How I pray the Rosary

Today being the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, I thought of sharing with you my various methods in which I say the Rosary. Our family said the Rosary as a family every evening. My father used to lead it daily, ending with the Litany of Our Lady of Loreto in Latin. Obviously the tradition stayed with me as I daily recite the Rosary in various ways. Most of the time, I say the Rosary by myself using one of my many Rosary beads. But over the past 20 years or so, with the accessibility to tape recorders and CDs, I have recorded many versions of the Rosary, either myself or from other sources. Back in 1992, which is exactly 25 years ago, I recorded my best Rosary with a friend of mine in my parish of St Anthony’s in Rocky Point. I used background music for each decade and so many people liked it so much that I must have recorded or burned dozens of copies, which are now being used in New York and Oregon.

I also recorded other Rosaries in Maltese which I then transferred them onto CDS, which I used frequently, playing them on my IPad. I have also recorded various Rosaries I said before funerals in the Cathedral at Baker City, Oregon, and a treasured Rosary is the one led by my dear friend Fr Benedict Groeschel, CFR. Lately I have been using the Diocesan Rosary, an idea which I devised and which I shared with the Malta Bishops, one of whom just this week suggested it to his priests. Before each Hail Mary I mention the name of one or usually two parishes in Malta and Gozo. A few of the Hail Maries are dedicated to various Diocesan organizations, like the Chancery, Cathedral, Seminaries, Hospitals, Nursing homes, Sisters, University, other religious organizations, etc. All 50 Hail Maries have a special dedication, and this connects the people gathered with a previous town or village they lived in. I am trying to promote this Diocesan Rosary as much as possible, especially since it takes just 2 to 3 extra minutes to recite, but it brings together the entire Diocese and all the parishes become closely connected. I use it on the First Friday of each month at my Hilltop Gardens chapel, and since I have also recorded it on my IPad, I use it often on my own. I am presenting an illustrated talk on the History of the Rosary at Hilltop Gardens on Monday October 23 at 7 PM, and repeated on Tuesday October 24 at 10:30 AM. Pray the Rosary.