praying the Rosary alone, I get so distracted mentally, and it's hard to keep saying the same things over and over with conviction. It's not that I don't love Our Lady, but it's just one of the ways that original sin affects me, personally, I think. +JMJD[/quote] I know what you mean... for some reason, the easiest ways for me are in a group or while walking. Sitting makes it really hard for some reason. I read that the rosary is really well-adapted to man's distractable nature because you can move back and forth between focusing on: The words of the prayers The mysteries Your intention Those whom you address: God and Our Lady That helps me! Something else that's [i]really [/i]great if you have a hard time focusing is this little book: [url="http://www.aquinasandmore.com/index.cfm/title/Fr.-Peytons-Rosary-Prayer-Book---Soft-Cover/FuseAction/store.ItemDetails/SKU/2159/"]Father Peyton's Rosary Prayer Book[/url]. ISBN: 0898709822. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeniteAdoremus Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 Oh, yes, walking rosaries are the best! I don't know whom I got the custom from, but I imagine with every Hail Mary that I'm giving an actual rose to Our Lady. (I don't know what she does with them, they never rise to the level that she disappears.) I actually prefer solo rosaries. That way I can take off and forget about the world for a while. And there's less stress to get the counting right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosamundi Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 [quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1903450' date='Jun 28 2009, 09:38 AM']I actually prefer solo rosaries. That way I can take off and forget about the world for a while. And there's less stress to get the counting right [/quote] One of my rosaries has eleven beads in the fourth decade. I did not discover this for the longest time, because I don't often pray the rosary in a group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeniteAdoremus Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 [quote name='rosamundi' post='1903616' date='Jun 28 2009, 07:16 PM']One of my rosaries has eleven beads in the fourth decade. I did not discover this for the longest time, because I don't often pray the rosary in a group.[/quote] Did you buy it from an infomercial? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosamundi Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 [quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1903635' date='Jun 28 2009, 06:34 PM']Did you buy it from an infomercial?[/quote] No, I bought it from the PCPAs in Arizona. Every time I use it, the extra Hail Mary is for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 [quote name='Lil Red' post='1901239' date='Jun 25 2009, 10:44 AM']+J.M.J.+ isn't rosary just one mystery (like the Joyful) but Rosary is all four?[/quote] Correct. (Or all [i]three[/i], depending on your persuasion.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resurrexi Posted June 28, 2009 Share Posted June 28, 2009 (edited) [quote name='USAirwaysIHS' post='1903708' date='Jun 28 2009, 12:17 PM']Correct. (Or all [i]three[/i], depending on your persuasion.)[/quote] The Rosary is three sets of mysteries. Edited June 28, 2009 by Resurrexi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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