Chapter 19

The Rosary ñ A Very Thorny Issue

Pope Pius IX once said:

ìGive me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the

world.î 1

The Rosary is one of the most critical and intricate parts of Catholic devotion. As
the Eucharist is the center of worship, the Rosary is the center of prayer.

ìThe Rosary is the most powerful prayer to touch the Heart of

Jesus, Our Redeemer, who so loves His Mother.î 2

The Rosary is directly tied to the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin.

ìIn recent times the Mother of God has appeared in various

parts of the world and asked for the recitation of the Rosary,

the prayer she gave to the world centuries agoÖThe Rosary is

a combination of vocal prayer and of mental prayer...î 3

Using a string of beads with

a crucifix on the end, this

talisman is alleged to help

the person praying focus on

Christ through the Blessed

Virgin.

Every bead represents a

prayer that is recited as the

beads are run through the

fingers.