Faith at Home is a monthly column coordinated by the Diocese of Trenton’s Departments of Catechesis, Evangelization and Family Life, and Youth and Young Adult Ministry. For additional Faith at Home resources, visit dioceseoftrenton.org/faith-at-home.
During the height of the pandemic earlier in the year, I was trying to figure out a way to connect with the catechists with whom I worked in a way that would allow us to find some much-needed spiritual refreshment and renewal.
It was tricky of course, because we couldn’t get together in person, so I thought we would start a weekly virtual Rosary group. I wasn’t sure how it would go, since as we know, virtual just isn’t the same – and we were all frankly a bit burned out on doing things virtually at that point. So I was very surprised to find that even virtually, praying the Rosary together was truly wonderful. It provided our little group with a spiritual oasis and a special connection to one another as we prayed together. That the gifts of the Rosary could create such a wonderful experience within the confines of a well-worn virtual platform speaks to the power and beauty of this uniquely Catholic prayer tradition.
Whether you last prayed the Rosary a day ago, a decade ago, or you just haven’t prayed it before, there are so many ways to introduce or reintroduce it into your life and the life of your own little Domestic Church, your family. Here are some ideas and tips:
GET REACQUAINTED WITH THE ROSARY! If you are a parent or adult who has not prayed the Rosary (or if it’s been a while), this is a great time to come back! Often our children draw us back into the faith, and it is wonderful to learn or re-learn our Catholic traditions while introducing them to our children. You can find many great guides to the Rosary online; here is just one example from Our Sunday Visitor: www.osv.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/howtorosary.pdf.
START SMALL! Start out with young children by just working on a decade. This is a great way of reinforcing basic prayers, especially since using the Rosary adds a tactile aspect to prayer, which can be helpful especially for little hands that like to be busy! You can find a helpful guide here which includes a coloring page: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/A-Childrens-Rosary-Prayer-Guide-for-Students-Teachers-and-Parents-363964
Here also is a one-decade Rosary craft: www.catholicicing.com/easy-rosary-craft-for-kids/.
PRAY THE ROSARY WITH FAR-AWAY FAMILY. One of the silver linings of the “everything virtual” mode we’ve been in is that we have been given opportunities to reach out through virtual meeting platforms to loved ones. Why not use a virtual meeting platform to pray the Rosary with family members? You can take turns leading decades, or, since most platforms allow you to share a video, you can opt to use a video series to pray together (which takes the pressure off of designating a “leader”!) One resource you can use is Ineffabilis Deus, a Rosary series on YouTube which includes the words to prayers on the screen with Sacred Art and soft piano music in the background. This is also a great resource for anyone who wants to become reacquainted with the Rosary and would find it helpful to be led through the prayers. Simply visit www.youtube.com and type Ineffabilis Deus in the search bar. Or pray along with our own Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., using the audio Rosary recordings found at soundcloud.com/diocese-of-trenton/sets/the-holy-rosary-with-bishop.
MAKE THE ROSARY VISIBLE IN YOUR HOME. Instead of keeping Rosary beads in a special box or another out-of-sight place, your child can make a Rosary hanger so it is more visible and a reminder of our beautiful Catholic traditions. This is a fun and creative project that would also make a wonderful Christmas gift for a grandparent or other family member! Consider using a picture of a favorite saint or a patron saint for this project.
The above are just a few of the countless ideas and resources you can find both on and offline to bring this beloved prayer tradition into your heart and your home. Pope Saint Pius X once said that “if you wish peace to reign in your homes, recite the family Rosary.” What a gift our families have in the Rosary, and how blessed we are to be able to share this beautiful Catholic faith tradition with the next generation!
Jessica Donohue is vice president and Burlington County representative of Diocese of Trenton Religious Education Directors, and director of religious education in St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton.