How to Pray the Contemplative Dominican Rosary

Below are the instructions for praying the Rosary in the Dominican way with a suggestion on how long to contemplate each of the four Mysteries. If you are praying by yourself, you can say all the parts. If you are praying with someone else, you can take turns saying the parts of the Rosary as shown below. Usually, the Joyful Mysteries are prayed on Mondays and Saturdays, The Luminous Mysteries on Thursdays, The Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Leader: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

All: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Leader: Lord, Open my lips.

All: And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Leader: God, come to my assistance.

All: Lord, make haste to help me.

Leader: Glory to the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia. (In Lent: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.)

Leader Announces the First Mystery

All: Contemplate, Consider, and Ponder on the Mystery in your Heart for At Least 3 minutes. One minute for faith, one minute for hope, and one minute for love. Or contemplate until the Holy Spirit has gifted you with Satisfaction.

Leader: Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

All: Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Leader: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

All: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

(repeat nine more times)

After the tenth Hail Mary:

Leader: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

All: As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

(Optional Fatima Prayer) All: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Your mercy.

The Leader announces the Second Mystery

(everything is done in the First Mystery and continues for the remainder of the mysteries:

Concluding Prayers:

Leader: Let us pray.

All: Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, hail our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

Leader: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God!

All: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Leader: Let us pray.

All: O God, whose only begotten Son, by his life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee that by meditating on these 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.

Leader: May the Divine Assistance remain always with us.

All: Amen.

Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.

All: Amen. Leader: And may Almighty God bless us, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Mysteries of the Rosary with Associated Scriptures

JOYFUL MYSTERIES
1) Luke 1:28-35, 38 The Annunciation – The angel Gabriel announces the Incarnation to Mary.
2) Luke 1:39-45 The Visitation – Mary visits Elizabeth in her time of need.
3) Luke 2:6-12 The Nativity – Jesus is born in Bethlehem.
4) Luke 2:25-32 The Presentation – Mary and Joseph present Jesus in the Temple.
5) Luke 2:41-4 The Finding in the Temple – Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple.

SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
1) Luke 22:39-46 The Agony in the Garden – Jesus prays in Gethsemane on the night before
His death.
2) Mark 15:6-15 The Scourging at the Pillar – Christ is scourged by the soldiers at Pilate’s
command.
3) John 19:1-8 The Crowning with Thorns – Soldiers weave a crown of thorns and shove it
into Christ’s head.
4) John 19:16-22 The Carrying of the Cross – Jesus struggles up Calvary with His own cross
on His shoulders.
5) John 19:25-30 The Crucifixion – Jesus is nailed to the cross and dies.

GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
1) Matthew 28:1-8 The Resurrection – Jesus rises from the dead on the third day after his
Crucifixion.
2) Acts 1:8-11 The Ascension – Forty days after rising from the dead, Christ ascends into
Heaven.
3) Acts 2:1-6, 38-41 The Descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles.
4) Revelation 12:1-3, The Assumption – At the end of her life, Mary is taken body and
13-18 soul into Heaven.
5) Revelation 12:1-5 The Coronation – Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven and earth

LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
1) Matthew 3:13-17 The Baptism of the Lord – Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan River.
2) John 2:1-11 The Wedding Feast at Cana – Christ changes water into wine at Mary’s
request.
3) Mark 1:15, 2:3-12 The Proclamation of the Kingdom – Jesus announces the coming of the
Kingdom and forgives sins.
4) Matthew 17:1-8 The Transfiguration – Jesus is transfigured, dazzling white, on Mount Tabor.
5) Matthew 26:26-32 The Institution of the Eucharist – At the Last Supper, Christ changes bread
and wine into His Body and Blood