The Art of the Holy Rosary - Illustrated Mysteries for Meditation

120 pages, full color artwork, reflections on the saints, Encyclical by Pope Leo XIII, diagram on how to say the rosary, and the fifteen mysteries of the rosary illustrated for meditation

The Venerable Father Patrick Peyton tells of a family custom from the early 20th century: "Each evening we all knelt together to say the Rosary.  An inflexible rule in our home that everyone had to participate in the family rosary led by my father, no matter how long the day's work might be.  Our entire family praising God, asking Him through His Mother to protect and guide us to our destiny."

Pope Leo XIII tells of the Psalter of Mary that is a centuries old custom and ought to be preserved and restored in Christian families: " whether in the town or country, (they) were religiously wont at close of day, when their labours were at an end, to assemble before a figure of Our Lady and alternately recite the Rosary.  She, delighted at this faithful homage, was ever near them like a loving mother surrounded by her children distributing to them the blessings..."

This book of beautiful artwork and quotations from the bible and from other holy men and women is designed to help us meditate on the life of Our Lord and Our Lady, as presented to us in Tradition and Scripture through the Holy Rosary of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. Prayer is the lifting of our hearts to God and we hope that this little book will assist you in that work.

The First Saturday devotions that were offered to us by Our Lady of Fatima require four actions from us as follows:

1. Confession: This confession can be made before the First Saturday or afterward, provided that Holy Communion be received in the state of grace. In 1926, Christ, in a vision, explained to Lucia that this confession could be made a week before or even more, and that it should be offered in reparation.

2. Holy Communion: Before receiving Holy Communion, it is likewise necessary to offer it in reparation to Our Lady. Our Lord told Lucia in 1930, “This Communion will be accepted on the following Sunday for just reasons, if my priests allow it so.” So if work or school, sickness, or another just reason prevents the Communion on a First Saturday, with this permission it may be received the following Sunday. If Communion is transferred, any or all of the other acts of the devotion may also be performed on Sunday if the person so desires.

3. Rosary: The Rosary is a vocal prayer said while meditating upon the mysteries of Our Lord’s life and Passion and Our Lady’s life. To comply with the request of our Blessed Mother, it must be offered in reparation and said properly while meditating.

4. Fifteen minute meditation: Also offered in reparation, the meditation may embrace one or more mysteries; it may include all, taken together or separately. This meditation should be the richest of any meditation, because Our Lady promised to be present when she said; “...those who keep me company....”

To those who faithfully follow Our Lady’s requests for the five First Saturdays, she has made a wonderful promise which she, as Mediatrix of all Graces, will certainly fulfill: “I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation.” This means that our Blessed Mother will be present at the hour of death with the actual grace of final perseverance, (which after the gift/grace of Faith), is the most important grace.