,,the ,,excellence ,,of ,,the ,,rosary  
,,conferences ,,for ,,devotions ,,in    
,,honor ,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,virgin   
,,by ,,rev4 ,m4 ,j4 ,,frings  ,,new     
,,york ,,joseph ,f4 ,,wagner   ,nihil   
,obstat ,,remigius ,,lafort1 ,d4,d4     
,censor  ,imprimatur ,,john ,,cardinal  
,,farley ,archbishop of ,new ,york      
,,new ,,york1 ,september #ai1 #aiab     
,copyright1 #aiab1 by ,,joseph ,f4      
,,wagner1 ,,new ,,york   ,,contents  ,i4
 ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,this ,,devotion    
,,ii4 ,,the ,,origin ,,of ,,the ,,rosary
 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the        
,,rosary ,,iv4 ,,the ,,sign ,,of ,,the  
,,cross ,v4 ,,the ,,apostles' ,,creed   
,,vi4 ,,the ,,glory ,,be ,,to ,,the     
,,father ,,vii4 ,,the ,,our ,,father    
,,viii4 ,,the ,,hail ,,mary ,,ix4 ,,the 
,,prayer ,,to ,,increase ,,the ,,three  
,,divine ,,virtues ,x4 ,,the            
,,excellence ,,of ,,the ,,rosary ,,in   
,,regard ,,to ,,its ,,form ,,xi4 ,,the  
,,excellence ,,of ,,the ,,rosary ,,on   
,,account ,,of ,,the ,,mysteries        

,,commemorated    ,,the ,,rosary        
,,conferences ,,for ,,sodalities ,b4 ,v4
 ,m4     ,i4 ,,the ,,name ,,of ,,this   
,,devotion   ,i was exalted as a rose   
plant in ,jericho4--,eccles4 xxiv1 #ah4 
,my dear brethren1 when ,pope ,pius     
,,ix1 on ,may #bc1 #ahgg1 gave audience 
to a number of pious pilgrims he said to
 them3 ,have courage1 my dear children6 
,i exhort you to fight against the      
persecution of the ,church and against  
anarchy1 not with the sword1 but with   
the rosary1 with prayer and good        
example4 ,this ,pope1 who with great    
wisdom and strong hand has guided for   
thirty-two years the bark of ,peter1    
which in many violent storms had been   
rocked to and fro1 he who well knew the 
great dangers of our times1 regarded the
 rosary as a conquering weapon4  ,what  
great confidence his successor1 ,pope   
,leo ,,xiii1 placed in the veneration   
and invocation of the ,blessed ,virgin  
,mary1 by means of the rosary6 ,he      
exhorted all ,christianity to pray the  

rosary daily during the month of        
,october1 in order to obtain assistance 
in these distressing times4 ,in his     
brief on this occasion ,leo ,,xiii says3
 ,it has been a favorite and prevalent  
custom of ,catholics1 in times of need  
and danger1 to take refuge in ,mary1 and
 to seek consolation from her motherly  
concern4  ,thus the firm reliance and   
confidence rightly placed by the        
,catholic ,church in the mother of ,god 
is stanchly avowed4  ,as a matter of    
fact1 ,mary1 the immaculate ,virgin1    
free from original sin1 the chosen      
mother of ,god1 is endowed with such    
power by her ,son1 as no other creature1
 man or angel1 has ever received or can 
receive4  ,the efficacy of this great   
devotion to the great ,queen of ,heaven 
had been demonstrated especially when   
false teachings1 depravity1 or other    
great enemies threatened disaster to    
,christians4  ,history1 early and       
recent1 relates how public and private  
devotion to the mother of ,god was held 

in times of calamity and distress1 and  
how these prayers were heard1 and help  
was granted4 ,thus originated the       
exalted titles which ,catholics give to 
the ,blessed ,virgin1 such as ,help of  
,christians1 ,refuge of ,sinners1 etc4  
,to these titles was added another1 when
 under date of ,december #aj1 #ahhc1    
,leo ,,xiii directed that the title     
,queen of the ,rosary be added to the   
,litany of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,in his
 brief the ,holy ,father expresses the  
desire that all the faithful practise   
daily the devotion of the rosary4 ,if1  
therefore1 the rosary is considered of  
such great power and efficacy by the    
head of the ,church1 the representative 
of ,christ1 it is befitting that we heed
 his words and pray often and devoutly  
by means of the rosary4  ,if this prayer
 were better understood it would be     
prayed with more devotion1 and greater  
benefit would come from it4 ,in order1  
then1 to spread a better knowledge1 and 
to urge the devout recital of the       

rosary1 let us contemplate this devotion
 in a course of instructive addresses4  
,the name rosary may be the subject of  
to-day's discourse4  ,the devotion of   
the rosary consists in the recital of a 
fixed number of ,our ,fathers and ,hail 
,marys1 combined with the meditation on 
certain mysteries from the lives of     
,jesus and ,mary4 ,the name rosary is   
significant4 ,it is a symbol of ,mary1  
also of the devotion to her4 ,we will   
endeavor to make this clear4  ,the realm
 of nature is the symbol of the realm of
 grace1 as the realm of grace is a      
symbol of the realm of glory4 ,it was   
,god's intention to let ,his earthly    
creation be a reflection of the divine  
perfections1 of the supernatural1 of    
divinity1 so that man might perceive the
 supernatural through created things1   
and thus more readily understand it4    
,for the invisible things of him1 from  
the creation of the world1 are clearly  
seen1 being understood by the things    
that are made 7,rom4 i1 #bj74  ,our     

first parents obtained a clear          
conception of the supernatural through  
the natural things of this life4 ,nature
 was to them an open book1 in which they
 could read the divine perfections4     
,through sin the understanding of man   
was dimmed and he failed in the         
interpretation of nature4 ,instead of   
being led to ,god through it1 he allowed
 himself to become estranged1 and from a
 master became the slave of nature4     
,then ,christ came and redeemed the     
world from the slavery of sin and again 
granted to man the clear conception of  
the true ,god1 as also the right        
understanding of nature4 ,this is       
verified in the saints and we have a    
beautiful example in ,st4 ,francis of   
,assisi4 ,about his interpretation and  
meditation of nature ,st4 ,bonaventure  
says3 ,he considered all things created 
as original from ,god1 and saw in each  
creature the ,creator and ,preserver4   
,everything in nature was to him a      
symbol of spiritual life4 ,he took      

delight especially in flowers1 because  
they reminded him of the flower from the
 root of ,jesse1 which refreshens and   
gladdens the whole world4  ,see1 my dear
 brethren1 this is the correct1 the     
,christian way of contemplating nature4 
,the spiritual world is reflected in the
 visible4  ,and ,jesus being the ,king  
and ,mary the ,queen in the realm of    
grace and glory1 nature contains symbols
 that refer to ,jesus and ,mary4 ,all   
things of this creation3 from the       
flowers of the valley to the brilliant  
stars that illumine the night1 all      
things in nature are symbols of the     
glorious mother of ,god4 ,among many    
such symbols used in ,holy ,scripture we
 find ,mary called the mystical rose4   
,the ,church therefore regards the rose 
as a symbol of ,mary4 ,let us see in    
what the likeness consists4  ,if on a   
summer's day we enter a garden1 where   
various flowers through their form1     
color and sweet odor delight and refresh
 us1 our eye is chiefly attracted by the

 rose4 ,we are especially well pleased  
with it4 ,the rose is the queen of      
flowers in form1 color and fragrant     
odor1 because of its beauty4  ,let us   
turn now our gaze to the spiritual      
garden1 the ,church of ,christ4 ,the    
various flowers there are the faithful1 
adorned with piety and virtue1 and      
spreading the fragrance of saintliness  
with which ,god is pleased4 ,in the     
,canticle of ,canticles the ,lamb of    
,god is pictured as feeding among the   
lilies4 ,a beautiful thought6 ,it tells 
us how the ,lamb of ,god1 our divine    
,saviour1 is fond of the flowers of     
,god1 the ,god-loving souls1 as is the  
lamb of the lilies4  ,and in this garden
 of ,god1 the ,holy ,church1 ,mary is   
the rose1 the pride of the garden1 the  
queen of the flowers4 ,the rose is      
therefore the most beautiful symbol of  
,mary1 of all saints the queen1 exalted 
above all saints in sublimity1 beauty1  
gentleness and sweetness4 ,therefore1   
because ,mary is among the saints what  

the rose is among flowers1 she is called
 the mystical rose4 ,and the name rosary
 is to remind us of this4  ,the rose1   
furthermore1 signifies the virtuous life
 of ,mary the virgin4 ,the rosebud is a 
beautiful symbol of virginity4 ,it is   
hidden as under a veil4 ,lovely is the  
,christian virgin1 hidden in the garb of
 innocence like a rosebud4 ,mary is the 
,virgin of ,virgins1 and can above all  
be compared to the fair and undefiled   
rosebud4  ,the open1 blooming rose is an
 emblem of pure motherhood4 ,like the   
opened radiant rose the ,christian      
mother is in the full vigor of life2 her
 heart open with true love for her      
husband and children2 and she unfolds   
her soul to heaven1 so that through     
prayer she may receive the needed       
assistance for herself and hers4        
,through her good example in ,christian 
virtues she spreads around her the      
fragrance of a ,god- pleasing life1 and 
encourages those who associate with her 
to imitate her virtues4  ,mary is the   

immaculate virgin and mother1 mother of 
,god1 and of all mankind4 ,she is the   
most noble and perfect of all mothers4  
,like a magnificent rose she shines in  
the splendor of her virtues1 and is the 
perfect example for all mothers4        
,because her heart is fired with love   
for ,god and man1 she is1 as ,st4       
,jordanus says1 likened to the flaming  
red rose4  ,there is no rose but has its
 thorns4 ,the thorns are a figure of    
suffering1 of sorrow1 of the temptations
 in life1 under which only a truly      
virtuous life can thrive4  ,st4 ,brigid 
relates in her revelations how she at   
one time was downcast because the       
enemies of ,christ were so powerful1 and
 how she was consoled by the mother of  
,god herself1 who told her to remember  
the rose among the thorns4 ,the rose1 so
 said ,mary1 gives a fragrant odor2 it  
is beautiful to the sight1 and tender to
 the touch1 and yet it grows among      
thorns1 inimical to beauty and          
tenderness4 ,so may also those who are  

mild1 patient1 beautiful in virtue1 be  
put to a test among adversaries4 ,and as
 the thorn1 on the other hand1 guards1  
so do wicked surroundings protect the   
just against sin by demonstrating to    
them the destructiveness of sin4  ,the  
life of ,mary was interwoven with many  
sorrows and she is justly called a rose 
among thorns4 ,st4 ,brigid says3 ,the   
,virgin may suitably be called a        
blooming rose4 ,just as the gentle rose 
is placed among thorns1 so this gentle  
,virgin was surrounded by sorrow4  ,the 
rose obtains its life through the stem1 
to which it is closely united4 ,a rose  
broken from the stem will soon wither4  
,so ,mary received all her graces from  
,jesus1 with whom she was united through
 the liveliest faith and ardent love4   
,mary is in truth a spiritual1 a mystic 
rose4 ,the rose therefore is a fitting  
symbol of the virtuous life of the      
mother of ,god4 ,as mystical rose she   
deserves our admiration and veneration1 
and she must be our example and model in

 all ,christian virtues1 the model of a 
true spiritual life4  ,the name rosary1 
therefore1 is well suited to this       
devotion4 ,for it is a wreath of        
spiritual roses1 as it were1 which we   
place at the feet of ,mary1 in order to 
show our love and veneration4  ,the rose
 has1 moreover1 been at all times       
regarded as a symbol of love4 ,it was   
already the custom of the early         
,christians to adorn on feast days the  
pictures and statues of the saints with 
wreaths of roses1 especially on feast   
days of the ,blessed ,virgin4  ,st4     
,dominic1 inspired and instructed by    
,mary1 formed from the beautiful and    
efficacious prayers1 the ,our ,father   
and the ,hail ,mary1 together with the  
principal mysteries from the lives of   
,jesus and ,mary1 a beautiful wreath1   
and called it the ,rosary4  ,the        
threefold mysteries represented in the  
devotion again give it a resemblance to 
the rose4 ,the green of the rose is the 
color of hope and confidence4 ,it is    

represented in the glorious rosary4 ,the
 thorns are represented in the sorrowful
 rosary4 ,the beautiful red petals of   
the rose1 finally1 are represented in   
the joyful rosary1 in the glories of    
,jesus and ,mary4  ,thus is shown       
therefore the deep and significant      
meaning of the name rosary4 ,and as the 
rosary reminds us of all the virtues1   
the spiritual beauty and sublimity of   
,mary1 and as it is a worthy            
manifestation of our love and veneration
 for the mother of ,god it is meet that 
we hold the rosary in high esteem4 ,and 
,mary finds delight in this devotion1   
for it reminds her of all the good ,god 
did for her1 and for which all nations  
pronounce her blessed4  ,oh1 let us then
 resolve to wind this wreath frequently1
 to lay it often at the feet of the     
noble1 the gracious queen of the        
,rosary6     ,,ii4 ,,the ,,origin ,,of  
,,the ,,rosary   ,the ,highest himself  
hath founded her4--,ps4 lxxxvi4  ,my    
dear brethren1 in our consideration on  

the rosary let us to-day reflect upon   
its origin4  ,its origin and age bestow 
on this devotion a great dignity4 ,from 
the earliest times of ,christianity it  
has been the custom of the ,christians  
to observe in their prayers method and  
perseverance4 ,thus it was the custom of
 the hermits of the ,orient1 as far back
 as the fourth century1 to devise a     
sequence of certain prayers1 which they 
counted on pebbles4 ,we also know that  
long ago in ,england a so-called        
,paternoster-cord was used for this     
purpose4 ,st4 ,gregory1 at the end of   
the fourth century1 spoke of such a     
method of devotion in veneration of the 
,blessed ,virgin ,mary4 ,this pious     
bishop thought a wreath of spiritual    
roses would be more pleasing to the     
blessed ,virgin than the natural roses  
with which the faithful adorned her     
altar4 ,he selected1 therefore1 a number
 of prayers1 in praise of the blessed   
,virgin1 and united them into a wreath4 
,and this was the origin of the rosary1 

woven by pious hands for the veneration 
of ,mary1 the mystical rose4  ,in the   
fifth century1 ,st4 ,brigid urgently    
commended the devotion of the rosary1   
and she chose as its prayers the ,our   
,father1 the ,hail ,mary1 and the       
,creed1 and united them into a wreath of
 prayers4 ,in order to count their      
recital she strung little beads of stone
 or wood and made a wreath of them4     
,this custom subsequently spread through
 all ,christian lands1 and through the  
centuries1 to our own days4 ,that this  
devotion was always in great favor and  
esteem among pious ,christians may be   
concluded from the fact that in the     
grave of ,st4 ,norbert1 who died in     
#aacd1 a rosary similar to ours was     
found4  ,we have proof1 then1 that the  
devotion of the rosary1 such as we have 
it1 was practised already in the early  
days of ,christianity4 ,and it was      
practised not only by monks and nuns1   
but found adherents among all the       
faithful4  ,the particular manner in    

which we now pray the rosary was brought
 into vogue by ,st4 ,dominic4 ,this is  
attested by the tradition of six        
centuries4 ,twelve ,popes bear witness  
to this fact4 ,we will now speak of the 
introduction by ,st4 ,dominic1 and will 
also refer to the great efficacy of this
 devotion since its inception4 ,may our 
reflections contribute to the greater   
honor of ,god1 and of the glorious      
,queen of the rosary4  ,i4 ,the devotion
 of the rosary in its present form dates
 its origin from the thirteenth century1
 and ,st4 ,dominic was selected by ,god 
as the instrument of its introduction4  
,spain was the home of this great saint4
 ,in one of the valleys of ,castile     
there is situated an humble little      
village named ,calarunga1 where his     
parents possessed a small estate4 ,he   
was born there in the year #aagj4 ,while
 being baptized his sponsor saw1 as if  
in a vision1 a brilliant star over the  
forehead of the future saint1 shedding  
its brilliant light through the church4 

,as ,dominic advanced in years he       
increased in wisdom1 virtue and piety4  
,in due time he devoted himself to      
theology1 believing that in this pursuit
 alone he could find the wisdom of ,god4
 ,not in the pleasures of this world1   
but in the knowledge of ,god1 he sought 
his pastime4 ,his favorite place was the
 church and the solitude of the         
sanctuary4 ,two incidents from his      
schooldays throw a light upon his       
character4 ,at the time of a famine     
,dominic gave all that he possessed to  
the poor1 even all but the necessary    
clothes1 and when he had nothing more to
 give1 he sold even his beloved books   
and gave the proceeds to the poor4 ,when
 berated by people for his excessive    
generosity1 he said3 ,how could ,i dare 
indulge in these lifeless books1 when   
human lives are in danger of starvation8
 ,at another time ,st4 ,dominic met a   
woman who was weeping bitterly because  
she had no money with which she could   
release her brother1 who had been       

imprisoned by the ,saracens4 ,dominic   
offered to sell himself into bondage to 
release this brother2 but since ,god had
 destined him to release sinful mankind 
from the bondage of sin1 of error and   
unbelief1 ,he did not permit ,dominic to
 do as he offered4  ,at the age of      
twenty-five he was appointed upon the   
chapter of the cathedral at ,osma4 ,here
 he was conspicuous among his brethren  
on account of his humility1 holiness1   
and zeal for prayer4 ,he spent nine     
years in ,osma1 during which time divine
 ,providence prepared him for his       
important and great vocation4 ,this     
vocation became plain to him when1 in   
the year #abjd1 he went to ,france and  
saw the terrible devastation which the  
prevailing heresies had wrought against 
the ,church of ,christ4 ,the sight of   
this disaster nearly broke his heart4   
,the poison of heresy had spread among  
the faithful with great rapidity1 and   
principally in southern ,france4 ,from  
the city of ,albi the heretics had      

assumed the name ,albigenses4 ,these    
,albigenses discarded the doctrines of  
,christianity and constructed new       
doctrines that played havoc with        
morality and social order4 ,they were   
violent enemies of ,church and ,state1  
and preached disobedience and rebellion 
against spiritual and temporal          
authority4 ,an enemy of the ,church is  
invariably also an enemy of the ,state2 
history and experience prove this4  ,in 
southern ,france the ,albigenses secured
 the support of ,prince ,raimond1 of    
,toulouse1 a wealthy and mighty1 but1 at
 the same time1 a most godless and      
immoral prince of that time4 ,he had    
several wives2 associated with heretics1
 and even gave his children to be       
educated by them4 ,this prince undertook
 the leadership of the heretical        
,albigenses1 and with them1 and other   
rabble by which ,france at that time was
 overrun1 scoured the country1 robbing  
and plundering wherever they went4 ,this
 lawless band1 under the direction of   

this godless prince1 robbed churches of 
their treasures1 murdered priests1 even 
tore open the tabernacles and desecrated
 the most holy ,sacrament4 ,a messenger 
of ,pope ,innocent ,,iii was murdered by
 one of these knaves1 who then found the
 protection of this depraved prince4    
,under these conditions the ,pope       
finally saw the necessity of preaching a
 crusade against these heretics1 who    
surpassed even the ,saracens in the     
outrages committed4 ,a terrible war then
 ensued1 in which these enemies of      
,church and ,state were subdued1 but not
 converted4 ,for this there was         
necessary an extraordinary spiritual    
effort1 and divine ,providence had      
already prepared the instrument4 ,st4   
,dominic was the tool in the hand of    
,god to introduce and apply an          
efficacious remedy1 and this remedy was 
the rosary4  ,dominic had for many years
 taught the doctrines of the ,catholic  
,church to the heretics1 and had        
converted a number of them1 but not     

enough to satisfy his holy zeal4 ,he    
often turned with humility to ,god and  
besought ,him with tears1 and deeds of  
penance1 that ,he might let him know how
 to accomplish better results4 ,since   
childhood he had been a faithful servant
 of ,mary1 and had often said that the  
devotion to her was a powerful means of 
converting heretics and sinners4        
,finally his prayers were heard in a    
miraculous way4 ,one day1 while on his  
way from ,toulouse1 ,dominic threw      
himself down on his knees and resolved  
not to cease praying until his prayers  
were heard4 ,then1 so the legend tells  
us1 the glorious ,queen of heaven       
appeared to him1 spoke words of         
encouragement1 and taught him how to    
pray the rosary1 assuring him that this 
would be the right weapon to conquer    
error and sin4 ,with joy ,dominic arose 
and returned to ,toulouse1 and began to 
spread the use of the rosary1 as ,mary  
had taught him and in the way we now    
recite it4 ,he preached this devotion1  

explained it1 and taught the people how 
to pray it4 ,it proved indeed a most    
efficacious means for the conversion of 
apostates1 heretics1 and sinners4 ,since
 the lack of knowledge in matters of    
faith had been the real cause why heresy
 so quickly spread1 the principal truths
 of faith and morals were now           
communicated to the people through the  
rosary1 and the principles of a         
,christian life were taught them in this
 most sublime prayer of the ,church4    
,this was bound to bring results1 and we
 will give now some thought to these    
results4  ,,ii4 ,according to the       
historians of those ages the effects of 
the rosary sermons of ,st4 ,dominic were
 truly wonderful4 ,in all cities where  
he preached1 the people gathered in     
great numbers to hear his heaven-       
inspired words and to pray the rosary   
with ,st4 ,dominic4 ,sinners were       
converted1 the faithful were            
strengthened and fortified1 and many    
thousands of those who had been led into

 heresy opened their hearts again to the
 true faith and returned to the holy    
,church4 ,the inspired words of ,st4    
,dominic met with such splendid results 
that1 even if the tradition did not tell
 us so1 the miraculous effects of this  
devotion would prove its heavenly       
inspiration1 and ,pius ,,ix1 ,leo       
,,xiii1 as many ,popes before them1 have
 publicly avowed their belief that ,st4 
,dominic received the rosary from our   
blessed ,mother4  ,the promise which    
,dominic received was fulfilled4 ,where 
all other means had failed1 the humble  
prayer of the rosary accomplished the   
victory over heresy4 ,thus divine wisdom
 and infinite power make use of humble  
things to effect great achievements4 ,of
 this the great work of the redemption  
gives us an example4 ,god made the      
,cross the instrument of the redemption4
 ,the despised ,cross1 once a shame and 
disgrace1 was raised on the height of   
,calvary and became the instrument of   
the redemption for all the world1 the   

fountain of grace1 a blessing for time  
and eternity1 the symbol of victory and 
glory4  ,st4 ,paul1 in his first letter 
to the ,corinthians1 writes3 ,and ,i1   
brethren1 when ,i came to you1 came not 
in loftiness of speech or of wisdom1    
declaring unto you the testimony of     
,christ4 ,for ,i judge not myself to    
know anything among you1 but ,jesus     
,christ1 and him crucified4 ,and my     
speech and my preaching was not in the  
persuasive words of human wisdom1 but in
 the showing of the spirit and power4   
,that your faith might not stand on the 
wisdom of men1 but on the power of ,god4
 ,but we preach ,christ crucified1 unto 
the ,jews indeed a stumbling block1 and 
unto the ,gentiles foolishness3 ,but    
unto them that are called1 both ,jews   
and ,greeks1 ,christ the power of ,god1 
and the wisdom of ,god2 for the         
foolishness of ,god is wiser than men2  
but the foolish things of the world hath
 ,god chosen1 that he may confound the  
strong4 ,that no flesh should glory in  

his sight 7,i ,cor4 i and ii74 ,and so  
did ,god choose the rosary1 this humble 
prayer1 to work such great things1 that 
human effort had not been able to       
accomplish4 ,what an incentive to put   
all our trust in ,god1 rather than in   
our own strength6  ,the devotion of the 
rosary soon spread from southern ,france
 to all other ,catholic lands1 and all  
peoples welcomed it with joy and prayed 
it with great zeal4 ,rosary societies   
were formed and approved of by the      
,popes1 and were richly endowed with    
many indulgences4 ,ever since there has 
been no other prayer practised so       
diligently as the rosary4 ,and often    
there have been recorded miraculous     
effects of this devotion1 no less       
miraculous than the conversion of the   
heretics in the south of ,france4  ,the 
devotion as now practised is therefore  
in use over seven hundred years4 ,the   
wonderful origin1 its great age and the 
remarkable miracles that were wrought by
 its use at all times1 bestow a great   

dignity on this devotion4  ,when we     
consider the conditions that prevailed  
at the time of the origin of the rosary1
 and for the betterment of which divine 
,providence provided this devotion1 we  
can not fail to realize a similarity of 
conditions in our own times4            
,materialism and unbelief1 connected    
with widespread immorality1 are now     
prevalent as they were then4 ,they are  
causing great injury to ,church1 ,state1
 and homes1 and will become more        
destructive if not checked by the right 
weapon4 ,pope ,pius ,,ix1 as also ,pope 
,leo ,,xiii1 have declared the rosary to
 be that weapon1 and have exhorted      
,christianity to resort to the zealous  
use of it4 ,if all ,christians would    
follow the advice of these supreme      
,pontiffs1 we should soon see the       
,catholic faith and good morals come    
into their own again1 and ample blessing
 would1 through this devotion1 be       
bestowed upon private and public life4  
,all the insistent endeavors of         

world-wise scholars and reformers will  
be of no avail if ,god's blessing does  
not rest upon their work4 ,only then1   
when the true faith and a life of faith 
are made the standard of public and     
private merit and ethics1 will the      
temporal1 no less than the eternal1     
welfare of nations and of individuals be
 assured4  ,let us1 through the rosary1 
call to ,mary for her powerful          
intercession in the battle of the       
,church against the enemies of faith and
 morals1 and with her intercession we   
shall be sure of victory4 ,amen4        
,,iii4 ,,the ,,power ,,of ,,the ,,rosary
   ,lo1 here is the sword of ,goliath4 4
 4 4 ,there is none like that1 give it  
to me4--,i ,kings xxi1 #i4              
,,synopsis4--,david1 with ,god's        
assistance1 his only weapon a pebble1   
slew the giant4 ,god gives us1 as our   
weapon1 the rosary4 ,this has proven    
efficacious in the battles of the       
,church against heretics and heathen    
armies4 ,examples3 ,albigenses2 ,turks  

at ,lepanto and ,belgrade2 many         
epidemics abated or averted by the power
 of the rosary4 ,this devotion is just  
as powerful for the individual and for  
the family4  ,god has shown us that ,he 
wishes many to co-operate with the      
,church and with the ,christian in their
 fight for faith and salvation4 ,let all
 use this weapon4  ,my dear brethren1 in
 the first book of ,kings we read how   
the ,philistines went forth to battle   
against the ,israelites4 ,the           
,philistines arrayed their forces on a  
mountain1 and the ,israelites occupied a
 mountain on the opposite side1 so that 
the valley was between them4 ,then there
 went out from the hordes of the        
,philistines a man named ,goliath1 a    
giant of enormous strength1 who         
challenged the ,israelites to let one of
 their men fight him hand to hand1 the  
result of this contest to decide the    
victory or defeat of either army4 ,a    
youth named ,david1 inspired and urged  
by the spirit of ,god1 went forth with a

 few smooth stones and a sling to meet  
this ,philistine1 and as ,goliath rushed
 toward him ,david cast the stones with 
the sling and struck the ,philistine in 
the forehead1 and he fell upon his face 
to the earth4 ,david then ran and stood 
over the ,philistine and took his sword 
and slew him4 ,israel thus gained the   
victory over the ,philistines4 ,but when
 for this victory exceeding praise was  
given to ,david1 ,king ,saul became     
angry and sought the life of the        
youthful hero4 ,in his flight ,david    
came to ,nobe4 ,not having any weapon1  
he said to the high priest ,achimelech3 
,hast thou here at hand a spear or a    
sword8 ,the high priest answered3 ,lo1  
here is the sword of ,goliath1 whom thou
 slewest in the valley of ,terebinth1 if
 thou wilt take this1 for there is no   
other but this4 ,and ,david said1 ,there
 is none like that1 give it me4  ,these 
last words1 which ,i have made the text 
for my address to-day1 we may fitly     
apply to the holy rosary4 ,for the      

rosary has ever since its origin proven 
itself a conquering weapon for the      
,church1 as also well as for the        
individual ,christian1 against the most 
powerful enemies of ,god and of ,his    
,church4 ,let us consider the fact for  
the greater glory of ,god and of the    
,queen of the rosary4  ,since the       
introduction of the rosary by ,st4      
,dominic1 for more than six hundred     
years therefore1 the great victories of 
,christianity against the many and      
ferocious enemies of the ,church are    
ascribed to the devotion of the rosary4 
,the ,church has at all times had       
enemies1 who with all their power and in
 all their evil ways have opposed and   
persecuted her4 ,nor is this surprising4
 ,ever since ,satan succeeded in        
beguiling our first parents into sin1 he
 has continued to sow dissention among  
mankind4 ,beginning with ,cain and      
,abel1 there have been children of ,god 
who obeyed ,god's commandments1 and1 on 
the other hand1 children of ,satan1 as  

holy ,scripture calls them1 who seek    
their salvation in the pleasures of this
 life4 ,since the time of ,cain and     
,abel1 mankind has been split into two  
divisions1 one seeking the kingdom of   
,god1 the other the kingdom of the      
world1 the kingdom of ,satan4  ,when our
 ,saviour conquered ,satan ,he left him 
power over those who make themselves    
slaves to the sensual pleasures1 and    
thus there exists an evil force against 
the ,church1 and it will exist to the   
end of time4 ,this is a fact that we    
must keep in view in order to fully     
understand and judge the conditions4    
,the realm of darkness1 ,satan's realm1 
stands opposed to the realm of ,christ4 
,satan and his adherents carry on the   
warfare against the ,church of ,christ1 
as they assaulted ,christ ,himself4 ,as 
they have persecuted me1 they will also 
persecute you1 so did ,christ prophecy4 
,the ,church of ,christ demands the     
subjection of the flesh2 she preaches   
against luxury1 pride and selfishness4  

,she preaches chastity and submission to
 the commandments of ,god2 she preaches 
penance alike to those of high and low  
station in life4 ,this angers all those 
who would indulge in the evil things of 
this world4 ,they cry3 ,let us break her
 bonds asunder2 and let us cast away her
 yoke from us4 ,but as ,christ foretold 
the persecution of ,his ,church1 so ,he 
also foretold that the gates of hell    
would not prevail against her4 ,the     
,church of ,god will in due time conquer
 all her enemies1 some will be          
converted1 while others who are         
obstinate will perish in the battle4 ,in
 all these battles and victories of the 
,church1 ,mary1 blessed mother of her   
divine ,founder1 co-operates with the   
,church through her intercession4 ,mary 
was already spoken of in paradise as the
 one who would come to tread upon the   
head of the serpent1 the spirit of      
darkness4 ,this she has done by becoming
 the mother of ,god1 by bringing forth  
the ,redeemer4 ,and as ,jesus through   

,mary's co-operation came into this     
world1 so ,he desires her co-operation  
in ruling the world4 ,the history of the
 contests and ,victories of the ,church 
verify this throughout the centuries4   
,the evil spirit has a twofold weapon   
with which he assails and combats ,god's
 ,church2 namely1 the godless rulers of 
the world and heresy4 ,through the      
godless authorities of the world ,satan 
has endeavored since the beginning to   
crush the ,church2 through heresy he    
attempts to destroy the ,church by      
internal dissension4 ,both weapons are  
used together1 for heresy and calumny   
can not prevail without substantial     
support1 and heretics seek worldly power
 and assistance4 ,on every page of      
,church history we find recorded the    
clashes planned by these evil forces1   
from which the ,church always came out  
not conquered1 but a conqueror4  ,the   
history of the veneration of ,mary tells
 us that the ,blessed ,virgin ,mary     
helped to win these victories4 ,during  

the early times1 when fierce battles    
against the ,church were raging1 bishops
 and priests knew of no more efficacious
 means to avert these dangers than to   
exhort the faithful to pray to the      
,blessed ,virgin4 ,thus we read in      
history that the holy bishops and       
martyrs ,ignatius and ,irenaeus did this
 in the second century1 and in the third
 century it was ,pope ,calixtus who     
advised the faithful to take refuge with
 the ,blessed ,virgin in time of        
persecution of the ,church4 ,and so on  
through all ,christian times4  ,since   
the introduction of the rosary by ,st4  
,dominic all great victories have been  
credited to the devotion of the rosary4 
,the first great conquest of the ,church
 effected by the rosary was the victory 
over the ,albigenses1 who had spread    
heresy in southern ,france and had      
caused great havoc in ,church and       
,state4  ,st4 ,bernard complained in    
those times3 ,the churches are empty1   
the people without priests1 the         

,sacraments without reverence4 ,people  
on their deathbed refuse the assistance 
of the ,church1 ridicule penance4  ,how 
the weapon with which this heresy was   
conquered was the rosary we have related
 in a previous sermon4 ,this was the    
first glorious victory through the      
devotion of the rosary4 ,it was the     
sword with which the ,church slew the   
proud ,goliath of heresy4  ,another     
wonderful victory through this          
miraculous weapon of ,christianity was  
the defeat of the ,turkish navy at      
,lepanto1 on ,october #g1 #aega4 ,the   
so-called reformation1 of which ,martin 
,luther was the originator1 had spread  
over the whole of ,europe1 bringing in  
its trail destruction1 dissension and   
war4 ,the ,turks1 who had long thirsted 
for vengeance upon the ,christians1     
found situations favorable for their    
plans4 ,they gathered all their forces  
to assail the ,christian lands4 ,the    
princes of ,europe were either          
indifferent1 or were besieged with      

difficulties in their own lands1 and    
,luther even said he preferred the      
,turks to the papacy4 ,pope ,pius ,v    
alone realized the great danger that    
threatened ,christianity and he called  
upon the ,christian people to defend    
country and ,church against the common  
enemy4  ,the ,christian forces which    
could be assembled were very small      
compared with those of the ,turks4      
,nevertheless ,pius ,v knew of another  
power which he realized would be a      
mighty ally4 ,with all his energy he    
exhorted his people to implore the      
,blessed ,virgin and glorious ,queen of 
heaven1 through the rosary1 to come to  
the assistance of the ,christian army4  
,it was1 as ,leo ,,xiii said in his     
,commendation of the rosary1 an         
ennobling sight1 which drew the eyes of 
the whole world2 on one side1 not far   
from the ,corinthian ,sea1 the          
,christians prepared to sacrifice life  
for religion and country2 while gathered
 on the other side1 imploring through   

the rosary ,mary's assistance for the   
fighting ,christians1 were many         
,christians unable to take up arms4     
,the small army of ,christians attacking
 the great force of the ,turkish fleet  
was an undertaking similar to the       
assault of ,david upon the giant        
,goliath4 ,on ,october #g1 #aega1 the   
deciding battle was fought1 in the ,bay 
of ,lepanto4 ,the battle raged from six 
o'clock in the morning until six o'clock
 at night4 ,it was one of the most      
terrific battles ever fought4 ,and1 lo6 
in the evening1 toward six o'clock1 the 
battle ended in the victory of the      
,christians over their powerful enemy4  
,this wonderful victory of the          
,christians was undoubtedly due to the  
assistance of the ,blessed ,virgin4     
,pope ,pius ,v so declared1 and in      
memory of this wonderful achievement he 
added to the litany of the ,blessed     
,virgin the supplication3 ,help of      
,christians1 pray for us6 ,he also      
ordained that the anniversary of this   

victory be celebrated as the feast of   
,our ,lady of ,victory1 which ,gregory  
,,xiii subsequently styled the ,feast of
 the ,rosary4  ,in the annals of the    
,church there is another great victory  
over the ,turks recorded which once more
 demonstrated the power of the rosary4  
,it was the great victory in the        
campaign against the ,turks at the      
beginning of the eighteenth century4    
,after the ,turks had been defeated at  
sea1 they endeavored to conquer on land4
 ,they forced their way to ,hungary1 and
 had taken possession of eight          
provinces1 when ,emperor ,charles ,,vii 
sent an army against them under the     
command of ,prince ,eugene4 ,this army  
was composed of only seventy thousand   
men4 ,with this meager force ,prince    
,eugene defeated two hundred thousand   
,turks and laid siege to ,belgrade1     
their stronghold4  ,prince ,eugene1     
before engaging the enemy1 implored the 
help of the ,blessed ,virgin1 through   
the rosary1 and then with confidence in 

,god's assistance went to battle and to 
glorious victory4 ,thirty thousand      
,turks were slain on the battlefield2   
the others fled4 ,the rosary again had  
won the victory1 and on the feast day of
 the ,blessed ,virgin4  ,in the same    
manner as the rosary was a successful   
weapon against heretics and other       
enemies of the ,church1 it has          
demonstrated its wonderful efficiency in
 individual cases of stress1 and of such
 ,i will mention a few instances4 ,in   
the year #aegh a fearful epidemic       
devastated the city of ,pavia4 ,the     
terrified people made a public vow to   
build a chapel to our ,blessed ,lady of 
the ,rosary if the epidemic would cease4
 ,and the very day the vow was made the 
epidemic did abate4 ,a similar case     
happened in ,cologne1 where people were 
saved from an epidemic after such a vow 
had been made4 ,that cases like these   
are innumerable' is manifested by the   
many chapels built as a result of such  
vows1 and by the votive tablets in      

pilgrimage churches dedicated to ,mary4 
,sight is restored to the blind1 hearing
 to the deaf1 speech to the dumb1 the   
use of their limbs to the crippled1     
diseases of all kind are cured1 by      
invoking the intercession of the        
,blessed ,virgin by means of the        
devotion of the rosary4  ,the conversion
 of a hardened sinner is1 after all1 a  
greater miracle than all cures of       
disease4 ,and such conversions to this  
day are as numerous as they were at the 
time the rosary was introduced4 ,entire 
nations1 provinces and cities have been 
converted to ,god through his devotion4 
,blessed ,john1 a companion of ,st4     
,dominic1 wrote a book about the        
miraculous power of the rosary4 ,the    
blessed ,alanus de la ,roche tells of a 
bishop1 in whose diocese morality was   
decadent1 who finally took up the       
devotion to the rosary1 explained it to 
his people1 prayed it with them1 and had
 it introduced in all parishes4 ,soon   
the people abandoned their evil ways4   

,st4 ,clement ,hofbauer assures us3     
,when ,i am called to a sick man of whom
 ,i know that he is averse to making his
 peace with ,god1 on the way ,i pray my 
rosary1 and when ,i reach him ,i am sure
 to find him desirous to receive the    
,sacraments4  ,the holy doctor          
,alphonsus of ,liguori relates from his 
experience3 ,the walls of ,jericho did  
not collapse more quickly at the trumpet
 call of ,josue than false teachings    
disappear after the earnest praying of  
the rosary4 ,the swimming pool of       
,jerusalem was not as healing for the   
bodily sick as the rosary is as remedy  
for the spiritually diseased4  ,these   
few examples1 to which ,i could add     
hundreds of other similar instances1    
prove the miraculous efficacy of the    
rosary4 ,oh1 that all ,christians would 
grasp this weapon to attack and conquer 
all enemies of ,church and soul6  ,great
 dangers threaten the spiritual weal of 
the individual1 family and community4   
,let us1 then1 arise and grasp the      

mighty sword which is like to none1 the 
holy rosary1 and let us attack with it  
the ,goliath of our times1 corruption   
and godlessness4 ,as ,david courageously
 met the enemy of ,israel with the      
humble sling in his hand and conquered  
because ,god was with him1 so let us    
face the enemies of ,christendom and of 
our salvation1 with the humble wreath of
 the rosary in our hands1 and the       
intercession of the ,blessed ,virgin    
will secure for us ,god's grace and     
assistance1 and with ,god to fight our  
battles1 who will do us harm8 ,amen6    
,,iv4 ,,the ,,excellence ,,of ,,the     
,,various ,,parts ,,of ,,the ,,rosary   
7a7 ,the ,sign of the ,cross   ,the     
foundations thereof are in the holy     
mountains4--,ps4 lxxxvi1 ,i4  ,dear     
brethren1 we have seen in our previous  
discourses upon the rosary how for more 
than six centuries the rosary has proved
 itself a great1 indeed a marvelous1    
power and help in times of stress4      
,this1 of course1 was apparent from its 

very origin4 ,it was a special          
instrument of divine ,providence in     
troublous times of ,church and ,society4
 ,the various parts of the rosary are   
admirably adapted to exercise such great
 power and efficacy4 ,the ,our ,father1 
the ,hail ,mary1 the ,creed1 the ,glory 
be to the ,father1 and the ,sign of the 
,cross1 which are said in reciting the  
rosary1 are the most beautiful1 ,i the  
holiest and most excellent of prayers1  
and for this reason also the most potent
 and efficacious4 ,the mysteries of our 
holy faith1 which are at the same time  
meditated upon1 embrace the entire work 
of our redemption1 in its work 7joyful  
mysteries71 its accomplishment          
7sorrowful mysteries71 and in its fruits
 7glorious mysteries74 ,meditation      
combined with prayer as it is contained 
in the rosary renders it a perfect      
prayer4 ,the rosary furthermore is the  
best means of honoring ,mary1 and       
therefore it is the best means for      
obtaining ,mary's powerful intercession4

  ,that we may understand and perceive  
the whole beauty and excellence of the  
rosary let us closely view its component
 parts1 and we will begin to-day by     
considering the opening of the rosary1  
namely the sign of the ,cross4 ,this has
 a most sublime meaning1 and has of     
itself great power and efficacy4 ,it is 
a sign of honor1 of blessing and of     
power4 ,in this threefold aspect let us 
consider it to-day4  ,i4 ,the sign of   
the ,cross is1 first of all1 a mark of  
honor4 ,it reminds us of the holy       
,trinity and of our relation to the     
triune ,god4 ,the ,father has created   
us1 the ,son redeemed us1 and the ,holy 
,ghost has sanctified us4 ,god the      
,father created us after ,his own image1
 and therefore we bear a resemblance to 
,god in our souls4 ,our soul is a       
spirit1 as ,god is a spirit4 ,it has    
understanding and free will2 it can be  
holy2 it can become perfect1 since our  
heavenly ,father is perfect4 ,our soul  
is immortal1 as ,god is immortal1 and it

 is destined to partake in heaven of    
divine glory and happiness4 ,is there   
not in this resemblance and likeness to 
,god an unspeakably high dignity and    
glory for man8 ,we are reminded of this 
by the sign of the ,cross4 ,the ,son of 
,god redeemed us through the ,cross4    
,after sin had reduced the human race to
 a state of ignominious bondage the ,son
 of ,god1 moved by infinite love1 became
 incarnate for us1 in order to make     
satisfaction for our sins and to remove 
from us their awful consequences4 ,from 
slaves of sin and of the devil1 ,he has 
made us just and children of ,god4      
,having been redeemed1 we now call ,god 
our ,father2 and ,jesus1 the ,son of the
 eternal ,father1 calls us ,his         
brethren4 ,of all this we are reminded  
by the ,cross1 for we were redeemed     
through the ,cross1 and became children 
of ,god and heirs of heaven4 ,thus the  
,cross is the glorious sign of our      
redemption4 ,the ,holy ,ghost sanctifies
 us by dwelling in us and making of us  

,his temples4 ,what an honor for us6    
,the sign of the ,cross reminds us of   
this honor4  ,in truth is therefore this
 sign a mark of the highest honor1 and  
the ,christian's greatest glory4 ,in    
this sense the ,apostle wrote to the    
,galatians3 ,but ,god forbid that ,i    
should glory1 but in the ,cross of our  
,lord ,jesus ,christ 7,gal4 vi1 #ad74   
,this means1 according to ,saint        
,chrysostom3 ,i glory only in the ,cross
 of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 namely1 in
 the faith1 in grateful remembrance and 
contemplation of the benefactions of the
 ,cross1 through which we were redeemed 
and have received the grace to lead a   
devout3 life and to strive for eternal  
happiness4 ,in the ,cross we recognize  
thoroughly the enormity of our guilt and
 the boundless love of ,god4  ,with what
 love and devotion should we1 then1 make
 the sign of the ,cross6 ,as often as we
 sign ourselves with the ,cross we      
profess our belief in the holy ,trinity1
 and in the merciful and blessed work of

 the redemption1 and express our        
gratitude to the holy ,trinity1 ,father1
 ,son and ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is hard to  
believe that there are ,christians who  
are ashamed to make the sign of the     
,cross2 and yet3 there are many such    
nowadays4 ,some act so from motives of  
cowardly human respect2 others because  
their faith is dead4 ,but to be ashamed 
of the ,cross means a denial of our     
faith4 ,at all times the sign of the    
,cross has served as a public and solemn
 profession of the ,christian faith4    
,thus did in the days of persecution the
 faithful profess their belief in       
,christ1 and seal their profession with 
their blood1 as the acts of the martyrs 
record4 ,when the holy ,bishop ,polycarp
 was brought before the heathen judge1  
who said to him1 ,deny ,christ and you  
will be free6 ,polycarp's reply was     
worthy of a true ,christian4 ,it is now 
over sixty years that ,i have served    
,him1 and ,he never did me any harm4    
,how1 then1 can ,i deny my beloved      

,master1 ,king and ,saviour8 ,so speaks 
the true ,christian when an attempt is  
made to make him deny his ,god and      
,redeemer4 ,the sign of the ,cross also 
serves as a mark of distinction from    
those sects1 which centuries ago        
separated themselves from the mother    
,church and abandoned the beautiful     
custom of making the sign of the ,cross4
 ,it is a great crime1 then1 to be      
ashamed of a sign which serves for our  
honor and distinction4 ,and ,jesus      
,christ says1 ,for whosoever shall be   
ashamed of me1 and of my words1 of him  
shall the ,son of ,man be ashamed1 when 
he shall come in his majesty1 and of his
 father's1 and of the holy angels 7,luke
 ix1 #bf74 ,but whosoever shall deny me 
before men1 ,i will also deny him before
 my ,father1 who is in heaven 7,matt1 x1
 #cc74 ,thus does ,jesus ,christ express
 ,himself concerning those who are      
ashamed of the glorious sign of the true
 ,christian1 and those who reject this  
sign with contempt4  ,,ii4 ,the ,cross  

is1 furthermore1 a sign of blessing4 ,it
 reminds us1 in the first place1 as we  
have considered1 of the source of all   
blessing1 of all gifts and graces for   
body and soul4 ,this source is the      
blessed ,trinity4 ,as often as we make  
the sign of the ,cross we invoke the    
blessings of ,god upon us1 for we owe   
all blessings to the infinite merits of 
our divine ,saviour1 who died upon the  
,cross for us4 ,the ignominious         
instrument of torture and death1 the    
,cross1 has now become the instrument of
 life and the source of salvation4      
,hence the ,church never dispenses      
blessing except in the sign of the      
,cross4 ,st4 ,chrysostom says therefore3
 ,every blessing in which we participate
 is accomplished through the sign of the
 ,cross4 ,when regeneration 7,baptism7  
takes place1 the sign of the ,cross is  
employed4 ,whether we partake of that   
holy mysterious food or receive any     
other of the ,sacraments1 it is always  
under the sign of our victory1 the sign 

of the ,cross4 ,we should1 therefore1   
earnestly endeavor to have this sign in 
our homes1 and often sign our foreheads 
with it2 for it is the commemoration of 
our salvation and of our redemption4 ,in
 making the sign of the ,cross devoutly 
we say to ,god3 ,heavenly ,father1      
behold not our sins which render us     
unworthy of thy grace1 but the ,cross of
 thy beloved ,son1 with which we sign   
our foreheads1 which we profess with our
 lips and carry devoutly in our hearts4 
,for the sake of ,jesus' bitter death   
upon the ,cross be merciful to us and   
grant us the assistance of thy grace in 
all our words and actions6 ,this is the 
prayer which is contained in the sign of
 the ,cross4 ,that such prayer will not 
remain unheard is attested by numerous  
manifestations of grace which have been 
obtained through this sign1 and the     
countless miracles which at all times   
have been performed through the same4   
,,iii4 ,finally1 the ,cross is a sign of
 power4 ,because ,jesus upon the ,cross 

conquered the arch enemy1 redeemed      
mankind and merited for us all blessings
 and graces1 there lies in the sign of  
the ,cross a miraculous strength and    
efficacy4 ,jesus himself has said3      
,everything that you ask the ,father in 
my name1 he will give you4 ,the sign of 
the ,cross calls for help and grace     
through the ,blood of ,christ shed upon 
the ,cross4 ,would ,god deny such       
prayer8 ,the sign of the ,cross is a    
particularly powerful weapon against the
 malicious and cunning assaults of the  
devil4 ,of this ,st4 ,chrysostom says3  
,when in the fulness of faith you make  
the sign of the ,cross upon your        
forehead no impure spirit will be able  
to tarry near you2 for he beholds the   
sword that has given him the death blow4
 ,write the sign of the ,cross upon thy 
brow1 says ,st4 ,cyril1 so that the     
devils when they see the sign of the    
king may tremble and take flight4 ,st   
,augustine tells us that our mere       
remembrance of the ,cross puts the devil

 to flight1 strengthens us against his  
assaults1 and preserves us from his     
snares4 ,the sign of the ,cross provides
 us with a powerful weapon1 wherewith we
 may conquer the unseen foe in every    
attack4  ,we know1 too1 from the        
testimony of ,holy ,writ1 that the evil 
spirit can injure mankind not only in   
body and soul but also in earthly       
possessions4 ,thus the devil1 by ,god's 
permission1 slew ,job's children1       
deprived him of his possessions and     
afflicted him with painful and loathsome
 maladies4 ,now1 though ,christ by ,his 
death has broken ,satan's power1 yet ,he
 has not completely removed it4 ,for    
this reason the ,church makes the sign  
of the ,cross over people1 blesses food 
and drink1 dwellings1 water1 soil1 in   
brief everything that ,christians come  
in contact with4 ,this she does in order
 to withdraw all these things from the  
injurious influence of the evil spirit1 
to unite them with the divine blessing  
and thus make them salutary4 ,the grace 

before meals of ,christians has the same
 purpose4 ,it is indeed a sad token of  
ignorance1 of indifference1 or lack of  
faith1 when in ,christian homes grace   
before meals is disregarded1 as not     
infrequently happens in our days4 ,we   
know from the testimony of history that 
the sign of the ,cross was also employed
 successfully against bodily evils4     
,when ,st4 ,benedict was handed a glass 
of poisoned wine1 the saint made the    
sign of the ,cross over it1 and behold  
the glass broke in his hand1 and he was 
saved from death4 ,st4 ,gregory of      
,nissa testifies that his sister during 
an illness desired her mother to make   
the sign of the ,cross over her2 and    
when it was done the illness left her4  
,through the sign of the ,cross ,bishop 
,fortunatus restored the sight to a     
blind man2 ,st4 ,lawrence cured several 
others similarly affected4 ,st4 ,roch   
cured the plague stricken1 and the      
legend says that ,st4 ,corbinian brought
 the dead back to life by this same     

sign4 ,the lives of the saints are      
replete with examples that testify to   
the miraculous power of the sign of the 
,cross4  ,because the ,cross is then a  
sign of honor1 of blessing and power1   
because it is an effective remedy       
against evils of body and soul1 the     
,church has always exhorted the faithful
 by word and example to make zealous use
 of the same at all times4 ,since the   
time of the ,apostles the sign of the   
,cross has been made by the faithful in 
all their undertakings4 ,through this   
sign they dedicated their work to ,god  
and invoke the divine blessing upon it4 
,the ,fathers teach that this custom    
originated with the ,apostles2 it is    
related even by a pious legend that     
,christ ,himself at ,his ascension into 
heaven blessed the ,apostles with this  
sign4 ,how universal this custom was    
among ,christians of the early centuries
 may be learned from the words of ,st4  
,chrysostom3 ,we find everywhere the    
sign of the ,cross1 it is used by       

princes and subjects1 by women and men1 
by the slaves and the free4 ,they all   
sign themselves with it by making it    
over their foreheads4  ,let us then     
imitate the pious ,christians of those  
days when faith was more lively and     
robust1 and let us never be ashamed of  
this sign of honor6 ,what would you     
think of a soldier ashamed of his       
colors8 ,let us not be ashamed of this  
sign1 lest ,jesus be ashamed of us1 when
 ,he comes in power and majesty1 with   
the ,cross shining before ,him like the 
sun4 ,let us not deprive ourselves of   
the manifold blessings of this sign1    
either through fear of our fellowmen or 
indifference4 ,let us make abundant use 
of this sign of power1 so that we may   
participate in the blessing and         
protection that comes from the ,cross1  
most especially when assailed by the    
enemies of our salvation4 ,this sign of 
the ,cross should be placed upon the    
forehead1 lips and breast1 before our   
prayers1 for by this our thoughts1 our  

words1 and the emotions of our heart are
 consecrated and become more pleasing to
 ,god4 ,this is the purpose of beginning
 the prayer of the rosary with the sign 
of the ,cross4 ,but1 remember1 it is not
 enough to make the sign merely with the
 fingers1 our spirit must take part in  
making it1 and it should be made with   
reverence1 devotion1 with a lively faith
 and firm confidence in the merits of   
,jesus ,christ4 ,christians who make    
this sign thoughtlessly and without     
devotion deprive themselves of the great
 blessings of this holy sign4 ,we1      
however1 who have just contemplated this
 glorious token of salvation will use it
 with the greatest zeal and piety1 and  
profess with it our faith in the blessed
 ,trinity and in our holy mother        
,church4 ,amen4     ,v4 ,,the           
,,excellence ,,of ,,the ,,various       
,,parts ,,of ,,the ,,rosary  7b7 ,the   
,apostles' ,creed4   ,for with the      
heart1 we believe unto justice3 but1    
with the mouth1 confession is made unto 

salvation 7,rom4 x1 #aj74  ,dear        
,brethren3 ,at the beginning of the     
,rosary1 the ,apostles' ,creed is       
recited4 ,everything that we must       
believe1 in order to attain to eternal  
life1 is contained in this ,creed4 ,it  
puts in explicit words all that of which
 the sign of the ,cross is the symbol4  
,tradition tells us that this profession
 of faith originated with the ,apostles1
 and for this reason it is called the   
,apostles' ,creed4 ,to be sure not all  
the dogmas of the ,catholic ,church are 
declared in the twelve articles of the  
,creed1 but any dogmas not expressly    
mentioned are included in the ninth     
article1 which says3 ,i believe in the  
,holy ,catholic ,church4 ,in these words
 the ,catholic declares that he believes
 everything which the holy infallible   
,catholic ,church teaches and requires  
of us to believe4  ,the ,creed is1      
therefore1 by its origin1 as well as its
 contents1 a truly holy and excellent   
prayer4 ,it we duly appreciate this     

beautiful prayer we shall say it with   
more devotion1 to the greater glory of  
,god1 and our own good4  ,i4 ,i believe 
in ,god4 ,with these words ,i express my
 firm conviction that there is a ,god1  
and that everything that ,god has       
revealed is infallible truth1 because   
,god is truth itself and can neither    
deceive nor be deceived4 ,with these    
words ,i submit my mind1 my reason and  
my will to the infallible authority of  
,god4  ,i believe in ,god the ,father4  
,this means that ,i believe that in ,god
 there are three ,persons1 of whom the  
first ,person is called the ,father     
because ,he is the origin of all        
existence2 because from all eternity ,he
 begot the ,son1 who is equal to ,him in
 essence but different in ,person4      
,further1 ,he is our ,father because ,he
 created us ,his children4  ,i believe  
in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty4 ,it is  
befitting that at the beginning of the  
,creed the omnipotence of ,god should be
 emphasized4 ,our faith contains many   

mysteries1 which no created             
understanding can comprehend4 ,because  
,i firmly believe in the omnipotence of 
,god ,i profess that to ,god nothing is 
impossible4  ,in ,his omnipotence1 ,god1
 the ,father1 created the world1 calling
 it into existence from nothing4 ,hence 
we say3 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father 
,almighty1 the ,creator of heaven and   
earth4 ,but ,god not only created the   
world1 ,he also preserves and rules it  
through ,his omnipotence4 ,as by virtue 
of ,his will ,he created the world1 so  
does ,god cause it to continue in       
existence4 ,a building erected by a     
master hand remains standing even though
 the master absent himself2 yet the     
world1 according to ,st4 ,augustine1    
could not continue to exist for one     
moment did not ,god preserve it4 ,this  
world which ,god called forth from      
nothing would1 the very moment that ,god
 should withdraw ,his almighty hand1    
fall back into nothing4 ,and how could  
anything endure if thou wouldst not8    

,thus we read of ,god in the ,book of   
,wisdom 7ii1 #bf74 ,since we are then so
 utterly dependent upon ,god that at any
 moment ,he could cut the thread of our 
lives1 how greatly should we fear to    
offend ,him8  ,god not only preserves1  
but also rules the world2 ,he is        
solicitous for all things2 ,he orders   
and governs all things with wisdom and  
mercy to the end for which ,he created  
them4 ,the eyes of all hope in thee1 ,o 
,lord3 and thou givest them meat in due 
season4 ,thou openest thy hand1 and     
fillest with blessing every living      
creature 7,ps4 cxliv1 #ae-af74 ,of what 
little value is a flower which so soon  
withers8 ,and yet the divine solicitude 
extends to this humble flower4 ,indeed1 
is not the flower of the field clothed  
more beautifully by the hand of ,god1   
than was ,solomon in all his glory8     
,what is there about a man of less      
account than a single hair of his head8 
,and yet each of these hairs is counted1
 and not one falls from the head without

 the knowledge and will of ,god4 ,we see
 how the care and providence of ,god    
extends to all things1 even the most    
insignificant4  ,god1 furthermore1      
orders and governs all things according 
to their appointed end4 ,he created the 
world and all that is in it for ,his    
glorification and for the welfare of    
mankind1 and provides in all things that
 this end may be attained4 ,nothing can 
withdraw itself from the rule of ,god4  
,there is no blind chance1 no blind     
fortune4 ,the prophet ,jeremias asks3   
,who is he that hath commanded a thing  
to be done1 when the ,lord commandeth it
 not8 7,lam4 iii1 #cg74 ,thy providence1
 ,o ,father1 ruleth all things1 so we   
read in the ,book of ,wisdom4 ,and so   
,god orders and disposes everything in  
our lives1 that we may attain the       
eternal goal4 ,we have but to commit    
ourselves to divine ,providence and     
place our trust in ,god4 ,for this      
reason we should exclaim with ,david3   
,the ,lord ruleth me3 and ,i shall want 

nothing4 ,for though ,i should walk in  
the midst of the shadow of death1 ,i    
will fear no evils1 for thou art with me
 7,ps4 xxii74  ,in the first article we 
profess our faith1 therefore1 in the    
omnipotence of ,god1 divine ,providence1
 and all the divine attributes4 ,god has
 created us and preserves us4 ,but ,he  
has done still greater things for us4   
,is this possible8 ,yes1 for ,god so    
loved the world that ,he sacrificed ,his
 only begotten ,son for it4 ,and this   
brings us to the second article1 which  
comprises the truths we must believe of 
,god the ,son4  ,,ii4 ,when the sin of  
our first parents had deprived us of the
 friendship of ,god as well as of our   
heirship to ,heaven1 there came to our  
rescue the second ,person of the        
,godhead1 the only begotten of the      
,father4 ,the succeeding articles tell  
us of the love and sacrifice of the ,son
 of ,god for our race4  ,the second     
article is3 ,and in ,jesus ,christ1 ,his
 only ,son1 our ,lord4 ,what does this  

mean8 ,it means ,i believe that ,he is  
the ,son of ,god1 ,god of ,god1 true    
,god of true ,god4 ,it means ,i believe 
that ,he became incarnate for the sake  
of our salvation4 ,it means ,i believe  
in the doctrines that ,he proclaimed1 in
 the miracles that ,he performed4 ,it   
means ,i believe in ,his presence in the
 holy ,eucharist2 in the effects of the 
holy ,sacraments which ,he instituted4  
,it means ,i believe in ,his holy       
,church1 to which ,he transmitted ,his  
authority4 ,to believe in ,jesus ,christ
 means1 furthermore1 to believe in ,his 
,passion and death1 by which ,he        
redeemed the world2 in ,his glorious    
resurrection and ascension4 ,he is the  
,divine ,master1 and as such the supreme
 ,lawgiver whom all creatures must obey4
 ,he is also the ,judge of the universe1
 and as such will come again one day to 
preside at the general judgment1 when   
,he will judge all men according to     
their belief1 according to the manner in
 which each one has observed or         

transgressed ,his commandments1 used or 
neglected the means of salvation4 ,then 
will be the end of time2 and mankind    
will go to its reward or to its         
punishment once and for all4 ,all this  
is proclaimed in the articles of faith  
that treat of ,jesus ,christ4 ,to       
believe in ,jesus ,christ means to      
believe everything that the ,gospel     
teaches and everything which the holy1  
infallible ,church requires us to       
believe4  ,the third chief part of the  
,creed declares what we must believe of 
the ,holy ,ghost1 the third ,person of  
the ,godhead4  ,,iii4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1
 the third ,person of the ,godhead1     
proceeds equally from the ,father and   
the ,son1 from all eternity1 and is of  
equal essence with the ,father and the  
,son from eternity4  ,the ,holy ,ghost1 
sent by the ,father and the ,son1 came  
down upon earth and took charge of the  
,church founded by ,christ1 in order to 
apply through it the fruits of          
redemption to mankind4  ,only in the    

true ,church of ,christ can be found the
 fruits of the redemption2 only in her  
is the true priesthood of the ,lord4    
,the fruits of the redemption here on   
earth are truth and grace1 and in the   
hereafter eternal salvation4 ,the divine
 truth1 as proclaimed by ,christ1 is    
alone contained in the holy ,catholic   
,church2 and through the co-operation of
 the ,holy ,ghost it is preserved       
uncorrupted in this ,church4 ,the       
,church is the pillar and the beacon of 
the truth4 ,she can not deviate unto the
 end of the world one tittle from the   
doctrine received from ,christ1 because 
the ,holy ,ghost guides the teaching    
,church in all truth1 and sees to it    
that every truth is understood rightly  
by her and properly interpreted and     
explained4 ,hence1 to submit ourselves  
to the ,church's definition of the faith
 means to submit ourselves to the ,holy 
,ghost4 ,the ,holy ,ghost operates in   
the ,church1 through the priesthood1 and
 thus applies to the faithful the fruits

 of the redemption1 so as to sanctify   
them and prepare them for eternal       
happiness4 ,thus it is the ,holy ,ghost 
who sanctifies us1 who makes us holy1 as
 our ,father in heaven is holy2 who     
leads us to perfection1 as our ,father  
in heaven is perfect4  ,i believe in the
 ,holy ,catholic ,church1 is the next   
article of our ,creed4 ,the ,holy ,ghost
 lives and operates in the ,church4     
,this ,church is a ,communion of        
,saints1 a communion of faithful1 part  
of whom have already entered eternal    
life of bliss1 and is called the ,church
 ,triumphant2 another part is being     
cleansed from the remnants of sin in the
 place of purification1 and is called   
the ,suffering ,church2 a third part is 
still struggling on the battlefield of  
the world for the crown of eternal life1
 and is called the ,church ,militant4   
,all are true members of this great     
community of saints and children of     
,god1 allied through the bond of love4  
,this doctrine is very consoling to us4 

,it opens to us1 as it were1 even during
 our earthly life1 the portals of       
eternity4 ,we may enter these in spirit1
 and seek and find help and consolation 
amongst our glorified brethren1 and also
 carry help and consolation to our      
suffering brethren4 ,one thing alone    
bars us from this glorious communion and
 shuts heaven against us1 and that is   
sin4 ,but in the ,church there is       
provided for repentant sinners the      
,absolution from ,sins1 the remission of
 sin and its penalty4 ,when we finally  
die in the grace of ,god our soul shall 
enjoy eternal life1 and our glorified   
body shall be joined to it on the great 
day of resurrection4  ,this1 then1 is   
what we are taught to believe in the    
,apostles' ,creed4 ,when we say this    
,creed with devotion and perfect faith1 
we honor and glorify first of all the   
,blessed ,trinity4 ,but we refresh also 
the teaching of the ,gospel in our      
minds1 and thus strengthen our faith4   
,it is an excellent means of awakening  

exalted sentiments of faith within us1  
and of inspiring us to a courageous     
profession of our holy religion4  ,the  
,creed is possessed of great power      
against the temptations of the evil one4
 ,the ,apostle exhorts us to resist the 
devil strong in faith 7,i ,pet4 v1 #h71 
and ,holy ,scripture calls the faith a  
shield against which the darts of ,satan
 are broken4 ,thus is the ,creed1       
according to its origin1 and its        
contents1 and efficacy1 a holy and      
excellent prayer4 ,in conclusion1 let me
 quote an exhortation from ,st4         
,augustine3 ,forget not1 he says1 to    
recite the profession of your faith when
 you rise in the morning1 nor when      
retiring at night2 repeat it frequently1
 for its repetition is salutary for you1
 that no forgetfulness may arise4 ,your 
creed should be your mirror4 ,examine   
yourself therein as to whether you      
firmly believe everything you profess to
 believe1 and rejoice daily in the      
possession of faith4 ,well1 then1 let us

 bear in mind this beautiful advice4    
,let us say the ,creed daily1 in order  
to strengthen ourselves in the faith but
 especially let us say it with great    
devotion as part of the holy ,rosary4   
,if here below we are true to the faith 
we shall one day behold in reality what 
we now see only with the eyes of faith1 
and in this vision enjoy eternal glory  
and bliss without end4 ,amen4     ,,vi4 
,,the ,,excellence ,,of ,,the ,,various 
,,parts ,,of ,,the ,,rosary  7c7 ,the   
,glory be to the ,father   ,thou art    
worthy1 ,o ,lord our ,god1 to receive   
glory1 and honor1 and power3 because    
thou hast created all things4--,apoc4   
iv1 ,,ii4  ,dear ,brethren1 we know that
 the ,glory be to the ,father occurs    
very frequently in the prayers of the   
,church and in our private devotions4   
,in the ,rosary it is repeated with     
every decade4 ,this prayer of praise is 
of great significance for the ,christian
 life4 ,in order to understand its      
meaning better we must join in spirit   

the choirs of the blessed before the    
throne of ,god4 ,isaias1 the great      
prophet of the ,old ,testament1 to whom 
was vouchsafed a profound insight into  
the mysteries of ,god1 had a vision of  
heaven1 and he says1 ,i saw the ,lord   
sitting upon a throne high and elevated1
 and his train filled the temple2 upon  
it stood the seraphims3 4 4 4 and they  
cried one to another1 and said3 ,holy1  
holy1 holy1 the ,lord ,god of hosts2 all
 the earth is full of his glory 7,is4   
vi1 ,i74 ,so also did ,john1 the beloved
 disciple of ,jesus1 have the grace to  
see heaven1 and he saw the angels of    
heaven1 and with them the whole army of 
the saints and all the nations1 tribes  
and peoples1 standing before the throne 
in sight of the ,lamb1 and with a loud  
voice they praised ,god1 who sat upon   
the throne1 and the ,lamb1 who is the   
,lamb of ,god 7,apoc4 vii1 #aa74  ,thus 
,god has made known to us1 through both 
these prophets1 in what the unceasing   
occupation of the blessed in heaven     

consists4 ,they behold the magnificent  
beauty of ,god and praise ,him on       
account of ,his majesty1 power and love1
 and this occupation of the dwellers in 
heaven should also be the task of the   
dwellers upon earth4 ,it is indeed the  
duty of mankind1 and an indispensable   
obligation4 ,king ,david acknowledged   
this when he said3 ,i will bless the    
,lord at all times1 his praise shall be 
always in my mouth 7,ps4 xxxiii74       
,therefore1 our whole life and endeavor 
should be one uninterrupted ,glory be to
 the ,father1 and to the ,son1 and to   
the ,holy ,ghost4  ,we will make this   
obligation the subject of our           
consideration4  ,i4 ,the happy          
inhabitants of heaven as they behold    
,god in ,his indescribable splendor     
extol ,him with hymns of praise4 ,to    
know ,god and to serve ,him1 to glorify 
,him1 this is the supreme end of man1   
not only when he is admitted to heaven1 
but even here on earth4 ,god himself    
tells us this through the ,prophet      

,isaias4 ,in order1 thus ,he speaks1    
that man should glorify me1 therefore   
have ,i created him and brought him     
forth from nothing4  ,we mortals as yet 
can not behold ,god as the blessed do in
 heaven2 but we do behold ,him in ,his  
works1 and know ,him from ,his          
revelation given us through the         
prophets1 and through ,jesus ,christ1   
our ,lord4  ,the works through which    
,god has revealed ,himself to us are    
creation1 redemption and sanctification4
 ,creation is a vast book which speaks  
to us unceasingly of ,god1 and it is    
intelligible to all4 ,if we contemplate 
the magnificence of the starlit sky we  
must exclaim with ,david3 ,the heavens  
show forth the glory of ,god1 and the   
firmament declareth the work of his     
hands 7,ps4 xvlii74 ,yet not only the   
heavens1 but also the earth shows us1 at
 every step1 the omnipotence of ,god1   
,his wisdom and love4 ,mountain and     
valley1 forest and field1 river and     
ocean1 they all remind us of ,god1 their

 creator4 ,every flower of field and    
meadow is a great masterpiece1 which no 
mortal man could create4  ,the animal   
world presents still greater marvels for
 our consideration4 ,the waters teeming 
with millions of animals of all kinds1  
from the smallest jellyfish to the      
ship-destroying monsters1 the beasts of 
the forest1 the birds of the air1 they  
all are called into existence by ,god1  
and ,god has not merely called all these
 creatures into existence1 but ,his     
providence preserves them1 and not even 
a sparrow falls from the roof without   
,his knowledge4  ,but we have not yet   
considered the masterpiece of creation3 
man1 the creature with an immortal soul1
 created according to ,god's own image  
and likeness4 ,in man body and soul are 
joined together in a wonderful unity1 so
 that man presents in himself a         
combination of the spiritual and        
material4  ,man is the masterpiece of   
creation1 and all creation is for his   
service4 ,thou hast made him a little   

less than the angels1 thou hast crowned 
him with glory and honor2 thou hast set 
him over the work of thy hands 7,ps4    
viii1 #f74  ,in very truth we may say1  
therefore1 the universe speaks to our   
mind and heart in powerful and          
impressive language4 ,this language is  
its beauty1 its appropriateness1 its    
greatness4  ,but yet more plainly than  
creation does the redemption proclaim   
the glory of ,god4 ,it is not the       
immensity of the heavenly bodies1 says  
,st4 ,gregory1 not the brilliancy of the
 stars1 not the adornment of the        
universe1 not the preservation of the   
world1 that point so much to the glory  
of the divine power and omnipotence1 as 
does that divine condescension to the   
feebleness of nature4  ,jesus ,christ1  
the ,son of ,god1 descended from heaven 
and brought into the world a truer and  
fuller knowledge of ,god4 ,the ancient  
people knew there was a ,god1 but they  
knew ,him not4 ,the knowledge of the    
true ,god was drowned in paganism4 ,even

 among the ,jews small had become the   
number of those who still possessed an  
undefiled knowledge of ,god4 ,in the    
,old ,testament there was only an       
intimation of the blessed ,trinity1 not 
a clear knowledge4 ,then ,jesus ,christ 
brought to us the knowledge of the      
,triune ,god4 ,in ,him the divine       
attributes of love1 sanctity1 justice1  
wisdom1 omnipotence and mercy were      
presented to our minds so that we can   
comprehend them4 ,he made known to us   
the merciful decrees which ,god had     
ordained for our temporal and eternal   
welfare4 ,through ,his bitter passion   
and death ,he reconciled us to the      
,father1 and acquired for us the        
heirship of heaven4 ,he founded the     
,church1 the kingdom of ,god upon earth1
 and ,he rules it through the ,holy     
,ghost1 who proceeds from ,him and the  
,father4  ,through this ,church are     
applied the glorious fruits of the      
redemption4 ,through this ,church ,god  
would sanctify all mankind and lead them

 to eternal salvation4 ,the ,church and 
the communion of the saints reveal to us
 ,god's glory and love far more than all
 the wonders of the world4 ,a single    
saint is a greater miracle of the divine
 grace than the whole universe4 ,the    
redemption made of earth a preparatory  
school for heaven1 and it behooves us1  
as ,st4 ,augustine says1 in this life to
 give praise to ,god1 because in heaven 
our work will be an eternal proclamation
 of the divine praises4 ,our whole      
earthly life1 as a befitting preparation
 for heaven1 should be an imitation of  
the life of the blessed in heaven4 ,it  
ought to be a perpetual praise of ,god1 
until after a happy death we are        
admitted to the ranks of the celestial  
choirs4  ,,ii4 ,jesus ,christ1 the      
,incarnate ,son of ,god1 who has brought
 to us the true knowledge of ,god1      
taught us also the true worship of ,god4
 ,after ,he had accomplished the work of
 the redemption and had founded the     
,church1 ,he returned to heaven4 ,before

 this1 however1 ,he provided that ,he   
should also remain here upon earth4 ,he 
instituted the most ,holy ,eucharist1   
the holy ,sacrifice of the ,mass1 and   
thus remains in ,his ,church until the  
end of time4 ,jesus1 the ,head of the   
,church1 offers ,himself to the ,father 
unceasingly in the holy ,sacrifice of   
the ,mass4 ,thus the glorification of   
,god takes place here upon earth as     
unceasingly as it does in heaven4 ,the  
praise of ,god takes place here on      
earth1 furthermore1 through the'        
ecclesiastical hourly prayer1 in which  
all the priests and religious of the    
,church unite throughout the world4 ,the
 ,church dedicates the ,sunday          
exclusively to the praise and service of
 ,god4 ,this day is to remind us of the 
creation accomplished by the ,father1 of
 the redemption accomplished by the     
,son1 and of the sanctification         
accomplished by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,on   
this day especially are the members of  
the ,church invited to contemplate these

 great works of ,god1 and praise and    
thank ,him for the same4  ,the entire   
year has been divided by the ,church    
into three great festival cycles1       
,christmas1 ,easter1 and ,pentecost1 and
 thus is consecrated to the ,triune     
,god4  ,we are exhorted to receive the  
holy ,sacraments1 and thus participate  
in the fruits of the redemption1        
sanctifying ourselves by a ,christian   
life4 ,a truly ,christian life is the   
best and highest worship of ,god here   
below1 as it makes us worthy to be      
associated with the heavenly choirs1    
there to continue eternally our praises 
in the blissful vision of ,god4  ,we see
 then how the ,church admonishes us to  
make our whole lives and all our works  
an unending ,glory be to ,god4 ,in order
 that this may be accomplished we must  
above all things be faithful children   
and living members of the ,church1      
brethren of ,jesus ,christ4  ,we must   
diligently and devoutly obey the        
,commandments1 and receive the          

,sacraments4 ,the light of faith should 
lead us and hope should draw us         
heavenward1 the love of ,god and of our 
neighbors must fill our hearts4 ,he who 
possesses these virtues is indeed in    
possession of all other virtues4 ,love  
is the bond of perfection1 for who so   
loves ,god and his neighbor has         
fulfilled the law4 ,we should make a    
good intention the first thing in the   
morning1 and renew it frequently        
throughout the day4 ,this certainly is  
not difficult4 ,st4 ,paul exhorts us    
urgently to make this good intention in 
the words3 ,therefore1 whether you eat  
or drink1 or whatsoever else you do2 do 
all things for the glory of ,god 7,i    
,cor4 x1 #ca7  ,to make this good       
intention1 the ,glory be to the ,father 
is especially appropriate4 ,if we utter 
the same frequently and devoutly we     
shall makes our lives a continual       
praising and glorifying of ,god1 a      
perpetual prayer4 ,glory be to the      
,father1 who has created us2 to the     

,son1 who has redeemed us2 and to the   
,holy ,ghost1 who sanctifies us4 ,glory 
be to the ,holy ,trinity through all our
 thoughts1 words and works1 as glory was
 to ,god in the beginning1 when ,he     
created heaven and earth1 as now1 and so
 too through all eternity in heaven4    
,yes1 we will glorify ,god here below   
with the militant ,church1 so that we   
may be worthy to behold ,him one day    
with the triumphant ,church1 and to     
praise ,him in blissful rapture for all 
eternity6 ,amen4     ,,vii4 ,,the       
,,excellence ,,of ,,the ,,various       
,,parts ,,of ,,the ,,rosary  7d7 ,the   
,our ,father    ,lord1 teach us to      
pray4--,luke xi1 ,i4  ,dear ,brethren3  
,the holiest1 the most beautiful and    
most perfect1 and for this reason the   
most efficient prayer is the ,our       
,father4  ,this prayer comes from ,our  
,lord himself1 who gave it to ,his      
disciples when they urged that ,he      
should teach them how to pray4 ,the ,our
 ,father1 therefore1 had its origin with

 ,god himself1 and1 therefore1 is the   
holiest of prayers4 ,it is a petition to
 ,his heavenly ,father1 composed by the 
,god-man and bequeathed to us1 ,his     
brethren4 ,in this petition is contained
 everything we may ask for4 ,tertullian 
says in his writings that the ,our      
,father contains not merely the things  
for which man ought to ask ,god1 but    
also everything the ,lord has taught and
 ordained1 so that the whole ,christian 
doctrine is briefly contained therein4  
,the separate petitions are arranged    
according to their importance1 and      
follow one another in a most appropriate
 way4 ,therefore1 the ,our ,father is   
according to its origin1 as also        
according to its contents and its form1 
the perfect prayer4  ,the divine        
,saviour promised that everything we ask
 of our ,father in heaven ,he will give 
us4 ,when we recite the ,our ,father we 
not merely pray in the name of ,jesus1  
but in ,his own words4 ,hence the       
,lord's ,prayer is to ,god the most     

pleasing prayer1 and for that reason the
 most efficient and powerful of prayers4
 ,it is evident from the history of the 
,church that the ,lord's ,prayer has1 at
 all times been held by the faithful in 
the highest esteem4 ,it was used1 as the
 fathers tell us1 not only in public1   
but also in private devotions4  ,this   
holy1 excellent and most efficacious    
prayer forms a part of the ,rosary1 and 
we will give it our consideration1 in   
order the better to understand it1 to   
appreciate it more fully1 and to say it 
more devoutly4  ,i4 ,the ,our ,father   
consists of a preface and seven         
petitions4 ,the preface is intended to  
lift up our thoughts to ,god4 ,holy     
,scripture admonishes us to such        
preparation1 ,before prayer1 prepare thy
 soul3 and be not as a man that tempteth
 ,god 7,eccles4 xviii1 #bc74 ,when      
beginning to pray we should present to  
our mind ,god as ,he is enthroned in    
heaven4 ,we should approach ,god in     
humility and reverence with childlike   

confidence and love4 ,thus prepared for 
prayer we will be pleasing to ,god4 ,to 
give our mind this disposition is the   
purpose of the preface3 ,our ,father1   
who art in heaven4 ,hence this preface  
should be said with devotion and piety4 
,the seven petitions of the ,our ,father
 contain everything a ,christian ought  
and may ask for4 ,but what may and      
should a ,christian ask for8 ,for all   
things necessary and serviceable for the
 proper fulfilment of his life work4    
,this prayer contains petitions for     
everything necessary for the attainment 
of the last end for which we were       
created1 and that is1 in the first      
place1 the glorification of ,god1 and1  
in the second place1 our eternal        
salvation4 ,in the first four petitions 
,christ teaches us and commands us to   
beseech for the things that pertain to  
this last end1 and in the last three    
petitions for protection against the    
things which hinder the attainment of   
this end4  #a4 ,the glory of ,god is the

 first and chief purpose of all         
creation1 as also of redemption and     
sanctification4 ,it should be the       
occupation of all mankind1 as it is the 
occupation of the blessed in heaven4 ,we
 glorify ,god when we recognize ,him as 
the highest good2 when we love ,him     
above all things1 with a childlike love1
 serve ,him faithfully1 worship ,him in 
all our thoughts1 words and actions4 ,as
 we are unable to do this by our own    
strength we must seek the assistance of 
grace1 which we do in the words of the  
first petition3 ,hallowed be ,thy name4 
,by the words ,thy name must be         
understood here1 ,god himself1 as ,he   
has revealed ,himself to us and this    
petition is equivalent to saying3 ,thou1
 ,o ,god1 shalt be glorified by us and  
by all mankind4 ,we ask in the first    
petition that ,god may not be           
blasphemed1 but rightly known1 truly    
loved and duly revered4 ,we implore ,god
 in this petition to enlighten the      
heathen that yet stand in the shadow of 

death1 and all unbelievers and heretics1
 that they may learn to know and adore  
,him2 and to grant sincere conversion to
 all sinners4 ,we also ask1 for         
ourselves and our fellow ,christians1   
the grace to grow in the knowledge of   
,god1 in ,his love and service and in   
,christian perfection1 so that thereby  
,god may ever be glorified more and     
more4 ,a truly ,christian life is our   
highest glorification of ,god1 hence to 
obtain this grace we must diligently    
pray4  ,this petition is placed first1  
because it is the most necessary to the 
glorification of ,god and to our        
salvation4 ,it is also the foundation of
 the other petitions4  #b4 ,in the      
second petition ,thy kingdom come1 a    
threefold kingdom of ,god is meant1 for 
the coming of which we pray4 ,it is the 
kingdom of ,god about us1 in us and     
above us4 ,the kingdom of ,god about us 
is the ,church of ,christ4 ,christ      
founded it as ,his divine kingdom on    
earth1 to glorify ,god and lead mankind 

to ,salvation4 ,we ask that ,god may    
grant to all men grace to recognize our 
holy ,church as the divine institution1 
to submit themselves to her authority1  
and to become members of this ,church   
find order to properly worship the true 
,god1 to glorify ,him1 and thus work    
their salvation4  ,the kingdom of ,god  
is within us1 when we allow ourselves to
 be ruled and guided not by the spirit  
of the world1 but by the spirit of ,god4
 ,those who are moved by the spirit of  
,god are ,god's children4 ,in his soul  
is the kingdom of ,god established whose
 faith agrees with the teaching of the  
,church1 who hopes1 loves and lives in  
the true faith4  ,the kingdom of ,god   
above us is the kingdom of heaven4 ,the 
,church on earth is the kingdom of      
truth1 of grace1 of virtue2 it will     
become in heaven the kingdom of glory4  
,through this triple kingdom ,god is    
glorified on earth and in heaven1 and   
this is the first and chief aim of every
 created thing4 ,through this threefold 

kingdom we gain salvation1 happiness and
 eternal life4 ,that this threefold     
dominion of ,god may come to us and to  
all mankind we ask the ,father in heaven
 in the second petition4  ,in order that
 what we ask for in the second petition 
may be attained we must comply with the 
third petition3 ,thy will be done on    
earth1 as it is in heaven4 ,almighty    
,god is the supreme ruler of heaven and 
earth4 ,all creatures in heaven and     
earth must submit themselves            
unconditionally to ,his holy will4 ,god 
makes ,his will known to us through ,his
 commandments1 and through ,his holy    
,church4 ,we must be ready and willing  
at all times to do the will of ,god1 and
 to submit to it in all things4 ,we must
 obey ,his commandments1 we must gladly 
and humbly submit ourselves to ,his     
dispensations1 no matter what they may  
be4 ,that ,god's will may at all times  
be done by us1 and in us1 and in all    
things1 this should be our ardent       
desire1 not with a servile fear but with

 filial love1 as ,jesus has taught us by
 ,his word and example4 ,but this far   
surpasses our own strength and for this 
reason ,jesus teaches and enjoins us to 
beg the ,father that ,he may grant to us
 and to all mankind the grace to do at  
all times ,his holy will4 ,by this      
faithful submission of our wills to the 
will of ,god we glorify ,god in the most
 perfect way4  #c4 ,in our earthly      
pilgrimage to heaven we require divine  
assistance in order to live our corporal
 and spiritual life according to the    
divine ,will4 ,for this reason ,christ  
instructs us to pray in the fourth      
petition3 ,give us this day our daily   
bread4 ,that means3 ,give us1 ,o ,god1  
what we stand in need of for body and   
soul that we may live according to ,thy 
holy will4  ,we depend upon ,god in all 
things4 ,he is our ,creator and also our
 ,preserver4 ,we could not live a single
 moment without his aid4 ,as we are     
composed of body and soul our wants are 
twofold1 we have requirements for the   

body and others for the soul4 ,we stand 
in need of food1 shelter and clothing   
for body4 ,all1 rich and poor alike1    
must petition ,god for these1 for each  
one stands in ,god's hand4 ,god can cast
 the rich man down like ,job1 and free  
the poor man from all want4 ,the word   
bread includes all necessities of life4 
,give me neither beggary nor riches3    
give me only the necessaries of life    
7,prov4 xxx1 #h74  ,that we are told to 
pray for our daily bread should remind  
us that we must not be too solicitous   
for the morrow4 ,he who gives unto us   
to-day will also provide for us         
to-morrow if we humbly ask ,him4 ,we    
say3 ,our bread1 because it is our duty 
to earn it in an honorable manner by    
industry and labor4 ,he who toils not1  
shall not eat4 ,we say also our bread1  
and not my bread1 because we wish the   
poor who can not help themselves to have
 it as well as we ourselves1 and we must
 share it with them as much as our means
 allow4  ,as our body requires          

nourishment1 so does our soul4 ,the food
 of the soul is the word of ,god1 and   
the ,bread of ,life that came down from 
heaven4 ,we must partake of this ,bread 
of the soul by hearing the word of ,god1
 by reading and meditation1 and by      
receiving the ,sacraments4  ,thus has   
,jesus in the four first petitions      
taught and commanded us to ask for      
everything that is necessary for the    
attainment of our last end4 ,in the     
three remaining petitions ,he instructs 
us to pray for protection against all   
things which are obstacles to the       
attainment of that end4  ,,ii4 ,in these
 three petitions we ask that everything 
may be averted that would hinder us from
 attaining our true goal1 our salvation 
and the glorification of ,god4  #a4     
,this obstacle1 however1 is sin and its 
evil consequences and these three       
petitions have reference to sin and its 
evil consequences4 ,we1 like all men1   
are sinners1 and in our sins we can not 
worship ,god properly1 nor can we attain

 our salvation if ,god does not show    
mercy to us4 ,for this reason we humbly 
implore ,god in the fifth petition3     
,forgive us our trespasses4 ,in these   
words we implore ,god to grant unto us  
and to our fellow men a sincerely       
contrite heart and to graciously forgive
 us our sins and the punishment due for 
them4 ,as a condition of forgiveness1   
however1 ,god exacts from us that we    
forgive those who have offended us1 as  
fully as we desire that ,god forgive us4
 ,therefore1 we add3 ,as we forgive     
those who trespass against us4  #b4 ,in 
the sixth petition we implore ,god that 
,he would graciously preserve us from   
falling into sin4 ,lead us not into     
temptation4 ,with these words we urge   
,god that ,he should keep from us       
temptation to sin1 or1 if through       
temptation ,he desires to try us1 that  
,he grant us abundant graces to conquer 
it4 ,temptations do not come from ,god1 
but from our own nature1 from ,satan and
 from the world4 ,god permits them in   

,his wisdom to try our love for ,him1 to
 preserve us in humility1 and to        
strengthen us1 to animate our zeal for  
virtue and to increase our merits4 ,god 
will assist us in temptation if we are  
exposed to it without any fault of ours4
  ,those1 however1 who court the danger 
will perish in it4 ,they can not expect 
divine assistance who wilfully seek     
temptation and sin4  #c4 ,the seventh   
and last petition is ,but deliver us    
from evil4 ,after asking ,god not to    
lead us into temptation we urge ,him to 
preserve us from evil of soul and body4 
,we confidently trust ,god to guide us  
according to ,his wisdom and mercy1 and 
to deliver us from everything which is  
an obstacle to our salvation1 even if in
 our own shortsightedness we may think  
it good and desirable4  ,we conclude the
 ,lord's ,prayer with the little word   
,amen1 which is equivalent to ,so be it4
 ,with this single word we confirm all  
our petitions4 ,it means3 ,o ,god grant 
us these things for which we have just  

prayed4  ,truly this prayer1 taught us  
by ,our ,lord1 is of high dignity and   
importance4 ,it is not alone a prayer1  
but a sermon as well4 ,it is a prayer   
which comprises in itself all other     
prayers4 ,it is a prayer of praise1 of  
thanksgiving and supplication4 ,it is1  
therefore1 appropriate for all          
occasions4 ,are you discouraged and     
faint-hearted1 go and say the ,our      
,father4 ,the thought that you have an  
all-merciful ,father in heaven will lift
 you up1 inspire you with confidence and
 comfort you4 ,do self-love and pride   
strive for the mastery within you1 go   
and say1 ,hallowed be ,thy name4 ,is    
anger and malice in your heart1 say1    
,forgive us our trespasses at we forgive
 those who trespass against us4 ,if     
impatience is your fault say1 ,thy will 
be done on earth1 as it is in heaven4   
,when beset by temptation invoke ,god3  
,lead us not into temptation1 and in    
trial and adversity beseech ,god3       
,deliver us from evil4  ,o that this    

holy and sublime prayer would be        
properly understood and appreciated4    
,what blessings it would produce        
everywhere4 ,may then our contemplation 
contribute with the blessing of ,god    
toward our own love of this wonderful   
prayer and greater devotion in its      
recital4     ,,viii4 ,,the ,,excellence 
,,of ,,the ,,various ,,parts ,,of ,,the 
,,rosary  7e7 ,the ,hail ,mary4   ,and  
the angel said to her3 ,hail1 full of   
grace1 the ,lord is with thee1 blessed  
art thou among women4--,luke i1 #bh4    
,dear ,brethren3 ,to-day there is       
offered for our consideration one of the
 sweetest of prayers of our holy        
,religion4 ,it is the ,hail ,mary1 or   
,angelical ,salutation1 which we say so 
often1 particularly in the ,rosary4     
,considered in its origin1 its contents1
 and in its efficacy it is beautiful and
 sublime1 and1 with the exception of the
 ,lord's ,prayer1 the most excellent4   
,its origin is to be had in the words   
which the ,archangel ,gabriel addressed 

to blessed ,mary1 ever virgin4 ,to these
 have been added the words of ,st4      
,elizabeth on the occasion of ,mary's   
visit1 and the holy ,church has         
completed the prayer with a consoling   
supplication4 ,its very origin1         
therefore1 makes this prayer a holy and 
venerable one4  ,the words of salutation
 are brief1 but they contain everything 
that one could ever say in praise of the
 ,virgin ,mother of ,god4  ,the petition
 includes briefly everything for which  
we may ask ,mary4  ,let us then give our
 attention to this beautiful prayer in  
the name of ,jesus and ,mary1 ,his      
blessed mother4  ,i4 ,i said1 that in   
the first part of the ,hail ,mary all   
the privileges and glories which made   
the blessed ,virgin so worthy of praise 
are contained4 ,a closer examination    
will show us how true this is4 ,let us  
transport ourselves in spirit to        
,nazareth1 to the quiet little room     
where ,mary is praying in deepest       
devotion4 ,suddenly there enters this   

room one of the most exalted spirits    
that stand at the throne of the         
,creator4 ,what does this messenger from
 heaven desire of this humble virgin1   
unknown to the world8 ,he desires no    
less than her participation in our      
redemption4 ,the only begotten ,son of  
,god1 in ,his infinite love for mankind1
 has offered to take upon ,himself human
 nature1 to atone for our sins and to   
redeem us4 ,the time appointed by ,god's
 providence1 when this great work was to
 be consummated1 had now come4 ,mary1 in
 the divine counsels1 is destined to be 
the mother of the ,saviour4 ,the        
celestial messenger appears to bring    
this message to her1 and to obtain her  
consent4 ,god desired that ,mary should 
voluntarily cooperate in the redemption4
  ,mary cooperated in our redemption by 
proving herself worthy to be called to  
the divine motherhood1 as far as this is
 possible for a human being4 ,this she  
did by cooperating faithfully with the  
abundance of grace granted her by ,god1 

and thus proving herself worthy to      
become the mother of the ,saviour4      
,through her virginity she rendered     
herself worthy according to the body1   
and through her most profound piety and 
humility according to the spirit4 ,both 
virtues stand forth most brilliantly in 
the annunciation of the angel4 ,but she 
wished rather to forego the exalted     
dignity of divine motherhood1 than      
relinquish the virginity which she had  
dedicated to ,god4 ,and when the highest
 dignity which can be bestowed upon a   
creature was announced to her1 she      
called herself the handmaid of the      
,lord4 ,mary1 when convinced of the will
 of ,god1 humbly consented1 saying1     
,behold the handmaid of the ,lord1 be it
 done unto me according to thy word4    
,through this consent ,mary conferred   
upon the world an unspeakable great     
blessing1 for which we should be        
eternally grateful to her4 ,by this     
consent she became the second ,eve1 me  
spiritual first parent of the redeemed  

race4  ,the angel1 recognizing in ,mary 
his future queen1 now reverently set    
forth in brief words all the            
prerogatives which ,god had granted her1
 and was about to bestow upon her4      
,these prerogatives are3 7#a7 the       
fulness of grace which ,god had already 
granted unto her2 7#b7 the dignity of   
mother of ,god which ,he now granted    
her1 and1 finally 7#c71 the veneration  
and glorification which on account of   
this fulness of grace and this dignity  
she would partake of in heaven and      
earth4  ,the first privilege1 fulness of
 grace1 which she had received from     
,god1 the angel expressed with the words
 full of grace4 ,these words mean3 thou 
art filled with all the divine graces in
 a measure possible to no other         
creature2 thou hast received to the full
 all graces4 ,as ,god will exalt thee to
 a dignity beyond that of the most      
exalted spirits of heaven1 so ,he has   
granted you more and greater graces than
 even to the ,seraphim and ,cherubim4   

,now since thou hast cooperated in a    
perfect manner with all these graces1   
thou hast become the most virtuous1 the 
holiest1 the most perfect of all        
creatures4 ,therefore1 art thou worthy  
to become the mother of the ,most ,high4
  ,mary's second privilege which the    
angel mentioned was her elevation to the
 dignity of mother of ,god4 ,the ,lord  
is with thee1 that is1 ,god has bestowed
 upon thee every grace1 and1 finding    
thee worthy1 thou art to be the mother  
of ,his ,son1 to cooperate in the       
redemption and the salvation of the     
world4  ,in the words ,the ,lord is with
 thee is expressed the intimate         
relationship of ,mary to ,god1          
accomplished by the ,incarnation4 ,not  
merely through the fulness of ,his grace
 and love is ,god with her1 but even    
according to the flesh ,god is          
intimately united to her4  ,mary's third
 privilege announced by the angel is the
 exalted veneration which she merits for
 her dignity and sanctity4 ,the angel   

expresses this in the words ,blessed art
 thou among women4 ,the angel had       
reference to the promise given by ,god  
in ,paradise1 that there would come a   
woman who should crush the serpent's    
head4 ,he had in mind also the renowned 
women of the old law who had rescued the
 people of ,god from peril and          
oppression1 and who were for this reason
 blessed by the people1 such as ,judith 
and ,esther4 ,these heroic women were   
glorious prototypes1 pointing to ,mary  
who was to crush the serpent's head1 to 
destroy the designs of ,lucifer1 and to 
save the human race from destruction4   
,yes1 truly1 ,mary is blessed by ,god   
among all women1 and is herself an      
infinite blessing for the entire world4 
,the ,lord hath done great things in    
her4 ,she realized this herself1 in     
those prophetic words1 ,behold from     
henceforth all generations shall call me
 blessed1 for he that is mighty hath    
done great things to me1 and holy is his
 name4 ,and so it has been1 and ever    

will be1 as long as the sun illumines   
the earth4 ,for more than nineteen      
centuries the people and nations have   
joyfully repeated the angel's words1    
,blessed art thou among women4 ,by      
precept of the ,church we add the words 
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb1   
,jesus1 in order to join to our praise  
of ,mary that of ,jesus1 from whom and  
on whose account she received all her   
privileges1 and for whose sake she      
receives all this praise4  ,,ii4 ,after 
the prayer of praise in the ,hail ,mary 
there follows the prayer of supplication
 which the ,church has added4 ,this     
supplication is ,holy ,mary1 mother of  
,god1 pray for us sinners1 now1 and at  
the hour of our death4 ,amen4 ,a short  
petition1 but a significant one by which
 we invoke ,mary's intercession in all  
our needs4 ,the words holy ,mary1 mother
 of ,god1 form the opening of this      
petition4 ,they repeat the truth        
contained in the prayer of praise1 and  
are at the same time calculated to      

arouse our confidence in ,mary4 ,the    
name ,mary alone should awaken our      
confidence in the blessed ,virgin1      
because the name ,mary means sovereign4 
,mary1 is indeed a sovereign1 a ruler4  
,as mother of the ,king of heaven and   
earth1 she is the ,queen of heaven and  
earth1 and our lady1 our queen as well4 
,mary means also star of the sea4 ,as   
star of the sea ,mary is to mankind what
 a kindly star is to the sailor who     
finds himself on the stormy waters4     
,this world resembles an ocean1 where   
storms and perils abound to the menace  
of body and soul4 ,the winds and storms 
of temptations rise1 the dangerous rocks
 of oppression threaten1 the stormy     
waves of passion1 of pride1 of ambition1
 of avarice1 of anger1 envy1 revenge1   
avidity beat upon us4 ,all these dangers
 trouble the heart and fill it with     
sorrow and fear4 ,and as the star leads 
the sailor to a safe haven1 so ,mary is 
to us the kindly star that inspires us  
with consolation and confidence and     

brings us rescue4  ,holy ,mary1 mother  
of ,god6 ,as mother of ,god ,mary       
possesses the power of mediation with   
her divine ,son4 ,the angels and saints 
all together can not have the influence 
that ,mary exercises4 ,the holy fathers 
and teachers refer to this power1 when  
they say ,mary is omnipotent through her
 intercession1 as ,god is omnipotent in 
,himself4 ,thus the opening of the      
supplication inspires veneration and    
confidence in ,mary4 ,with this         
veneration and confidence then we ask1  
,pray for us sinners4 ,thou1 the holy   
one1 the powerful and good1 pray for us 
miserable sinners1 not worthy to        
approach ,god and be heard4 ,pray for us
 in all our temporal and spiritual      
necessities1 in every danger of body and
 soul4 ,pray above all1 to obtain for us
 the grace of a perfect conversion and  
repentance1 and the grace of            
perseverance until the end of life4     
,pray for us1 holy ,mary1 mother of     
,god1 now1 while it is yet time for us  

to merit salvation1 but pray for us     
especially when that solemn and sad hour
 of death has arrived4 ,in that dark    
hour will be decided our eternal        
destiny2 at that dread hour forsake us  
not1 ,pray for us now1 and at the hour  
of our death4  ,we have seen what an    
excellent prayer the ,hail ,mary is4 ,it
 follows that it is also an efficacious 
prayer4 ,when the ,hail ,mary was       
uttered for the first time by the       
,archangel it ushered in the most       
stupendous of all miracles4 ,and        
whenever we devoutly repeat this        
salutation with faith and confidence1 it
 will be for us also a means of grace   
and blessing4 ,whenever you salute      
,mary1 says ,st4 ,bernard1 she returns  
the greeting1 she gives you in return   
consolation and blessing4  ,let us then 
recite this beautiful and excellent     
prayer most diligently and piously1 and 
let us give special preference to the   
devotion of the ,rosary which is a      
garland woven to blessed ,mary from this

 prayer of praise4 ,the quarter of an   
hour spent in reciting the beads will   
bring us blessings in life and a happy  
death4 ,how we shall rejoice when we    
behold ,mary face to face and greet her 
with the words3 ,hail ,mary1 full of    
grace1 the ,lord is with thee1 blessed  
art thou among women1 and blessed is the
 fruit of thy womb1 ,jesus1 to whom be  
praise for all eternity4 ,amen4         
,,ix4 ,,the ,,prayer ,,to ,,increase    
,,the ,,three ,,divine ,,virtues   ,and 
now there remain faith1 hope1 and       
charity1 these three3 but the greatest  
of these is charity4--,i4 ,cor4 xiii1   
#ac4  ,dear brethren1 in beginning the  
,rosary one ,our ,father and three ,hail
 ,marys are said in supplication for the
 three divine virtues4 ,these virtues   
are called divine because they have ,god
 for their ,author or their object4 ,in 
,baptism these virtues are infused into 
the soul together with sanctifying      
grace4 ,through sanctifying grace1      
received in ,baptism1 we are made       

children of ,god4 ,from that moment     
there is imposed upon us the duty1 as   
soon as we shall be able to use our     
reason1 of thinking1 speaking and acting
 as behooves the true children of ,god4 
,this duty we perform if we imitate the 
example of ,jesus ,christ1 and if we    
endeavor to be perfect as our heavenly  
,father is perfect4 ,but as this cannot 
be done by human power1 the ,holy ,ghost
 has willed to enable us to do so1 by   
imparting to us1 in ,baptism1 the three 
divine virtues4 ,by the infused grace of
 faith ,god gives us a supernatural     
light1 in addition to the natural light 
of our reason1 with the aid of which we 
may comprehend ,his revelations4 ,god   
bestows upon us thus1 through the virtue
 of faith1 a share in ,his own wisdom4  
,the supernatural grace of hope turns   
our thought heavenward1 gives us an     
incentive to co-operate with grace4     
,the supernatural virtue of charity     
renders us capable of loving ,god in a  
worthy and meritorious manner and of    

loving that which ,god loves4  ,as the  
child arrives at the age of discretion1 
and obtains the right use of reason1 he 
is obliged to practise these virtues1   
and thus ,i strengthen his soul and grow
 in grace4  ,we are obliged to awaken   
frequently faith1 hope1 and charity     
towards ,god and our neighbor1 in a     
practical manner4 ,by the possession1   
practise and application of these three 
divine virtues we attain to ,christian  
perfection4 ,the more we learn to know  
these virtues1 the more zealous we shall
 be in practising them1 the more        
earnestly we shall strive for their     
increase1 the more incessantly shall we 
pray for them4  ,let us1 therefore1 take
 these three divine virtues for the     
subject of our consideration4  ,i4      
,faith is the first of the three divine 
virtues2 it is the foundation of the    
other virtues4 ,without faith in ,god1  
in ,his revelations and promises1 there 
can be no ,christian hope1 no ,christian
 charity4 ,for this reason faith is the 

foundation of virtuous living3          
,christian faith is a virtue infused by 
,god into our souls by which we are     
enabled to believe firmly all that which
 ,god has revealed and which the        
infallible ,catholic ,church proposes   
for our belief4  ,an act of faith       
requires the use of the understanding   
and the use of the will4 ,the mysteries 
surpass our natural understanding2 they 
are1 furthermore1 to be believed in a   
supernatural manner1 and we require1    
therefore1 the supernatural light of    
faith1 added to the natural light of our
 understanding1 and we require also that
 our natural willpower be strengthened  
by the supernatural power of grace4     
,this light and this power we receive in
 ,baptism4 ,the supernatural light of   
faith qualifies us to understand that   
the truths revealed by ,god are divine4 
,in order to believe it does not suffice
 to know the divine truths as the       
,church teaches them1 we must also1 of  
our own free will1 assent to them1 and  

acknowledge as divine truths even those 
mysteries which surpass our human       
understanding4 ,to that extent faith is 
a matter of the will4 ,god1 through the 
light and the power of the grace of     
faith1 comes to the assistance of our   
reason and will1 in order that we may   
confidently submit both to divine       
revelation1 that is1 to ,god4 ,in order 
that the infused virtue of faith may be 
meritorious for us1 we must co-operate  
with grace by readily submitting our    
understanding and our will to divine    
revelation4 ,then this virtue of faith  
will not only be an infused one but1    
also1 will be an acquired one and thus  
become a meritorious virtue4 ,this      
actual and acquired virtue is for every 
adult the first condition of salvation4 
,still the acceptance of the divine     
doctrine is alone not sufficient for    
salvation4 ,we must live in accordance  
with our faith2 we must do good and shun
 evil4 ,such is the teaching of faith4  
,he truly believes who practises what   

believes1 says ,st4 ,gregory1 and ,st4  
,james tells us that ,faith without     
works is a dead faith and avails nothing
 to salvation4 ,a living faith is the   
first condition and the beginning of    
salvation4 ,eternal happiness consists1 
as we are aware1 in the vision of ,god4 
,the living faith is a beginning of this
 vision4 ,we know ,god through the      
,christian faith1 but only as in a      
mirror4 ,now ,i know in part3 but then  
,i shall know even as ,i am known 7,i4  
,cor4 xiii1 #ab74  ,,ii4 ,the second of 
the divine virtues is hope4 ,christian  
hope is a virtue infused into our souls 
by which we confidently expect of ,god  
everything which ,he has promised us    
through the merits of ,christ4 ,god has 
promised us eternal happiness1 also all 
things which we stand in need of1 and   
that are profitable for us in our       
endeavor to attain eternal happiness4   
,jesus has merited these for us1 and    
,god has promised them to us for the    
sake of the merits of ,jesus ,christ4   

,and because ,god has promised them to  
us we must confidently expect and hope  
for them1 because ,god is omnipotent1   
merciful and faithful to ,his promises4 
,this ,christian confidence in ,god is  
bestowed by the virtue of hope1 infused 
into our souls at ,baptism4 ,we must    
frequently exercise it in order to make 
it conducive to salvation4  ,the virtue 
of hope is based upon the virtue of     
faith4 ,faith informs us of the promises
 of ,god1 and that ,he is all-powerful  
and faithful in fulfilling ,his         
promises4 ,without faith ,christian hope
 would not be possible4 ,this the       
,apostle ,paul teaches in his ,epistle  
to the ,corinthians1 in plain words3    
,faith1 he writes1 is the substance of  
things hoped for 7,heb4 xi1 i74 ,hope is
 really1 therefore1 an active faith in  
the mercy and generosity of ,god4       
,christian hope is just as necessary for
 salvation as faith4 ,for we are saved  
by hope4 ,thus the ,apostle writes in   
the ,epistle to the ,romans 7,rom4 viii1

 #bd74 ,hence1 when we lose hope we     
forfeit our salvation4  ,christian hope 
is in part desire1 in part confidence4  
,it is a lively desire for eternal      
happiness1 for the possession of ,god   
and for the means which aid us in       
gaining salvation4 ,it contains in      
itself a heartfelt desire for           
forgiveness of sins1 and for liberation 
from the punishment due to sins4 ,it    
includes an ardent longing for a        
virtuous ,christian life4 ,it is that   
hunger and thirst for justice of which  
,christ speaks in the eight ,beatitudes4
 ,as ,god is the supreme good1 combining
 every other good1 so our desire for the
 blessed possession of ,god must be the 
sincerest1 indeed1 the sole1 desire of  
our hearts4 ,all other things we may    
desire only on ,god's account1 and only 
in so far as they are the means to help 
us to the possession of ,god4 ,whoever  
experiences this desire will zealously  
pray for all things2 he will be a man of
 prayer4  ,christian hope is not only   

desire1 but also confidence4 ,god has   
promised us forgiveness of our sins and 
the grace to do the good that is        
required of us4 ,he has promised us     
after a ,christian life the eternal     
happiness of heaven4 ,he is ready to    
fulfil ,his promises4 ,the fulfillment  
of the divine promise depends1 however1 
upon our own co-operation1 upon our     
sincere good-will1 upon our co-operation
 with grace4 ,our confidence must1      
therefore1 never become presumption4    
,the ,apostle admonishes us to work out 
our salvation in fear and trembling4    
,st4 ,francis de ,sales calls confidence
 in ,god and distrust in ourselves the  
two balancing poles by the help of which
 we are enabled to keep our equilibrium4
 ,to distrust ourselves1 and to have the
 fullest trust in ,god1 this is the     
essence of ,christian hope4  ,christian 
hope is an essential condition for      
eternal happiness4 ,by hope we          
anticipate life eternal4 ,it is to us a 
pledge and a foretaste1 and when we     

shall pass into eternity with this      
living hope1 our hope will be           
transformed into possession of that     
which we have hoped for the possession  
of ,god1 the supreme good4  ,,iii4      
,charity1 the third of the divine       
virtues1 is the virtue infused by ,god  
into our souls which enables us to love 
,god above all things1 and for ,his sake
 to love our neighbor as ourselves4     
,that such divine charity surpasses     
human power is quite evident4 ,it is    
inseparably united to sanctifying grace4
 ,he who possesses sanctifying grace    
possesses also the virtue of divine     
charity4 ,he who loses sanctifying grace
 through mortal sin1 loses also divine  
charity4 ,the virtue of charity is a    
participation in the divine charity with
 which ,god loves us4 ,it is a divine   
commandment that we must love ,god with 
our whole heart1 with our whole soul1   
with our whole strength1 and that we    
must love our neighbor as ourselves1 for
 ,god's sake4 ,to give oneself wholly to

 ,god1 to prefer ,him to all things1    
rather lose all things than offend ,him1
 to seek to accomplish ,his holy will in
 all things1 to observe ,his            
commandments1 to offer up to ,god every 
thought1 word1 and deed1 to work and    
suffer for ,god1 to live and die for    
,god1 this is the true love of ,god4    
,he that hath my commandments1 and      
keepeth them2 he it is that loveth me4  
,thus speaks the ,son of ,god 7,john    
xiv1 #ba74 ,to love ,god in this manner 
is made possible for us by the divine   
virtue of charity1 received in ,baptism4
 ,we may1 however1 co-operate with it   
and so fulfil ,god's commandments4 ,only
 in this manner does the infused virtue 
become an acquired and meritorious      
virtue4 ,the ,christian virtue of       
charity is the greatest of all virtues4 
,it presupposes faith and hope because  
we must believe and hope in ,god before 
we can love ,him3 charity gives life to 
faith and hope4 ,without charity1 faith 
and hope are dead and avail not for     

salvation4 ,who so loves not remains in 
death4 ,charity is not merely the       
greatest of all virtues1 but it contains
 all ,christian virtues2 it is the      
essence of the ,christian life4 ,through
 ,christian faith we participate in the 
divine knowledge1 through hope in the   
divine power1 and through charity we    
participate in the divine justice and   
sanctity4 ,christian charity renders us 
holy1 as the heavenly ,father is holy1  
and perfect as the ,father in heaven is 
perfect4 ,it is charity which here on   
earth unites us with ,god4 ,he who      
abides in charity abides in ,god and    
,god in him4 ,it is a virtue which      
continues for all eternity1 when faith  
has become the vision1 and hope the     
possession1 of ,god4  ,the love of ,god 
is inseparably united to the love of our
 neighbor2 for1 as ,st4 ,augustine says1
 there are two commandments but only one
 charity1 because there is no other     
charity with which we love our neighbor 
than that with which we love ,god4 ,who 

so says that he loves ,god1 but does not
 love his neighbor1 in him there is no  
divine charity4  ,we have seen1         
therefore1 how the three divine virtues 
are the foundation of the ,christian    
life1 and that their practise           
constitutes ,christian life4 ,the true  
worship of ,god consists in practising  
these virtues which1 at the same time1  
are the sole way to eternal bliss4      
,progress in the ,christian life keeps  
pace with the activity of these virtues4
 ,this increase of virtue is1 likewise1 
a gracious gift of ,god4 ,we are ever   
obliged to co-operate with grace4 ,we   
must strive for the increase of our     
faith1 hope1 and charity1 by frequently 
practising these virtues1 by the worthy 
reception of the holy ,sacraments1 by   
attentively contemplating the divine    
truths and1 especially1 by humble and   
heartfelt prayer4  ,how feeble1 indeed1 
is our faith1 how wavering our hope1 how
 insufficient our love of ,god and our  
neighbor4 ,they need the strengthening  

grace of ,god4  ,to pray rightly1 and to
 be worthy of being heard1 we must      
awaken these fundamental virtues4       
,therefore1 at the beginning of the     
,rosary we say devoutly one ,our ,father
 and three ,hail ,marys to ask ,god for 
an increase of these virtues4 ,because  
faith1 hope1 and charity should be both 
the basis and the fruit of the ,rosary4 
,amen4     ,x4 ,,the ,,excellence ,,of  
,,the ,,rosary ,,in ,,regard ,,to ,,its 
,,form   ,she reacheth therefore from   
end to end mightily1 and ordereth all   
things sweetly4--,wisdom viii1 #a4  ,the
 disposition of the heart is in prayer  
of more consequence than the manner of  
expression4 ,yet an appropriate form of 
prayer is helpful in avoiding           
distraction and in inducing devotion4   
,our ,divine ,saviour taught ,his       
disciples to make use of a special form 
of prayer1 the ,our ,father4  ,the form 
of the ,rosary helps appreciably in     
rendering the ,rosary the great prayer  
it is4 ,the ,rosary has been aptly      

called the lay breviary4 ,for many      
centuries the faithful joined in the    
reciting of the breviary4 ,as late as in
 the eleventh century ,st4 ,peter       
,damian urgently exhorted the faithful  
to participate in the ecclesiastical    
hours of prayer4 ,and when gradually    
participation in the ecclesiastical     
prayer ceased1 ,divine ,providence      
supplied the ,rosary to take for the    
laity the place of the breviary4 ,it may
 thus properly be called the lay        
breviary4 ,in fact it reminds of the    
breviary of priests1 for it contains    
verbal prayer and meditation1 and the   
hundred and fifty ,hail ,marys of the   
,rosary correspond to the hundred and   
fifty psalms of the breviary4  ,let us  
now consider how appropriate the form of
 the ,rosary is1 and how it renders the 
,rosary a perfect prayer4  ,the form    
makes the ,rosary both an excellent     
devotion and a perfect prayer4 ,prayer  
is the first duty of all men4 ,it is an 
article of faith that no man can work   

out his salvation without prayer4 ,the  
real essence of prayer consists in the  
union of vocal prayer with meditation1  
or interior prayer4 ,the true prayer is 
a conversation1 or intercourse1 of man  
with ,god4 ,the combination of          
meditating with vocal prayer is an      
excellent means of participating in     
,divine grace4 ,meditation makes us     
realize our needs1 the faults which we  
should lay aside1 and the virtues which 
we must acquire4 ,sin makes man blind1  
meditation opens his eyes4 ,vocal prayer
 alone is not of itself a protection    
from sin1 daily experience teaches this4
 ,there are many who say vocal prayers  
and yet fall into grievous sin and      
remain in that state4 ,the reason is    
because they omit the contemplative     
prayer4 ,those who combine vocal prayer 
with meditation do not easily incur     
,god's disfavor1 or if they do they at  
once resolve to amend and they lose no  
time in returning to ,god4 ,a           
combination of meditation and vocal     

prayer is therefore calculated to       
preserve us from sin1 and to rescue us  
from that state1 if unfortunately we    
find ourselves in it4 ,it is also the   
most effective means for us to reach    
,christian perfection and eternal       
salvation4  ,we should therefore combine
 with vocal prayers proper meditation if
 we desire our prayers to be more       
perfect4 ,when we say the ,our ,father1 
or the ,hail ,mary1 we should not merely
 utter the words with our lips1 but     
should contemplate the purport of the   
words1 lifting the mind to ,god1 to whom
 we are praying1 otherwise our prayer   
will be merely a prayer of the lips4    
,remember the words of our ,divine      
,saviour3 ,these people glorify ,me with
 their lips1 but their hearts are far   
from ,me4  ,in saying the ,rosary we    
combine vocal prayer with meditation    
upon the ,sacred ,mysteries4 ,where     
there is time for it a longer meditation
 is very beneficial and of great        
spiritual advantage4 ,but if time is    

lacking1 or when the ,rosary is said in 
common with others1 one should at least 
at every decade briefly put the mystery 
before the mind4 ,pondering upon the    
mysteries whilst saying the prayers is  
ordinarily requisite to gain the        
indulgences attached to the ,rosary4    
,the ,rosary in its union of vocal      
prayer and meditation is a perfect      
prayer4 ,the parts of the ,rosary so    
appropriately succeed one another as to 
form a beautiful chain of prayers4 ,we  
begin the prayers of the ,rosary with   
the sign of the ,cross1 with which the  
,church commences all her prayers4 ,this
 sign reminds us of the ,most ,holy     
,trinity in whose ,name we were         
baptized1 and to whom we belong         
absolutely1 through creation1           
redemption1 and sanctification4 ,by     
making the sign of the ,cross we place  
ourselves vividly in the presence of    
,god1 to whom we are praying1 and awaken
 within us acts of faith1 reverence1    
love1 and confidence4 ,through the sign 

of the ,cross there are dedicated to    
,god in prayer the thoughts of the mind1
 the words of our lips1 and the         
sentiments and feelings of the heart4   
,most assuredly the devout signing      
ourselves with the ,cross is an         
excellent introduction and preparation  
for prayer4  ,then follows most         
appropriately the ,apostle's ,creed4 ,it
 declares more fully that which the sign
 of the ,cross indicates4 ,the twelve   
articles of the ,creed contain that     
which we must firmly believe if we would
 be saved4  ,the ,creed most properly   
opens the ,rosary because it is the     
basis of our faith4 ,the ,joyful ,rosary
 expounds the article of faith3         
,conceived by the ,holy ,ghost1 born of 
the ,virgin ,mary4 ,the ,sorrowful      
,rosary is a commemoration of the       
article3 ,suffered under ,pontius       
,pilate1 was crucified1 died and was    
buried4 ,the glorious is founded upon   
the article3 ,rose again from the dead1 
ascended into ,heaven and sitteth at the

 right hand of ,god4 ,thus the entire   
,rosary is in truth a prayer of faith1  
and draws from the faith its force and  
efficacy4  ,after the ,creed follows    
,glory be to the ,father1 which is      
repeated at every decade of the ,rosary 
as it is also said in the ecclesiastical
 hours after every ,psalm4 ,to give     
glory to ,god is our chief duty1 it must
 be our intention in all our words and  
works4 ,to give glory to ,god must also 
be our principal intention in saying the
 ,rosary4 ,as we repeat this doxology at
 the end of each decade1 we should again
 raise up our mind and heart to ,god    
with fresh sentiments of faith1 love1   
and confidence4 ,this preserves us from 
distraction and gives new zeal to our   
prayers4  ,after the first ,glory be to 
,god we say one ,our ,father and three  
,hail ,marys for the increase of the    
three divine virtues4 ,the three divine 
virtues are the foundation of the right 
disposition which we must have1 in order
 truly and worthily to honor ,god4 ,st4 

,augustine says3 ,god is to be glorified
 through faith1 hope1 and charity4 ,they
 are the corner- stone of the ,christian
 life4 ,and the ,apostle says3 ,the just
 man liveth by faith 7,heb4 x1 #ch71    
meaning that man lays the foundation for
 his justification through faith1       
receives the life of justification from 
faith1 perseveres in this just life     
through faith1 perfects this life       
through the light and the power of faith
 whence hope and charity proceed4  ,to  
promote this kind of life is the aim of 
the devotion of the ,rosary4 ,the more  
pious and virtuous we become1 the more  
we glorify ,god and assure our temporal 
and eternal happiness4  ,these prayers  
are the introduction and preparation to 
the prayer of the ,rosary1 which        
combines meditation of the ,mysteries   
with the recital of the ,our ,fathers   
and ,hail ,marys4 ,the ,rosary is a     
prayer indeed for the glory of ,god and 
for honoring and invoking ,mary the     
,mother of ,god4 ,the ,mysteries of the 

,rosary contain that which ,god has done
 in order to glorify ,himself and to    
redeem1 sanctify1 and save mankind4 ,at 
the same time these mysteries from the  
lives of ,jesus and ,mary are fraught   
with touching examples for our own      
lives4 ,in the devout contemplation of  
these mysteries1 and in the application 
of the same to our own religious moral  
life1 lie the gist of the prayers of the
 ,rosary and the chief fruits which we  
should draw from this saving devotion4  
,certain critics of the ,rosary cannot  
understand why the ,hail ,mary is so    
frequently repeated4 ,but in the        
repetition lies the strength of the     
prayer1 for holy perseverance is        
expressed by this repetition4 ,the      
psalmist in the one hundredth and       
thirty-fifth ,psalm repeats twenty-six  
times the words3 ,for his mercy endureth
 forever4 ,and the heavenly hosts       
proclaim their ,thrice ,holy for ever   
and ever4  ,we are perfectly right1     
therefore1 in declaring that the ,rosary

 is a thoroughly practical prayer1      
corresponding exactly to the necessities
 and peculiarities of our minds and     
hearts4  ,we might challenge the world  
to name a more beautiful1 a more        
excellent prayer4 ,the ,church therefore
 numbers the ,rosary amongst her most   
efficacious prayers1 and she has endowed
 it richly with indulgences to induce   
the faithful to say it frequently4      
,,xi4 ,,the ,,excellence ,,of ,,the     
,,rosary ,,on ,,account ,,of ,,the      
,,mysteries ,,commemorated   ,unless thy
 law had been my meditation1 ,i had then
 perhaps perished in my abjection4--,ps4
 cxviii1 #ib4  ,dear ,brethren3 ,in our 
former considerations of the ,rosary we 
have discussed the prayers of which the 
,rosary is composed4 ,the second chief  
part of the ,rosary is the fifteen      
,mysteries4 ,they are called ,mysteries 
because the truths which they contain   
are hidden and cannot be comprehended   
except by ,divine revelation4 ,these    
,mysteries and their significance will  

be the subject of our discourse to-day4 
,it is the spirit and intention of the  
,church that these ,mysteries be        
properly meditated upon while saying the
 ,rosary4 ,this we do by reflecting upon
 them1 by applying to ourselves the     
lesson drawn6 from them1 and by         
resolving to amend our life or to       
perfect it according to this lesson4    
,i4 ,the consideration of the ,divine   
truths of salvation is absolutely       
necessary for all mankind1 for no one   
can be saved who is not mindful of his  
salvation4 ,we cannot attain happiness  
without serving and loving ,god4 ,yet he
 knows not ,god who does not give any   
thought to things divine4 ,in order to  
learn to know ,god and to make progress 
in this knowledge we must contemplate   
the ,divine attributes and perfections1 
and the works which proclaim them4 ,the 
whole universe is preaching to us ,god's
 omnipotence1 wisdom1 and love4 ,the    
heavens tell of ,god's glory1 and the   
firmament proclaims the works of ,his   

hands4 ,the tiny flowers in field and   
meadow1 the birds in the tree1 the stars
 in the sky1 they all remind us of ,god 
and of ,his ,omnipotence and ,goodness4 
,we ought not regard these things       
thoughtlessly1 they give us food for    
salutary thought and meditation4 ,they  
exhort us to show love and gratitude    
towards ,god1 the merciful ,father who  
has created all these things for us4    
,god so loved the world as to sacrifice 
for it ,his only begotten ,son4 ,the    
,son so loved ,mankind that ,he became  
,man1 suffered for us and died upon the 
,cross1 in order to ransom us from sin  
and ruin4 ,we learn to know not only the
 malice1 horror1 and guilt of sin1 but  
also the infinite mercy and love of ,god
 by pondering on the works of ,god4  ,in
 the work of sanctification1 specially  
ascribed to the ,holy ,ghost1 we        
perceive fresh wonders of ,god's love4  
,the ,holy ,ghost cleanses us from our  
sins and transforms us into children of 
,god4 ,he consoles us with heavenly     

consolation1 and leads us with ,his     
hand1 conducting us to ,christian       
perfection and to life eternal4 ,by     
considering these divine works1 often   
and earnestly1 we learn to know ,god1   
and become desirous of loving ,him and  
serving ,him faithfully4 ,to make       
progress in the knowledge of these      
divine things is the sacred duty of a   
,christian4 ,but in order to be saved it
 is not sufficient to know ,god2 we must
 also know ourselves4 ,for this reason  
,st4 ,augustine besought ,god3 ,let me  
know myself1 and let me know ,thee4 ,we 
must learn to know our faults in order  
to correct them1 and our evil           
inclinations so as to fight against     
them4 ,we must ascertain what virtues we
 are lacking in so that we may strive to
 acquire them4 ,we must understand the  
gravity of our sins to repent of them   
sincerely4 ,finally1 we must understand 
our inability to acquire merit1 so that 
we may seek from ,god grace1 strength1  
and help4  ,it is necessary also that we

 understand clearly the duties which we 
have to perform4  ,if we were profoundly
 impressed by the excellence of the     
,divine ,laws1 of the magnificent       
rewards that will be the share of those 
who observe the ,commandments1 and of   
the terrible chastisement awaiting the  
transgressor1 who would ever presume to 
transgress these ,divine ,commandments8 
,and what is calculated to impress us   
with these truths if not serious        
reflection upon them8  ,the royal       
,prophet exclaims3 ,blessed are they    
that search his testimonies2 that seek  
him with their whole heart 7,ps4 cxviii1
 #b74  ,meditation has drawn numberless 
sinners from the depths of sin and      
protected untold numbers against sin4   
,it is also1 as ,st4 ,ignatius remarks1 
the shortest way to ,christian          
perfection4 ,hence ,st4 ,teresa implores
 those who have not yet begun this      
meditative prayer1 to do so in the name 
of ,god1 and through the love of        
,christ1 and no longer deprive          

themselves of this most precious and    
necessary good4  ,objection may be made 
by some that they cannot meditate1 that 
they have not the ability to do so4 ,the
 reply is that for meditation no skill  
or science is required4 ,when you       
reflect upon an article of faith1 upon a
 commandment of ,god1 upon sin or       
virtue1 upon ,god1 your duties1 and then
 awaken acts of faith1 hope and charity1
 contrition1 and thanksgiving1 followed 
by resolutions of amendment1 petitions  
to ,god for ,his grace and assistance to
 keep these resolutions1 you have made a
 very good meditation4 ,this much any   
one can do4  ,another objection may be  
advanced1 that one has no time for it4  
,a man living in the world has many     
business cares1 but then the salvation  
of the soul is the chief business of    
man4 ,our ,divine ,saviour has said that
 one thing only is necessary1 and this  
one thing is solicitude for the soul's  
welfare4 ,david had the cares of        
governing a great kingdom1 and yet he   

said3 ,o how have ,i loved thy law1 ,o  
,lord1 it is my meditation all the day4 
7,ps4 cxviii1 #ig47 ,no1 my brethren1   
time and ability are not lacking4 ,if   
anything is lacking1 it is the good     
will4 ,therefore let us all make the    
firm resolution to give in the future   
due consideration to ,christian         
meditation so as to place our soul's    
welfare in safety4  ,,ii4 ,the          
,mysteries of the ,rosary offer us an   
easy method and material for our        
meditation4 ,they give us a brief sketch
 of the life1 passion1 and death of     
,jesus ,christ and the sorrows and joys 
of our ,mother ,mary4 ,the fifteen      
,mysteries are divided into three parts3
 the ,joyful1 the ,sorrowful1 and the   
,glorious ,mysteries4  ,the joyful      
,mysteries of the ,rosary contain events
 from the youthful life of ,jesus4      
,these are the ,annunciation1 the       
,visitation of ,mary1 the ,nativity of  
,christ1 the ,presentation of ,christ in
 the ,temple1 and the ,finding of the   

,child ,jesus in the ,temple4 ,these    
five ,mysteries comprise the foundation 
of the work of the redemption4 ,with all
 of them is intimately connected ,mary1 
the ,blessed ,mother of the ,redeemer4  
,these five ,mysteries set before us the
 example of ,jesus and ,mary4 ,to make  
of us children of ,god1 the ,son of ,god
 became incarnate1 and ,he is for us the
 model of a child of ,god4 ,mary1 ,his  
holy ,mother1 is in all things ,his     
faithful likeness and thus the model for
 us in the imitation of ,christ4  ,the  
sorrowful ,mysteries of the ,rosary     
remind us of the work of redemption1    
through the passion and death of ,jesus 
,christ4 ,he begins ,his passion in the 
garden of ,olives in an agony of sorrow4
 ,by the scourging ,he did penance for  
our sins of the flesh1 and by the       
crowning with thorns1 for our sins of   
the mind4 ,then ,he bore ,his ,cross to 
the place of execution1 and with it the 
sins of the world1 in order to efface   
our debt upon this ,cross4 ,these       

,mysteries teach us how to partake of   
the merits of the redemption4 ,the      
consideration of our sins1 of their     
malice and guilt1 and a sincere         
contrition for them is the first step4  
,the second is the discipline of our    
flesh and its evil desires by           
temperance1 chastity1 and mortification4
 ,the third step is the discipline of   
the spirit by humble obedience towards  
,god and ,his holy law4 ,the fourth is  
the patient bearing of our cross1 and   
the last is that we die completely to   
sin1 and live only for ,christ4  ,the   
glorious ,mysteries of the ,rosary tell 
us of the glorious fruits of the        
redemption4 ,these are a new life of    
grace1 resurrection from the dead1 and  
admittance into heaven4 ,they speak to  
us also of the mission of the ,holy     
,ghost1 whose work is to sanctify us4   
,in ,mary's assumption into ,heaven we  
behold the most sublime work of the     
,holy ,spirit1 viz41 her holy life here 
upon earth and her coronation in        

,heaven1 the reward of this holy life   
for all eternity4 ,all these things are 
calculated to induce in us a devout     
,christian life4 ,we behold what ,god   
has prepared for those who love ,him1   
who live for ,him1 who work and suffer  
and die in ,his grace and love4  ,thus  
the fifteen ,mysteries give us a short  
summary of the lives of ,jesus and      
,mary4 ,the events selected are best    
calculated to awaken our faith1 to      
strengthen our hope1 to inflame our     
hearts with love for ,jesus and ,mary1  
and to animate us to imitate the lives  
of ,jesus and ,mary4  ,these ,mysteries 
thus offer most excellent material for  
our meditations4 ,they are so simple    
that every believing ,christian may     
understand them1 yet so profound and    
full of meaning that those most learned 
and advanced in the spiritual life may  
find therein ample food for edification4
 ,the public life of ,jesus and ,mary   
pass1 as it were1 before our eyes4  ,how
 fortunate did the ,apostles esteem     

themselves to have known ,jesus by      
sight1 to have listened to the teachings
 from ,his own lips1 to have gazed and  
meditated upon ,his holy life6 ,we may  
draw the same profit from the diligent  
and devout meditation of the ,mysteries 
of the ,rosary4  ,if we daily say the   
,rosary1 and picture the mysteries to   
ourselves1 what advantage may we not    
draw from them for our life6 ,it will be
 for us a daily intercourse and         
association with ,jesus and ,mary that  
will enlighten our minds1 elevate and   
ennoble our hearts1 and powerfully      
invite our will to a true life of       
virtue4 ,the ,rosary is1 therefore1 an  
admirable means to lead a truly         
,christian life1 and an admirable means1
 consequently to attain eternal         
salvation4 ,let us all be zealous to    
avail ourselves of it and the ,rosary   
will become a bond uniting us intimately
 with ,jesus and ,mary1 and conducting  
us to the participation of their glory  
and happiness for all eternity4 ,amen4