For the Church’s teachings on the Rosary, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 971, 2678, and 2708.
How to pray the Rosary:
Pray the Apostles’ Creed (#6a) while holding the Crucifix. Then offer one Our Father (#6b) on the large bead, and three Hail Marys (#6c) on each of the three small beads for the Holy Father, the Pope. After the three Hail Marys, pray the Glory Be (#7a), the Fatima Rosary Prayer (#7b), and the Consecration Prayer (#7c).
Select one group of Mysteries (see 7d.1 The Joyful Mysteries - 7d.2 The Luminous Mysteries - 7d.3 The Sorrowful Mysteries - 7d.4 The Glorious Mysteries). Announce the first Mystery and meditate on it while praying one Our Father on the large bead and ten Hail Marys on each of the ten small beads
On the next large bead, pray the Glory Be (#7a), the Rosary Prayer (#7b), and the Consecration Prayer (#7c). Then, announce the second Mystery and begin again with the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, etc. Continue until you have prayed all five decades.
After the Rosary, pray 8. St. Joseph Prayer after the Rosary, 8a. Examination of Conscience Prayer,
9. Act of Contrition, 10. Seed-Charity Prayer in the Spirit of St. Francis & 11a. Act of Spiritual Communion.
(Note: Pope Leo XIII asked for a prayer to St. Joseph to be recited at the end of the Rosary.)
Variation: Clause Meditations
To enhance and deepen meditation on the Mysteries of the Rosary, the following clauses can be added within the Hail Marys. Pope John Paul II refers to this practice in “Rosarium Virginis Mariae,” section 33. It is also a traditional practice in Fatima, Portugal.
For example in the First Joyful Mystery, the Hail Mary would be prayed as follows: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus, Whom you, O Virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
The same clause is repeated for each Hail Mary in the decade.
Joyful Mystery Clauses
1. Annunciation: “Whom you, O Virgin, conceived by the Holy Spirit”
2. Visitation: “Whom you, O Virgin, took to St. Elizabeth”
3. Birth of Jesus: “Who was born in Bethlehem”
4. Presentation: “Whom you, O Virgin, offered to the Father in the temple”
5. Finding in the Temple: “Whom you, O Virgin, found in the temple”
Luminous Mystery Clauses
1. Baptism of Jesus: “Who was baptized by John in the Jordan”
2. Wedding of Cana: “Who changed water into wine at Cana”
3. Proclamation of the Kingdom: “Who preached the kingdom of Heaven”
4. Transfiguration: “Who was transfigured on the mountain”
5. Institution of the Eucharist: “Who offered Himself as sacrifice at the Last Supper”
Sorrowful Mystery Clauses
1. Agony in the Garden: “Who, for us, sweat blood”
2. Scourging: “Who, for us, was scourged”
3. Crowning: “Who, for us, was crowned with thorns”
4. Carrying of the Cross: “Who, for us, carried the heavy cross to Calvary”
5. Crucifixion: “Who, for us, was crucified”
Glorious Mystery Clauses
1. Resurrection: “Who resurrected from the dead”
2. Ascension: “Who ascended into Heaven”
3. Descent of the Holy Spirit: “Who sent us the Holy Spirit”
4. Assumption: “Who assumed you, O Virgin, into Heaven”
5. Coronation: “Who crowned you, O Virgin, Queen of Heaven and earth”
