Having been raised a cradle Catholic, I grew up saying the rosary.

I don't remember saying it everyday,(you know how sketchy childhood memories can be) but I do remember my Mom and Dad insisting we learn all the Catholic Prayers needed to learn how to say our Lady's Psalter devoutly.

It wasn't until I was in high school that I started to appreciate the power of saying rosaries, and until I was an adult, loving it.

I would like to share with you how to pray the Holy Rosary, one of the most widely used and recognized Catholic prayers using the original 15 mysteries lovingly given to us by Our Lady.

Rosaries in various forms have existed since the early days of the Church, but was formally given to us by our Blessed Mother in an apparition to St Dominic.

Also called Our Lady's Psalter, it was originally a way for uneducated people to imitate praying the 150 psalms, first starting out with people praying 150 Paters(Paternoster beads), this eventually turned into 150 Aves, and then finally into the form as we know it today.

There are many spiritual graces and other benefits(see the 15 Promises of Our Lady) to be gained by devotedly saying our Lady's Psalter every day.

If you are not used to taking the time to pray daily, it may be a while before you can consistently pray 'your beads' every day, but be patient with yourself. It is not obligatory,(not binding under pain of sin), but the rewards you will gain are worth the effort to try and say one every day! Get a copy of our free printable rosary prayers to help you easily memorize these common Catholic daily prayers.

~The 15 Promises ~Indulgences, Plenary and Partial ~Benefits of Meditation

Having been given rosaries as gifts throughout the years for major sacraments and accomplishments, like 1st Holy Communion, Confirmation and graduations, I have tangible things that bring back lots of fond memories and it also helps me remember to pray for all those benefactors.