It has been our practice to give away rosaries at our Regional booth at Denver's annual PrideFest. In an effort to be more inclusive, Fr. Michael developed the following instructions for praying the Rosary utilizing prayers that are less gender-specific or hierarchical, and focus less on our sinfulness and more on God’s readiness to forgive.
The Most Holy Rosary
What is the Rosary and why do we pray it? The Rosary is a Scripture-based prayer that leads us to Jesus through Mary. The word rosary means garland of roses, represented by this string of beads. Mother Mary, also known as the Lady of the Rosary, urged everyone to pray the rosary to help people grow in their faith, and follow the path of right-relationship and peace.
Each group of 10 Hail Marys is less focused on the words and more on the mysteries of Christ’s life, death and resurrection and how they impact our lives. The benefit of using the traditional words of the prayers is that they are so familiar that they become mantras, opening us to deep meditation. For some, however, the traditional words seem too gender-specific and exclusive, or focus more on our sinfulness than on God’s readiness to forgive. We, therefore, offer the alternatives follow.
Inclusive Versions of the Prayers
The Sign of the Cross In the Name of Our Parent God, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Our Truth (Fr. Michael J. Nicosia © 2020, 2024) We believe in God, our Mother out-pouring, our Father uniting, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and yet to be revealed.
We believe in Jesus Christ, our brother and teacher, the Word eternally spoken by God through whom all things were made and hold together. By the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became fully human. For the sake of the truth he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven yet remains active in our midst. He will come again in glory to unite the living and the dead, and our communion with him will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth and giver of life, who with the Father and the Son models equality in diversity and the blessings that proceed from self-giving love. With the Father and the Son, She is worshiped and glorified. We believe in the ways She unites us: through her prophetic challenge, through the Body of Christ, the Church, in our shared baptism, in our sacrifices on behalf of others, in our hope in the resurrection, and in the fulfillment of God’s promise in eternity. Amen.
The Prayer of Jesus (on the spaced-out single beads) Our Parent in heaven, holy is your name. Your kin-dom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our missteps, as we forgive those who wrong us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary (one for each of the grouped beads) Hail Mary, full of grace; God is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for your children, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory Be (after each grouping of Hail Marys) Glory be to the Source of All-being, the Eternal Word, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Hail Holy Queen Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, estranged children of Eve; with you we rejoice in the blessings of this life and mourn the pains that afflicts us all. Enfold us, most gracious advocate, in your compassion; and at our homecoming now and in eternity show to us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus, O caring, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
P. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O God whose only begotten Son by his life, death and resurrection, has shown us the path of life and loving, we ask that in meditating on the mysteries of the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Glory be…
The Joyful Mysteries
(Mon/Sat; Advent to Epiphany Sun)
1. The Annunciation of Our Lord - The angel said to Mary, “You shall conceive and bear a son and give him the name Jesus. And he will be called Son of the Most High.” (Lk 1:31, 32)
2. The Visitation - “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Blessed is she who trusted that God’s words to her would be fulfilled.” (Lk 1:42, 45)
3. The Nativity of Jesus - While Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem, she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. (Lk 2:7)
4. The Presentation in the Temple - When the day came to purify them according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph brought Jesus up to Jerusalem so that he could be presented to the Lord. (Lk 2:22)
5. The Finding in the Temple - They came upon their pre-teen in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard him were amazed. (Lk 2:46, 47)
The Sorrowful Mysteries
(Tues/Fridays; Lenten Sun)
1. The Agony in the Garden - Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer. “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by.” (Mt 26:36, 39)
2. The Scourging at the Pillar – Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified. (Mk 15:15)
3. The Crowning with Thorns - They stripped off his clothes and wrapped him in a scarlet cloak. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they fixed it on his head and began to mock him. (Mt 27:28, 29)
4. The Weight of the Cross - When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). (Mk 15:20-21)
5. The Crucifixion and Death - When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Then, uttering a loud cry, he said, “Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Lk 23:33-34; 46)
The Glorious Mysteries
(Wed; Sundays of Easter)
1. The Resurrection of Our Lord - The angel spoke, “Do not be frightened. I know you are looking for Jesus the Crucified, but he is not here. He has been raised, exactly as he promised.” (Matt 28:5, 6)
2. The Ascension into Heaven - He led them out near Bethany, and with hands upraised, blessed them. As he blessed, he left them, and was taken up to heaven. (Lk 24: 50-51)
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit - Tongues as of fire appeared which parted and came to rest on each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:3-4)
4. The Assumption of Mary – Dear one, the Most High has blessed you more than any other woman on earth. How worthy of praise is the God of Promise who created heaven and earth! (Judith 13:18)
5. The Coronation of Mary - A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Rv 12:1)
The Luminous Mysteries
(Thurs; Sun in Ordinary Time)
1. Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan - In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mk 1:9-11)
2. Jesus' self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana - Jesus said, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew, he said, “You have saved the best for last!” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (Jn 2:7-9-10,12).
3. Jesus' proclamation of the Kin-dom of God – AS Isaiah foretold, “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kin-dom of heaven has come near.” (Mt 4:16-17)
4. The Transfiguration - Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. …and a bright cloud over-shadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (Mt 17:1-5)
5. The Institution of the Eucharist that models our, too, being broken and poured out for the life of the world – Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “Affirming the new covenant, this cup is my blood poured out for you. (Lk 22:19-20)
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