Triduum in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes
9th – 11th February
Dominican Black Abbey
Kilkenny
Preacher Fr Jim Dunleavy
‘Say the Rosary every Day.’
Blessed John Paul 11 love for the Rosary:
‘Pray,pray a lot and offer sacrifices for sinners’.---(Our Blessed
Lady)
Pope Francis prescribes
daily rosary for what ails
you
Holding up a white medicine
box with an anatomical
drawing of the human heart
on it, Pope Francis told some
80,000 people gathered in
St. Peters square for the
midday Angelus prayer that
the boxes contained 59 little
pills strung together : The
rosary beads.
Pope Francis holds up a box of
"spiritual medicine" after praying the
"Don't forget to say it," he Angelus from the window of his
said. "It's good for your
studio overlooking St. Peter's Square
heart, for your soul, for your at the Vatican Nov. 17. The box
whole life."
contained a rosary, a Divine Mercy
holy card and a medicinal-style
instruction sheet. (CNS/Paul Haring)
‘I look to all of you brothers and sisters of every state of life ,to you,
Christian families, to you, the sick and elderly, and to you, young
people: Confidently take up the Rosary once again. Rediscover the
rosary ,in the light of scripture, in harmony with the liturgy, and in
the context of your daily lives.’
‘May this appeal of mine not go unheard.!’
‘O’Blessed Rosary of Mary ,sweet chain which unites us to God,
bond of love which unites us to the Angles, tower of salvation
against the assaults of Hell, safe port in our universal shipwreck, we
will never abandon you. You will be our comfort in the hour of
death: yours our final kiss as life ebbs away.And the last word from
our lips will be your sweet name.
O dearest Mother , O refuge of sinners, O’Sovereign Consoler of all
the Afflicted. May you be everywhere blessed ,today and always,on
earth and in Heaven’. (Apostolic Letter-Rosarium virginis MariaJohn Paul 2—16th. October 2002)
The Joyful Mysteries
Meditation: Our hearts are full of thanksgiving as we contemplate the great love of God in choosing
Mary to be the Mother of His Son. Mary is entrusted with the mission of bearing our Saviour Jesus.
st
1 First Joyful
Mystery - The
Annunciation of the
Angel Gabriel to
Mary
She is the first to know Him, to love Him, to treasure His holy name. Today Mary comes to say to each
of us "God loves you. Christ has come for you." She wishes to tell us that God is the truth. He exists.
In Him is to be found true happiness. I thank you Jesus for the joy and hope with which you will fill
my heart through Mary.
Eternal Father by the merits of the incarnation,
may we follow Mary's example of humility and obedience which were so pleasing to you.
Mary my Mother, teach me to listen to God's word and speak this word to others.
Help me always to say "yes" to God.
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) .. Glory be... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin
betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in
and said to her, "Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you." She was deeply disturbed by
Second Joyful Mystery The Visitation of Mary to her
cousin Elizabeth
these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, "Mary, do not
be afraid; you have won God's favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name
him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no
end." Mary said to the angel, "But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?" "The Holy Spirit will
come upon you," the angel answered "and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow.
And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth
has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth
month, for nothing is impossible to God." "I am the handmaid of the Lord," said Mary "let what you
have said be done to me." And the angel left her. Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she
could to a town in the hill country of Judah. (Luke 1: v 26-39)
She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's
greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a
loud cry and said, "Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your
greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed
that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled."
And Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exults in God my
line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they
Saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid. Yes, from this day forward all
were there the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first born.
generations shall call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no room for
name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him. He has shown the power of
them in the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took
his arm, he has routed the proud of heart. He has pulled down the princes from their thrones
it in turns to watch their flocks during the night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the
and exalted the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away. He
glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, "Do not be afraid.
has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy - according to the promise he
Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town
made to our ancestors - of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever." (Luke 1: v40-
of David a saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you
56)
will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly with the
angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing: "Glory to God in
Meditation: When Mary went to visit Elizabeth, her coming caused marvels of grace. Today again
the highest heaven, and peace to men who enjoy his favour." Now when the angels had gone
Mary comes to visit us. Like Elizabeth we say "How happy am I that the Mother of my Lord should
from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem and see this
come to me." Jesus, we thank you for sharing your Divine Life with us through Mary. We thank you
thing that has happened which the Lord made known to us." So they hurried away and found
that you chose to come to us through Mary. May we receive you and immediately desire to give you to
Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated
others, like Mary.
what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the
shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her
Eternal Father, by the merits of the visitation, teach us to follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so
heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen;
as to know how to bring Christ to our brothers and to be able to glorify you in song and holiness of
it was exactly as they had been told. (Luke 2: v 1-20)
life.
Mary my Mother pray for me so that imitating your love I will take Jesus to my neighbour.
Meditation: Today we have come to worship our Saviour in the arms of his Mother, like the Christmas
shepherds. Imitating Joseph we have tried to prepare the shelter where He is to be laid. We are to be
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
that crib unworthy of Jesus, but beautified and made holy by Mary's presence. Jesus, as Mary enters
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
our lives, may you be born in the silence of our hearts.
Eternal Father, through the motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you offered mankind the
treasures of eternal salvation. Grant that we may feel her presence and know her help, she who has
3rd. Joyful Mystery: The Birth of Our Lord .
Now at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken.
This census - the first - took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to
his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and
travelled up to Judea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and
allowed us to receive the Author of Life, Jesus Christ.
Mary, my Mother, in you the Word was made flesh. May this same Word transform my life into
something beautiful for God.
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man
named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to
Israel's comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been
4th Joyful Mystery - The Presentation of Jesus in the
Temple
revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he
had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Holy Spirit he
came to the Temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to
do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed
God; and he said: "Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you
have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel."
Meditation: Like Mary, who took Jesus in her arms to present Him to God, it is now
the moment for us to entrust our lives, our families and our friends to Jesus through

Mary. We consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary, so that she can guide and care
for us as her little children. Jesus gave us Mary as our Mother. Thank you Jesus for
Reading from Scripture: Luke 2: v21-39
giving us so loving a Mother. She is all beautiful, all holy, all pure, the pearl of
creation. She is the cause of our joy.
When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave
him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his
Eternal Father, your humble servant Mary presented Jesus to you in the Temple.
Through Jesus and Mary, may the Church be animated by a pure faith, strong hope and ardent love.
conception. And when the day came for them to be purified as laid down
by the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
Lord - observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: every first-
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
born male must be consecrated to the Lord - and also to offer in sacrifice,
in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of
this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you." "Why were you looking for
me?" he replied "Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father's affairs?" But they did not
5th Joyful Mystery - Finding of the child Jesus in the
Temple
understand what he meant.
He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored

up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and
men.
Meditation: In this mystery we search for Christ, finding Him through His teaching, He who is the
Wisdom of God. Jesus, you are the one we can follow with confidence, the one who desires our true
happiness and seeks only our good. You have the message of Eternal Life. Jesus, I listen to you.
Eternal Father, through Your Son, born of a woman, and subject to her, may we enter more deeply
into the mystery of His hidden life with Mary in the home of my heart.
Mary, my Mother, may I genuinely seek Jesus with a sincere and truthful heart.
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
Reading from Scripture: Luke 2: v40-52
Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God's favour was with him.
Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was 12 years old,
they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus
stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and
it was only after a day's journey that they went to look for him among their relations and
acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.
Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and
asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies.
They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, "My child, why have you done
Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to
dissuade him. "It is I who need baptism from you" he said "and yet you come to me!" But Jesus
The Luminous Mysteries
1st Luminous Mystery - The Baptism of Jesus in the
Jordan
replied, "Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that
righteousness demands." At this, John gave in to him.
As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and
he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke
from heaven, "This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him."
Meditation: Jesus, through your humility in being baptised by John, the glory of the Holy Trinity
was revealed. I am not fit to undo the strap of your sandals and yet you give yourself to me fully
in the holy sacraments of your Church.
O Holy Trinity, Eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I thank you for the cleansing water of baptism
that has allowed me to belong to you fully. Father, I am your child. Jesus, you are my Saviour and
my brother. Holy Spirit, you are my guide and you are my love.
Mary, my mother, you have given us the body of your son and, through my baptism, I have become
a part of that body. Thank you for praying for me now and at the hour of my death.
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
Reading from Scripture: Matthew 3: v1-6; 13-17
John the Baptist appeared; he preached in the wilderness of Judea and this was his message:
'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.' This was the man the prophet Isaiah spoke
of when he said:
A voice cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.
This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist, and his
food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district
made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their
sins.
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
2nd Luminous Mystery of the Rosary - The Wedding at
Cana
generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had
plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now."
This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his
glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.
Meditation: Jesus, all things were created through you and for you. Help us to trust
you in all things, knowing that everything good will come to us through Mary your
beloved Mother. The Holy Spirit spoke to you through her to tell you that the time for
your mission to begin had come. Jesus, through the same Holy Spirit, may my life be a
hymn of thanksgiving for all that you give to me.
Eternal Father, in your heavenly kingdom, we will receive more than we know how to
desire or ask. You chose Mary to show us the way, Jesus your Son, who is the truth.
Reading from Scripture: John 2: v 1-11
Mary, my Mother, I desire to heed your words and do whatever Jesus tells me.
Three days later there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us
there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine,
from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of
since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to
thy mercy
him, "They have no wine." Jesus said, "Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not
come yet." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." There were
six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among
the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the
jars with water", and they filled them to the brim. "Draw some out now" he told them
"and take it to the steward." They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had
turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from - only the servants who had
drawn the water knew - the steward called the bridegroom and said, "People
3rd Luminous Mystery - The Proclamation of the
Kingdom of God and the Call to Conversion
look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, "What are
we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clother?" It is the pagans
who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need
them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and
all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about
tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of

its own."
¤
21, 25-34
Reading from Scripture: Matthew 6: v19-
"Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths
and woodworms destroy them and thieves can break in and steal. But store up
treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor woodworms
Meditation: Jesus, you came to proclaim the good news; you healed the sick and you
spoke with your Father's authority. Help me to set my heart on your kingdom which you
tell us we can already live here and now. Lead me to a daily conversion so that I will seek
the Kingdom of Heaven above all else.
destroy them and thieves cannot break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.
Eternal Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son. In contemplating Him, we come to
know you, all good and loving Father. I trust in your loving Providence for my life.
The is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to
Mary, my Mother, may your Son be my treasure.
eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more
than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They
do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his
worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about
clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work
or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed
like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which
is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
4th Luminous Mystery The Transfiguration of Our
Lord
voice which said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen
to him."
When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But
Jesus came up and touched them. "Stand up," he said "do not be afraid." And
when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus.
Meditation: Jesus through the Holy Rosary you reveal yourself to us as the
Son of the Father, the Beloved. You tell us not to be afraid. You are perfect
love and love drives out all fear. Transfigure my heart and my intelligence so
that I trust you completely, in my life and in my death.
Eternal Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son. In contemplating Him,
we come to know you, all good and loving Father. I trust in your loving
Providence for my life.
Reading from Scripture: Matthew 17: v1-8
Mary, my Mother, help me to imitate your faithfulness by giving my time
generously each day to be apart with Jesus in prayer and intimate friendship.
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and
led them up a high mountain, where they could be alone. There in their
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes
save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who
became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them;
they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus, "Lord," he said "it is
wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for
you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." He was still speaking when suddenly
a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a
have most need of thy mercy
5th Luminous Mystery The Institution of the Eucharist
that we may copy what you have done. Through the sacrifice of the Mass you give yourself
to us, body, blood, soul and divinity. Through the gift of the Eucharist may we live your
new commandment: "Love one another; just as I have loved you, you also must love one
another" (Jn 13; v35).
Eternal Father, we thank you for the gift of your Son. In contemplating Him, we come to
know you, all good and loving Father. I trust in your loving Providence for my life.
Mary, my Mother, help me to reverence your Son Jesus, truly present in all the tabernacles
of the world. By the love we have for one another, may everyone know we are your Son's
disciples.
¤Reading from Scripture: Luke 22: v14-20
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
When the hour came he took his place at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to
them, "I have longed to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; because, I tell you, I
shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God."
Then, taking a cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and share it among you, because
from now on, I tell you, I shall not drink wine until the kingdom of God comes."
Then he took some bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and gave it to them,
saying, "This is my body which will be given for you; do this as a memorial of me." He did
the same with the cup after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood
which will be poured out for you."
Meditation: Jesus, "your state was divine, yet you did not cling to equality with God but
emptied yourself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are, and being as
all men are, you were humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross" (Phil 2; v6).
When you washed your disciples' feet before the Last Supper you gave us an example so
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
The Sorrowful Mysteries
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
The Agony in the Garden
2nd Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary The Scourging
of Jesus at the Pillar
Reading from Scripture: Luke 22: v39-46
He then left to make his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, with the disciples following. When
Reading from Scripture: Mark 15: v15
they reached the place he said to them, "Pray not to be put to the test."
Then he withdrew from them, about a stone's throw away, and knelt down and prayed.
"Father," he said "if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be
So Pilate, anxious to placate the crowd, released Barabbas for them and, having ordered Jesus to
be scourged, handed him over to be crucified.
done, not mine." Then an angel appeared to him, coming from heaven to give him strength. In
his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of
blood.
Meditation: Mary groans at the lashes that tear open the body of her Son. This destruction was
inflicted on Jesus by our sin. The pure and innocent Christ has been reduced to an open sore
from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
When he rose from prayer he went to the disciples and found them sleeping for sheer grief.
"Why are you asleep?" he said to them, "Get up and pray not to be put to the test."
Thank you Jesus that your precious blood cleanses me of all my impurity, wrong thinking, bad
acts, undue attachments, and my refusal to accept sacrifice and suffering.
Meditation: "Watch and pray." I gaze on you Jesus in your loneliness and anguish. I console you
in your grief at the thought of so many souls who will reject salvation. I hear you cry and I cry
out with you in my heart, "Father, not my will but yours be done."
Eternal Father, by the merits of all that your Son suffered in his scourging, may I come to love the
Church, and her commandments more and more.
Mary, my Mother, rid me of all that is not of your Son. Clothe me with Jesus, that I may go forward on
Eternal Father, through the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of
pilgrimage with you towards heaven.
Mary, we beg of you the conversion of poor sinners.
Mary, my Mother, may I always find the strength to say yes to the Father.
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
3rd Sorrowful Mystery - The Crowning of Thorns
4th Sorrowful Mystery Jesus carries His Cross
Reading from Scripture: Luke 23; v16-32
But as one man they howled, "Away with him! Give us Barabbas!" (This man had been thrown
into prison for causing a riot in the city and for murder.)
Pilate was anxious to set Jesus free and addressed them again, but they shouted back, "Crucify
him! Crucify him!" And for the third time he spoke to them, "Why? What harm has this man
done? I have found no case against him that deserves death, so I shall have him punished and
then let him go." But they kept on shouting at the top of their voices, demanding that he should
Reading from Scripture: Mark 15: v16-20
The soldiers led him away to the inner part of the palace, that is, the Praetorium, and called the
whole cohort together. They dressed him up in purple, twisted some thorns into a crown and put
it on him. And they began saluting him, "Hail, king of the Jews!" The struck his head with a
be crucified. And their shouts were growing louder.
Pilate then gave his verdict: their demand was to be granted. He released the man they asked for,
who had been imprisoned for rioting and murder, and handed Jesus over to them to deal with as
they pleased.
reed and spat on him; and they went down on their knees to do him homage. And when they had
finished making fun of him, they took off the purple and dressed him in his own clothes.
As they were leading him away they seized on a man, Simon from Cyrene, who was coming in
from the country, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. Large numbers of
Meditation: "You have said so - I am a King," replies Jesus to Pilate. But men do not want this
king. His royal robe will be purple rags, his throne a broken pillar, his sceptre a reed in his
bound hands, and in mockery he is crowned with thorns. Jesus, I give my little soul for your
cloak, my penitent heart for your throne and the love of our Mother Mary as for your sceptre.
May the thorns of my pride be replaced by my homage.
people followed him, and of women too, who mourned and lamented for him. But Jesus turned to
them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; rather weep for yourselves and for
your children. For the days will surely come when people will say, "Happy are those who are
barren, the wombs that have never borne, the breasts that have never suckled!" Then they will
begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!"; to the hills, "Cover us!" For if men use the green
wood like this, what will happen when it is dry?" Now with him they were also leading out two
Eternal Father, by the merits of all that your Son suffered in his being crowned with thorns, may all
other criminals to be executed.
your children return to you.
Mary, my Mother, give me your humility so that Jesus can reign in my heart.
Meditation: Jesus has now been ranked among thieves. Tortured and abused, weighed down by his
cross and flanked by two criminals, he walks towards the place of the skull, Golgotha. Whilst we so
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
often shun our responsibilities and refuse to suffer the consequences of our actions, Jesus goes on to
the bitter end. He who gave Himself to His Father saying "Here I am, I come to do Your Will", now
receives the cross and lovingly embraces it.
On his way to Calvary he meets Mary His Mother. She wishes to plead with us: Can you not help my
Son to carry His Cross, which is so heavy, by accepting your own, which is so small? Do you not want
to remember his words "If any man wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and
follow me"? And if sometimes it seems too heavy then believe with all your strength that another
Simon of Cyrene will come to help you carry it.
Eternal Father, by the merits of all that your Son suffered in carrying his cross, may we daily carry
our cross with his love and his humility.
Jesus, I choose to deny myself in order to help you, like Simon of Cyrene, carry your cross.
Mary, my Mother, may I always decide for God and for the Church, through the merits of your
Reading from Scripture: John 19: v19 & 23-27
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart.
Pilate wrote out a notice and had it fixed to the cross: it ran: "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
Jews."
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
When the soldiers had finished crucifying Jesus they took his clothing and divided it into four
shares, one for each soldier. His undergarment was seamless, woven in one piece from neck to
hem; so they said to one another, "Instead of tearing it, let's throw dice to decide who is to have
it." In this way the words of scripture were fulfilled: "They shared out my clothing among them.
They cast lots from my clothes." This is exactly what the soldiers did.
Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and
5th Sorrowful Mystery The Crucifixion and Death of
Jesus
Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to
his mother, "Woman, this is your son." Then to the disciple he said, "This is your mother." And
from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.
Meditation: Mary treasures her Sons words from the Cross, "Woman behold your Son", and
becomes our Mother, accepting us as her children - and to the child, Jesus says "Behold your
Mother." Jesus, by my life may others come to see Mary as their Mother.
Eternal Father, by the merits of all that your Son suffered on the Cross, may we always help our
suffering brothers by being Jesus to them.
Mary, I turn to you my Mother, and beg you to come home with me as Jesus desires.
The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
Eternal Father, by the merits of your Son's resurrection, may we all come to share in the divinity of
Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. With all our brothers and sisters, I bend my
The Resurrection
knee and proclaim you my Lord and my God.
Mary, my Mother, may your Son come to life in my mind, in my heart and in my soul.
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
2nd Glorious Mystery of the Rosary The Ascension of
Jesus into heaven
Reading from Scripture: Acts 1: v1-11 In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus
Reading from Scripture: John 20: v1-10
had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had
chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them
It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the
after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and
tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter
tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to
and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb" she said
leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. "It is," he had said "what you
"and we don't know where they have put him."
have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be
baptised with the Holy Spirit."
So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together but the other disciple,
running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on
Now having met together, they asked him, "Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the
the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the
kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided
tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was
by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes to you, and the you will
not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached
be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of
the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand
the earth."
the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead. The disciples then went home again.
As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They
Meditation: Mary and the disciples are overjoyed at the Resurrection. Jesus is truly risen. The way is
were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they
open for us to Heaven. My Redeemer, you alone are the Holy One; you alone are the Lord; you alone
said, "Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken
are the Most High, Jesus Christ.
from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go
they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these
there."
separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit,
and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.
Meditation: Like the apostles, we are amidst joy and sadness. Jesus returns to the Father in glory.
Jesus, deliver us from asking unnecessary questions, like the apostles at the ascension, but may we
Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this
give ourselves to prayer, united in one heart with Mary.
sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking in his own language.
They were amazed and astonished.
Eternal Father, with all the love with which your Son ascended into heaven, may we, by that same
love, prepare to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth.
Meditation: Jesus promised his Apostles that he would not leave them as orphans. He had
Mary, my Mother, teach me to pray as you taught the apostles, that I may experience a new
already given them his Mother. The Holy Spirit, who hovered over the deep at the Creation and
Pentecost.
over Mary at the Annunciation, again hovers as tongues of fire over the apostles at the birth of
the Church. Jesus, breathe on me as you breathed on Adam, that the fulness of your spirit may
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
live in me.
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy
Eternal Father, may the Holy Spirit within me cry out "Abba, Father" and remind me of everything
3rd Glorious Mystery The Descent of the Holy Spirit at
Pentecost
that Jesus has taught .
Mary, my Mother, obtain for us that openness which allowed you to embrace all that the Holy Spirit
gave you.
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
Reading from Scripture: Acts 2: v1-7
When Pentecost day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what
sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which
4th Glorious Mystery The Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin Mary
Reading from Scripture: Ap 12: v1
Reading from Scripture: Genesis 3: v15
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and
with twelve stars on her head for a crown.
"I will make you enemies of each other: you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. It
will crush your head and you will strike its heel."
Meditation: Let us joyfully behold the Virgin Mary in the splendour of her glorious body carried to
heaven. Is not Mary worthy of all veneration because of what God did for her? In her Son's
Meditation: The Holy Trinity crowns their daughter, mother and spouse, as Queen of Heaven of all
kingdom, Mary continues to fulfill her role of mothering all God's children. She is the lighthouse
the Angels and the Saints. But Mary remains our Mother, always present with her children as they
which never ceases to guide her children toward the shores of eternity.
pilgrim on their journey through this vale of tears.
Eternal Father, we praise and glorify you for your perfect daughter Mary, and for all the graces and
Most Holy Trinity, I adore you profoundly for all that Mary is to you and to us.
privileges you bestowed on her.
Mary, my Mother and my Queen, I choose to co-operate with the triumph of your Immaculate
Mary, my Mother, as your little child, sit me on your lap and embrace me with your arms as I tell
Heart, that God's great plan through you may be realised.
you "I love you".
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
Our Father ... Hail Mary (x10) ... Glory be ... O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy.
5th Glorious Mystery The Coronation of Mary as
Queen of Heaven
hell and lead all souls to heaven especially those who have most need of thy mercy