If we look up the official definition in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we find:

“A prayer in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which repeats the privileged Marian prayer Ave Maria, or Hail Mary, in ‘decades’ of ten prayers, each preceded by the Pater Noster (‘Our Father’) and concluded by the Gloria Patri (‘Glory Be to the Father’), accompanied by meditation on the mysteries of Christ’s life.”

This definition outlines the structure, the “mechanics”, of the Rosary. And like any meaningful practice, the form must be learned before the fullness of its beauty can be revealed. Only when the rhythm becomes second nature can our hearts turn more deeply to meditate on the mysteries.

I remember how daunting and cumbersome it felt when I was first learning to pray with the beads. Each step (the opening prayers, closing prayers, the Glory Be) demanded such concentration that it almost felt counterproductive. But like learning to dance, to draw, or to sing, learning to pray the Rosary requires time and practice. We must first master the form before the full beauty can be perceived.

With the Holy Spirit as our guide and Our Mother at our side, we enter into the mysteries of Christ’s life. From the joy of the Annunciation and the light of His public ministry, through the sorrow of the Crucifixion, to the glory of Mary’s Coronation, each decade draws us into the unfolding mystery of our salvation.

But one thing I have learned is that the Rosary is prayed in the context of a relationship. When I bring my whole self to prayer and open my heart to hear what God wants to share with me, each bead in my hand becomes an encounter. This is a living prayer. Some days, conversation flows easily; on others, it stalls. Sometimes it helps to pray with others – there is power when we come together and sing to God in unison.  

Pope Leo has invited each and every one of us to join him throughout the month of October to pray the Rosary for peace. On October 11, 2025, at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo led pilgrims in praying the Rosary for peace.

“This evening, we gather in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, just as the early Church in Jerusalem did (cf. Acts 1:14). Let us all together persevere tirelessly in praying for peace, a God-given gift that we must strive to receive and to which we must make a strong commitment.”  

When I first learned of Pope Leo’s invitation, I thought, “Yes, this is something I can do.” I developed a strong devotion to the Holy Rosary after experiencing a miraculous healing that I attributed to a prayer and a promise I made to Our Lady. But sometimes I lose my routine. This was an opportunity to start again—and to do it united with the whole Church, praying together for peace.  

“See the Apostles, following Jesus, weak in their faith in him, faltering in virtue. Who is it that brings them back to their mission? Who is it that unites and comforts them after the death of Jesus? Is it not her whom he had given to them as a mother? Is it not Mary? And under her direction, they hoped and received their grace.” — St. Peter Julian Eymard

Let us, then, answer the call and return to our mission. Let us “persevere tirelessly in praying for peace.” It is still October… there is still time to join in.