A short treatise on the rosary...

Front matter

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TIIRt3-i:^ & CMIILI

A SHORT TREATISE

Part I. A Shoet Treatise 0^ The Rosary

I. The Word Rosary 17

II. The Institution of the Rosary 18

III. Its Propagation 20

IV. Its Component Parts 21

V. The division of the Mysteries 22

VI. A laudable Method used by many in saying

the Mysteries 23

VII. The Essential Parts of the Rosary 25

VIII. The Essential Method 25

IX. Laudable Practices in reciting the Rosary ... 26 X. Principal Obligations of the members of the

^■. Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary . . 27

XI. The Excellence of the Rosary 29

XII. The Excellence of the Rosary — (continued). —

The Lord's Prayer 31

XIII. The Excellence of the Rosary — {continued). —

Its principal prayer, the Angelical Salutation 33

XIV. The Excellence of the Rosary — [continued).,. 42 XV. The distinguishing title the Church gives to

the Rosary 44

XVI. The testimony of several Sovereign Pontiffs in

reference to its admirable fruits .44

XVII. The great advantages of belonging to the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary 49 b CONTENTS.

PAGE.

XVIII. Its Indiilorences 55

XIX. Aliracles T 64

XX. Miracles of the Rosarv, or its wonderful effects. 65 XXL Ciiastisement of a notorious caliunniator of the

Rosarv 75

XXII. It only takes about ten minutes to recite the

five Decades 78

XXin. 2s o one ought to be ashamed to sav it, or to

get enrolled in the Coniratemitv 80

XXIV. In this age of Indifferentism, the Rosary is not

snjficiently known 83

XXV. The Rosary ought to be devontly recited 84

XX VI. Recapitulation and Conclusion 85

Solemn Reception of a person into the Confraternity . 90 Days on which the members of the Rosary, receiving

Communion, obtain a Plenary Indulgence 92

PART n.

SIX EEASOXS FOR BEING DEVOUT TO THE BLESSED VIRGIX.

Fonrth Reason 1'24

Plfth Reason 128

PART III. True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin 141

The Memorare, accompanied with some remarks .... 16S

St. Francis de Sales' Devout Method of hearing Mass . 1 73

Contemplations and Prayers of the Rosary 186

Stations, or the Holy T^ay of the Cross 201

Prayer for Union, and for increase of Missionaries. . . 2S1 St. Liguori's Praver to the Blessed Virgiu for a happv

I

TO THE READER.

I WISH to begin this Introduction in the same manner as St. Liguori does his '' Glories of Mary.'' The great Saint says, addressing his reader : '' My dear reader and brother in Mary, since the devotion which urged me to write, and now induces you to read this book, renders us both happy children of this good Mother, if you should ever hear any one say that I could have spared this labor, there being so many and celebrated works which treat of this subject, answer him, I beseech you, in the words of Francone the Abbot.'' These are his words : '^ The praise of Mary is a fountain so full, that the more it extends the fuller it becomes, and the fuller it becomes the more it extends ;" '^ which signifies," says the Saint, '^ that the Blessed Virgin is so great and sublime, that the more we praise her the more there is to praise. So that St. Augustine says : 'All the tongues of men, even if all their members were changed into tongues, would not suffice to praise her as she deserves.' " And this most illustrious

10 TO THE READEE.

Father of the Church also asserts that all we may say m her praise is httle in comparison with what she merits on account of her dignity as Mother of God. Our Holy Mother the Church also, in the Mass of the Divine Mother, requires these words to be read : ''For thou art happy, 'sacred Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise." Now, if nothing else, at least the Church ought to remove from us all fear of exaggerating the praises of Mary, inasmuch as she requiiTS the above words to be said in . the Holy Sacrifice at the Altar. And if there be any creatui^e in the universe most worthy of all praise, undoubtedly it is the Immaculate Mother of God.

It is true, at the present time, that there are many works which treat of Devotion to the Blessed Tirgin. Some of these are too voluminous and too ex]Densive. I have therefore endeavored to make this book small, yet comprehensive, in order that every Catholic, or at least every Cathohc family, might be able to procure a copy.

Teiy many persons in the present century are opposed to voluminous works, because they have not the patience to read what they deem unnecessary matter, somethnes to be found in those ponderous tomes.

This work is divided into three parts. The First Part embraces a short treatise on the Rosary. A great portion of this treatise is extracted from two small Dominican works, written in French, on the Rosary. The division of this little treatise is somewhat similar to Cardinal Lambruschini^s treatise on the. Immaculate Conception.

The Second Part treats of Six Reasons for being devout to the Holy Mother of God.

The Third Part treats of True Devotion to the Divine Mother. It is styled True Devotion to the B. Virgin, in order to distinguish true from false Devotion to her. We cannot be truly devout to her unless we desire to amend our lives, faithfully honor, and commend ourselves to her. But True Devotion to Mary will be more fully explained when we come to the Third Part. In this discourse there will be found quotations from some of the most learned and saintly men of almost every age of the Christian era, regarding the Immaculate Mother of God.

My dear reader, if you discover in this little book that some of the propositions seem to be objectionable, I beseech you, in the same manner in which St. Liguori does his reader, to consider them as meant and spoken by me according to the sense of true and sound theology and of the Holy Catholic Church.

*' Worldly lovers are accustomed,'' says St. Liguori, '' to mention frequently and to praise the persons beloved, that these may also be praised and applauded by others ; then how poor must we suppose the love of those to be who boast of being lovers of Mary, but who seldom remember to speak of her, and inspire the lore of her also in others ! Not so the true lovers of our most lovely lady ; they would praise her everywhere, and see her loved by all the world ; and therefore in public and private, and wherever it is in their power, they strive to enkindle in the hearts of all, those blessed flames of love with which theirs are burning for their beloved Queen/^

That every one may be persuaded of how great benefit it is to himself and the people to promote devotion to Mary, let us hear what some of the Fathers say of it. St. Bonaventure asserts that those who are devoted to publishing the glories of Mary are secure of Paradise. ''And is there any one ignorant of the promise made by Mary to those who are engaged in promoting the knowledge and love of her upon the earth ? ' They who explain me shall have life everlastmg,' as the Holy Church apphes it on the Festival of her Immaculate Conception.''

Mary appeared, before his death, to a certain Dominican, who was wont to end his sermons by speaking of her. She defended him from the assaults of Satan, consoled him, and bore away with her his happy soul. The devout Thomas a Kempis represents Mary as commending to her Son those who publish her praises, m these words : '' my Son, have compassion on the souls of thy lovers, and of those who speak in my praise/'

*'As far as the advantage of the people is concerned, St. Anselm asserts that the sacred womb of Mary iiaving been made the way of salvation for sinners, sinners cannot but be converted by discourses in praise of Mary. We know that St. Bernardine of Sienna sanctified Italy ; St. Dominic converted many provinces ; St. Louis Bertrand, in all his sermons, never failed to exhort his hearers to practise devotion towards Mary ; and many others also have done the same." St. Liguori himself asserts that the salvation of all depends upon preaching Mary, and confidence in her intercession. — Introduction to the ^^ Glories of Mary P

This book, with the exception of a great portion of the treatise upon the Rosary and some other exceptions, may be considered a manual of extracts for the edification of the faithful. But remember, dear reader, it is better, as a general thing, to have the authority of some saintly and learned pereon in speaking of the Divine Mother, than to express our own ideas about her. And if you read the '' Glories of Mary,'' by St. Liguori, — my standard author, — you will find that that work is filled with extracts. But what I wish to call your especial attention to is this : sometimes persons are enraptured with the original ideas of others, that is, those persons are of the opinion that the ideas are original ; but lo I when 2 they are perusing the works of the Holy Fathers, or of some other celebrated authors, they are soon disabused of their erroneous opinion, for then they find that the ideas which they deemed original are precisely the same as those in these celebrated works. And therefore, dear reader, is it not better to tell the public that these ideas which are presented to them are not original, than to palm upon them the ideas of others as if they were our own ?

I now return my sincere thanks to my kind friends for theu' wise and excellent suggestions, and for their great assistance in preparing this little work. I do not wish to mention any one in particular, but I shall endeavor to remember all in general, from time to time, when I am celebrating the Holy Sacrifice at the Altar ; and also, sometimes, I shall endeavor to commend them to the protection of the Divine Mother.

I shall now conclude this Introduction in these beautiful words of the good Father Gallifet, of the illustrious Society of Jesus. ^' Loaded from my youth with thy benefits, august Queen of Heaven, nothing shall be dearer to my heart, after the glory of thy Son, than thy honor. This desire, so holy and so just, thou hast not ceased to inspire me with through life, and under its influence I have composed this httle work, which I now lay at thy feet. Take it under thy protection, best of Mothers : I shall die content in leaving after me this little testimony of my love and of the immense gratitude I owe thee, and I shall have reached the summit of my wishes if it in any degree contribute to increase and perfect tJiat true devotion which is thy due."

St. Dominic's Convent, Benicia, California, Vigil of the Nativity of Our Lord, 1863.

The Fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary.

A SHORT TREATISE

ON THE

ROSARY.

I. The Word Rosary.

The name Rosary is derived from the Latin word Rosarium^ which literally signifies a crown of roses J it also signifies a place planted with roses. Truly, a name so beautiful is a fitting title for the Devotion of the Rosary, for it is a spiritual garden of blooming roses ; and it is a mystical crown of beautiful roses, adorning with transcendent brilliancy the peerless brow of the Most Holy Mother of God. And as the rose is the most beautiful of flowers, excelling all others in the chaste purity of its color, its delightful fragrance, and the medicinal qualities it possesses, Mary very elegantly and appropriately compares herself to it in these words : '' I was exalted .... as a rose-plant in Jericho" (Ecclus. xxiv. 18). 2*

The Ancient Fathers of the Church, and learned commentators of the Holy Bible, after explaining the passage of Ecclesiasticus, in what is called the literal sense, apply it, in what is called the mystical sense, to the Most Holy Mother of God.

Mary was the " rose" that, after the long and dreary winter of sin, sorrow, and desolation, indicated by her bloom the coming of the summer of grace, light, and consolation. In that sense she is called in the Litany of Loretto, the " Mystical Eose."

" The Rosary takes its name from the rose,'' says a certain writer; "its manifold repetitions, its beautiful remembrances of the sweet mysteries of our Redemption, are like a wreath of roses, grateful to God and refreshing to the soul."

n. The Institution of the Rosary.

That the Institution of the Most Holy Rosary was truly the work of Heaven, cannot be doubted after the testimony of several Sovereign Pontiffs, especially of St. Pius the Fifth. A certain and constant tradition teaches us this. The great St. Dominic — the founder of the Dominican Order — received the Rosary from the hands of the glorious Virgin Mary herself.

Previous to the time of its Institution, there existed a custom of saying a certain number of prayers by means of globules, or little stones strung together. But this was not the Rosary, properly so called. The number of these globules or little stones was not generally determined, but left to the discretion of each one. St. Dominic iirst chose a fixed number of one hundred and fifty beads for the " Hail Marys."

The authors of his life inform us that the Rosary was revealed to him as a most effectual means of counteracting the abuses of the Albigenses and other heretics of his time. The Albigenses had overrun a great portion of France, and placed the religion of Christ in most imminent danger. Dominic, having consecrated himself to win them back to the True Faith, found all his efforts fruitless, despite the knowledge, the sanctity, and the gift of miracles with which our Most Blessed Lord favored him. At length, the Blessed Yirgin appeared to the Saint one day, when he was fervently invoking her aid. She presented the Rosary to him, and thus addressed him : "Know, my son, that the Angelical Salutation is the means employed by the Most Holy Trinity for the regeneration of the world. This prayer is the foundation of the new alliance. Do you wish to gain for God these hardened hearts ? Preach it, then, according to the form which I taught you several years ago." And added she : " Unless this celestial dew enriches the ungrateful soil, it will ever remain unfruitful." Dominic faithfully executed the commands of Mary, and not a little success immediately accompanied his preaching. The people were converted ; both faith and piety flourished in renewed vigor.

Note. — Tlie BoUandists question whether St. Dominic instituted the Rosaiy ; but that he was its institutor is asserted by several of the Sovereign Pontiffs, and is proved by the constant tradition of the Dominican Order. Father Echard also adduces several other irrefragable arguments.

III. Its Propagation.

The Rosary was propagated, with admirable success, by the holy institutor himself, and by the zealous members of the Order which he had founded. Wherever it spread, heresy had to hide its head, and the spirit of fervor and piety was aroused among the faithful of God. The sons of St. Dominic extended it throughout

Christendom, for the mission of propagating it, is their special charge. They received tliis holy heritage from their Father; and the Church has especially confided to them the care of preserving, defending, and propagating it, mitil the end of time.

TV. Its Component Parts.

The Rosary consists in reciting, in honor of the Queen of Heaven, one hundred and fifty times, the Angelical Salutation, or, as it is commonly called, the " Hail Mary." These " Hail Marys" are divided into fifteen decades, each one of which commences with " Our Father," and terminates with the Doxology, or the '' Glory be to the Father," &c., &c.

The Angelical Salutation, being repeated ten times, is the reason why that portion of the Rosary is called a decade — the word decade signifying the sum or number of ten. Some writers on the subject infer that the Angelical Salutation is said ten times to correspond with the '' ten strings" of King David's harp, and they draw this inference from the second verse of the thirty-second Psalm: ''Give praise to Lord on the harp ; sing to Him with the Psaltery, the instrument of ten strings."

The " Hail Mary" is said one hundred and fifty times, to correspond with the one hundred and fifty Psahns of the Royal Prophet ; and the Rosary is called by some the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as the book of Psalms is called the " Psalter of David."

V. The Division of its Mysteries.

Each decade is accompanied by a meditation on one of the principal Mysteries in the life of our Lord, and of His Immaculate Mother. These Mysteries are divided into three equal parts, each one of which is called a Chaplet, or Part.

The Mrst Part represents the five Joyful ' Mysteries, which are : 1st. The Annunciation. 2d. The Visitation. 3d. The Nativity of our Lord. 4:th. The Presentation of our Saviour in the Temple. 5th. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

The Second Part contains the five Sorrowful Mysteries, which are: 1st. The Praj'Cr and Bloody Sweat of our Lord in the Garden. 2d. The Scourging at the Pillar. 3d. The Crowning with Thorns. 4th. The Carrying of the Cross. 5th. The Crucifixion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Third Part represents the five Glorious Mysteries, which are: 1st. The Resurrection. 2d. ,The Ascension. 3d. The Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Disciples, ith. The As» sumption of the Divine Mother into Heaven. 5th. The Coronation and Exaltation of Mary above all the Angels and Saints.

VI. A Laudable Method used by many ik SAYING THE Mysteries.

It is a very good practice, used by many, while we are saying the Angelical Salutation, to express the mystery itself upon which we meditate, in the middle of it, immediately after the Holy Name of Jesus. For example, in saying the First Joyful Mystery, let the Aves be recited in this way : " Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee ; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus, who was made man for us. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen ;" in the Second Mystery, instead of saying " who was made man for us^^^ say, " who sanctified St. John in his Mother'^ s womh for us /" in the Third Mystery, ''who was horn m a stable

24: TREATISE ON THE EOS ART.

for US ;^'^ in the Fourth, ^^wlio was presented in the Teinjple for %is f^ in the Fifth, '-^ who was found in the Temple for our instruction.^''

In the Sorrowful Mysteries, for the First, say, " who suffered a hloody sweat for us /" in the Second, " who was scourged at the pillar for us ;^^ in the Third, ''who was crowned with thorns for us f^ in the Fourth, "who carried the Cross for us ;^^ in the Fifth, ''who was crucified for usP

In the Glorious Mysteries, for the First, say, " who arose from the dead for our justification ^'^^ in the Second, "who ascended into Heaven to prepare a place for its y" in the Third, " who sent down the Holy Ghost for our sanctification /" in the Fourth, " who took thee up^ Mary^ into Heaven for our instruction ^'^^ in the Fifth, "who crowned thee Queen of Heaven for our consolation,^''

If we observe this method, when we are saying the beads, w^e can then, very easily, accompany the decade, with the meditation upon the corresponding Mystery — an absolute condition in order to gain the Indulgences of the .Rosary — (as it shall be proved, when we speak of the principal obligations of the members- of

TREATISE ON THR ROSARY. 25

tlie Confraternity of the Most Holy Kosary). And this method will serve very much to excite our aflections, since, after expressing what was done in each Mystery, we add that it wi^ done for us, or for our consolation, &c., according as the Mystery itself requires or admits.

Note. — It is a very laudable custom to say the five Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Thursdays, and upon Sundays of Advent, and after Epiphany until Lent ; to say the Sorrowful, upon Tuesdays and Fridays, and upon Sundays in Lent ; and the Glorious on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and on Sundays from Easter until the first Sunday of Advent.

VII. The Essential Parts of teie Rosary.

The essential point, if the entire Rosary is to be said, is to recite the " Our Father" fifteen times, the ''Hail Mary" one hundred and fifty times, and, also, the Doxology fifteen times. No other prayer is strictly prescribed before or after these.

VIII. The Essential Method.

The essential method, in saying the Eosary, is to recite, in the first place, the Lord's Pray- 3

26 TREATISE OX THE PwOSARY.

er ; then, the Angelical Salutation, ten times ; then, terminate the decade with the Doxoloofv, never forgetting to accompany it — the decade — ^yith the meditation upon the coiTesponding

' • ysterj.

IX. The Latdable Peactices ex EEcrrrN'G

THE EOSAEY.

It is permitted to add other prayers to those which compose the substance of the Eosary, but they must not, however, cause us to wander from its essential parts. Tlie practice of commencing the Eosary with the Apostles' Creed and three '• Hail Marys," though laudable and in use among many, is of no obligation.

Also the practice of commencing to say the beads with one *' Hail Mary," and *' Thou^ O Lord^ icilt ojpen my lips^'' i:c., and with "77icline to ray aid. God. Lordr (tc, although very commendable^ and in use among many persons in this country, is not of obligation.

Also the practice of reciting before and after each Mystery, the consideration and aspirations to be found in many prayer-books, is not of any obligation.

But what maybe deemed the most laudable of these practices is, to terminate the Rosary with the ^^Ilail^ Holy Queen^^ &c., "Pray for' Its, Holy Mother of God,'' &c., and, "0 God, ivhose oixly-hegotten Son,'' &c., — i. e., if the five Mysteries are only to be said ; but if the fifteen are to be recited, then only at the end of them : yet there is no obligation of saying any of these prayers.

X. Principal Obligations of the Members OF THE Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary.

All the faithful, of whatever age, sex, condition, or capacity, have a right to be admitted. The obligations of the members do not bind under the penalty of any sin, either mortal or venial.

1st. It is necessary to have one's name enrolled in the Register of an authorized Confraternity of th*e Rosary.

These Confraternities exist, with full rights, in all the churches of the Order of St. Dominic. It is necessary for those established elsewhere, and that under the penalty of heing null, that they be founded by the authority of the Master-General of the Dominican Order, or at least with his formal permission.

2d. It IS requisite to have the beads blessed by a Dominican priest, or by a priest who has received the especial faculty ivoxn the Sovereign Pontiff, or from the General of the Order of St. Dominic.

3d. It is necessary to recite, at least once a weeh^ the entire Rosary^ or the fifteen decades. This obligation would not be fulfilled by the recital, in one day, of less than one Chaplet, or one Part of the Rosary, even though the Kosary be finished during the w^eek. But the Rosary can be divided into three Parts, which can be said on difi'erent days.

4th. It is requisite, during the time in which each decade is said, to meditate upon the corresponding Mystery, not precisely in an extremely recollected manner, but so as to have it present in our minds, in order to derive some fruit from it.

This condition is absolutely necessary to gain the Indulgences, according to the Pontiff Benedict the Thirteenth, unless sickness^ or an extremely defective intellect renders one incapable of this application. Such are the Principal Obligations.

The members who add to these practices those of Communion, and of being present at

I the Procession on the first Sunday of the month, and on the Festivals of the Blessed Virgin; those who approach the Sacraments on the day npon which the Church renews the memory of some one of the Mysteries of the Kosary ; those who frequent the church and chapel of the Confraternity, and after visit its altar, will show themselves to be more deeply penetrated with the special spirit which should animate them, and will obtain many abundant graces.

XI. The Excellence of the Rosary.

Let our dissenting brethren smile at Catholics for reciting the Rosary, but if they would only seriously reflect upon the most excellent prayers' and considerations of which it is composed, they would esteem it almost as highly as Catholics do. For when we begin to say the beads — we now speak of the manner in which, at least, many persons in this country commence the Rosarj^ — we address the Blessed Yirgin in the same language in which she v/as addressed by the Archangel Gabriel, and the inspired Saint Elizabeth, because we begin the Rosary, by saying, '' Hail Mary, full of grace/' &c. But after we speak of the excellency of 8* the Lord's Prayer, we shall then prove the great excellence of the " Hail Mary."

After having said the Angelical Salutation, we address Almighty God in the following beautiful language : ''Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips; and my tongue shall announce thy praise;" and then we say: "Incline unto my aid, O God; O Lord, make haste to help me." And now what more beautiful prayers can be addressed to our Creator ?

Afterwards we say the Doxology, or the " Glory be to the Father," &c., which is an act of supreme adoration of the Most Adorable Trinity, which is, also, the customary homage offered by our Holy Mother the Church to the Three Persons of the Most Blessed Trinity. What a most excellent act of adoration to our bountiful Maker !

After the Doxology, we say, ''Alleluia." This term means. Praise ye Jehovah^ or. Praise God, What a most beautiful word of praise and thanksgiving !

Note. — "Alleluia" is said at all times, except from Septuagesima Sunday until Easter, during wMcli time we say : " Praise be to thee, O Lord, King of Eternal Glory."

After the Alleluia we mention the Mystery upon which we are going to reflect, whether it be the Annunciation, or the Nativity of our Saviour, or the Crucifixion, or the Glorious Resurrection, or the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the disciples, or the Glorious AssumjDtion of the Divine Mother into Heaven. What more beautiful Mysteries can we meditate upon ? And yet not one half of the beautiful Mysteries of the Eosary are here enumerated.

XII. The Excellence of the Rosary {continued), — The Lord's Prayer.

After we mention the Mystery, we say the " Our Father" — the most perfect and the most excellent of all prayers. This divine form of prayer was left by Jesus Christ Himself, and put into hearts and mouths by Him.

All other prayers are comprised in it ; all the legitimate aspirations of the human heart are therein included; and it is an abridgment of all we are to hope for or ask of Almighty God, as the Apostles' Creed is an abridgment of all we are to believe. According to Tertullian, it is a compend of the Gospel of Christ ; and St. Augustine styles it the daily praj^er of every Christian, and recommends it as a remedy against the sins of every day. " The Universal Church holds it in such high esteem," says Father Gahan, '' that it has inserted it in the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, to the end that all the faithful, united in one body, should join together with tbe priest in offering up this heavenly address to the Divine Majesty, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was author of it, and who vouchsafed to dictate the very words it . contains. It is composed of a short preface, and seven Petitions or Requests, whereof the three first directly regard the honor and glory of God, and the four last our own good, both for oiir souls and bodies, together with the evils from which we beg to be delivered."

One of the commendable features of this Prayer is its brevity. Notwithstanding it includes all essential petitions, it has the merit of being short. Besides, we ought to be confident that if we say it devoutly, it is heard by God.

All of us — rich and poor — are called to the same inheritance. We are the brethren of Christ, and He reminds us of these truths in this Prayer. In the Old Law,^ God was dreaded by the people, and they addressed Him as a severe jndge. They gloried in being able to call Abraham their father. We in the New