Some information on the rosary

The word “rosary” means “bouquet” or “garland” The rosary is a bouquet of prayers we for our Blessed Mother, which we ask her to share with her Divine son. For a discussion of the history of the rosary see:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13184b.htm

There are so many sites that have directions on how to say the rosary, I do not see the need to repeat them here, but instead provide the following links:

http://www.virtualrosary.org/

This is my favorite rosary prayer site. You can use the program online, or download it to your PC or Palm OS PDA. It is complete with pictures, and a rosary to click on for the prayers. It also displays the text of each prayer, so is an excellent aide for those new to the rosary. There is Scripture and a prayer request for each prayer. You can also ask for prayers to be posted here, and people throughout the world will be praying for them when they use the program to pray the rosary. Under modules, you will also find different sets of meditations as well as modules for many different languages.

http://rosary.virtualave.net

This lovely site has both an online and printable version. The online version is self-paced; you click on Amen as you finish each prayer.

The Divine Mercy Chaplet (said on ordinary rosary beads)

This devotion has had a great impact on my spiritual life. The chaplet was given to St. Faustina by Our Lord. You can read the whole story, as well as excerpts from St. Faustina’s writings here:
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/index.htm

The Ecumenical Rosary

The prayers for this rosary were devised by a married couple, one who is Catholic and one who is Lutheran. The meditations are completely Scripturally based. This site has many of the same features as the virtual rosary, but is the Ecumenical Rosary.
http:// www.ecumenicalrosary.org

Mediatrix of All Grace

What exactly does Mediatrix of all Grace mean?

Simply; that since God created and chose Mary to be the perfect vessel through which salvation would come to the world, so He continues to use her as the vessel through which His grace is poured out upon mankind.

Doesn’t St. Paul tell us there is only ONE mediator? 1 Timothy 2:5

God works through a hierarchy of mediation. He has always used man to save man. The one and only direct mediator between God and man is Our Lord Jesus Christ. "No one can come to the Father except through Me. And no one can come to Me unless the Father draw him." Nevertheless, He has constantly used other instruments to accomplish His will. Thus, while still on earth, Jesus sent the apostles to teach, heal and lead to Him all those who were in the grip of the devil. This hierarchy of mediation we call the "Communion of Saints". Every other mediator receives his/her power directly from Christ and must return to Christ with the prayers of the faithful. Jesus, as is obvious from the Scriptures, wants us to go to His emissaries to receive His grace. We participate in this hierarchy of mediation when we pray for one another (the saints on earth) and when we ask the prayers of the saints in heaven.

There is one who stands directly beneath Jesus in this hierarchy. Through her He pours His grace upon the world and through her we must go to Him that He might present us to the Father. The wedding feast at Cana is a perfect example of how, in the end, all the lesser mediators eventually go to Mary and she, in turn, goes to her Son. We are then commanded to do whatever He tells us.

Going to Mary never leads to Mary, but only to Jesus. As at Cana, she receives the requests of the faithful ones and takes them to her Son. She is merely the emissary, the mediator between the faithful and her Son. Christ is the mediator between man and the Father, gaining for us salvation bestowed by the Father.

But why ask for Mary’s intercession? Why not pray directly to Jesus?

Prayer directly to Jesus is certainly to be encouraged. As God he deserves our praise, adoration, and thanksgiving. We plead with him in supplication. But how blessed we are to have the privilege of begging the intercession of the person closest to him in his earthly life!  What obedient child refuses his mother’s plea? Jesus, dying on the cross, gave His mother to all of us as our mother, so we turn to her as her children and ask her to plead with her Divine Son on our behalf.

For a simple explanation of this doctrine, please go to:

Mediatrix of All Graces
http://starofhope.guardiansoftware.net/information/books/magnifies/
mediatrix.html

For a more scholarly and in-depth discussion: http://www.voxpopuli.org