The Sign of the Cross

     With your right hand, lightly touch your forehead, then just below your sternum, then your left shoulder, and finally your right shoulder - thus tracing a symbol of a Cross upon yourself - as you say:

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Come Holy Spirit

     Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and enkindle within them the fire of Thy Love.

     Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and Thou shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

The Credo

     I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again 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

Our Father

     Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

     Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

Hail Mary

     Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

     Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Glory Be

     Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

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

Fatima Prayer

     Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those most in need of Thy mercy.

Hail Holy Queen

     Hail holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the Blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement! O loving! O sweet Virgin Mary!

     Pray for us, O holy Mother of God!

     That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

1) The Annunciation
     The Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary and brought her the message of the fulfillment of the promises of old. Mary said "yes" to God's plan, and Jesus was conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2) The Visitation
     Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth who had also been touched by the power of God. Elizabeth and Zechariah had conceived a child even though they were advanced in years.

3) The Nativity
     The Virgin Mary gave birth to the Savior of the world in the small town Bethlehem. Shepherds and Magi came from near and far to worship Him.

4) The Presentation at the Temple
     In obedience to the law, Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to the temple to offer their first born son to God.

5) The Finding in the Temple
     The child Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, and His parents searched for Him for three days before finding Him in the temple.

The Sorrowful Mysteries

1) The Agony in the Garden
     On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus and the apostles retired to the Garden of Gethsemani. Jesus went a ways off by Himself, and prayed "My Father, if it is possible, that this cup of suffering from Me! Yet not what I want, but what You want."

2) The Scourging at the Pillar
     After Jesus was taken prisoner by the Temple Guards, He was taken to Pilate and given a mock trial. He was then cruelly tied to a pillar and scourged.

3) The Crowning with Thorns
     In mockery, the Roman soldiers dressed Jesus in a purple rag, and pressed a crown of thorns roughly onto His head. They then pretended to worship Him as they slapped His face and pulled His beard.

4) The Carrying of the Cross
     After a night of torture, a heavy wooden cross was placed on Jesus' lacerated shoulder. He was thus forced to carry it to the place of His execution.

5) The Crucifixion
     Jesus hung on the cross from about 12 noon til 3 in the afternoon. At the end, He cried in a loud voice "It is finished!" and gave up His life for our salvation.

The Luminous Mysteries - (The Mysteries of Light)
All of the descriptions which are found between quotes in each of the Luminous Mysteries were taken directly from the Holy Father's Apostolic Letter "Rosarium Virginis Mariae."

1) Baptism in the Jordan
     "The Baptism in the Jordan is first of all a mystery of light. Here, as Christ descends into the waters, the innocent one who became “sin” for our sake (2Cor 5:21), the heavens open wide and the voice of the Father declares him the beloved Son (Mt 3:17), while the Spirit descends on him to invest him with the mission which he is to carry out."

2) Self-Manifestation at Cana
     The second "mystery of light is the first of the signs, given at Cana (Jn 2:1- 12), when Christ changes water into wine and opens the hearts of the disciples to faith, thanks to the intervention of Mary, the first among believers."

3) Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
     The third "mystery of light is the preaching by which Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls to conversion (Mk 1:15) and forgives the sins of all who draw near to him in humble trust (Mk 2:3-13; Lk 7:47- 48): the inauguration of that ministry of mercy which he continues to exercise until the end of the world, particularly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation which he has entrusted to his Church (Jn 20:22-23)."

4) The Transfiguration
     "The mystery of light par excellence is the Transfiguration, traditionally believed to have taken place on Mount Tabor. The glory of the Godhead shines forth from the face of Christ as the Father commands the astonished Apostles to “listen to him” (Lk 9:35) and to prepare to experience with him the agony of the Passion, so as to come with him to the joy of the Resurrection and a life transfigured by the Holy Spirit."

5) The Institution of the Eucharist
     The "final mystery of light is the institution of the Eucharist, in which Christ offers his body and blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies “to the end” his love for humanity (Jn 13:1), for whose salvation he will offer himself in sacrifice."

The Glorious Mysteries

1) The Resurrection of Jesus
     Early on Sunday morning, the holy women went to anoint Jesus' body with embalming ointments, but they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty! He had risen!

2) The Ascension of Jesus
     Jesus was taken up into the heavens until the disciples lost sight of Him in the clouds. As he rose, He promised to be with us all until the end of time.

3) The Descent of the Holy Spirit
     Some time after the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples. Filled with courage, they proclaimed the Word fearlessly in the streets, and many people were converted.

4) The Assumption of Mary
     Mary is assumed into heaven bodily. "This day the Virgin Mother of God was taken up to heaven. The angels rejoice; they praise and thank the Lord." (Roman Missal)

5) The Crowning of Mary
     Mary is crowned as Queen of Heaven. "Behold, you are raised above the choirs of the angels! Intercede for us with the Lord, our God." (Roman Missal)