The Blessing of Rosaries

Tridentine Community News (July 24, 2011):

As a follow-up to our coverage two weeks ago of the Prayer of Enrollment in the Brown Scapular, we continue to present more of the treasures of prayers contained in the 1961 Colléctio Rítuum, the subset of the Extraordinary Form Ritual book used in North America.

One of the most frequently asked-for blessings after Mass is the Blessing of a Rosary. Until 1964, this blessing was reserved to the priests of the Dominican order. Now, any priest may perform this blessing. Since this blessing, like many, must be prayed by the priest in Latin, it is informative to see the entire text in Latin and English:

Latin

℣. Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini.
℟. Qui fecit cælum et terram.
℣. Dóminus vobíscum.
℟. Et cum spíritu tuo.

Orémus.

Omnípotens et miséricors Deus, qui proper exímiam caritátem tuam, qua dilexísti nos, Fílium tuum unigénitum, Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum, de cælis in terram descéndere, et de beatíssimæ Vírginis Maríæ Dóminæ nostræ útero sacratíssimo, Ángelo nuntiánte, carnem suscípere, crucémque ac mortem subíre, et tértia die glorióse a mórtuis resúrgere voluísti, ut nos eríperes de potestáte diáboli: obsecrámus imménsam cleméntiam tuam; ut hæc signa Rosárii, in honórem et laudem ejúsdem Genetrícis Fílii tui ab Ecclésia tua fidéli dicáta, benedícas, et sanctífices, eísque tantam infúndas virtútem Spíritus  Sancti, ut, quicúmque horum quódlibet secum portáverit, atque in domo sua reverénter tenúerit, et in eis ad te, secúndum hujus sanctæ Societátis institúta, divína contemplándo mystéria devóte oráverit, salúbri et perseveránti devotióne abúndet, sitque consors et párticeps ómnium gratiárum, privilegiórum et indulgentiárum, quæ eídem Societáti per sanctam Sedem Apostólicam concéssa fuérunt, ab omni hoste visíbili et invisíbili semper et ubíque in hoc saéculo liberétur, et in éxitu suo ab ipsa beatíssima Vírgine María Dei Genetríce tibi plenus bonis opéribus præsentári mereátur. Per eúmdem Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte ejúsdem Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia saécula sæculórum.

℟. Amen.

English

[The priest, vested in white stole, says:]

℣. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
℟. Who made heaven and earth.
℣. The Lord be with you.
℟. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.

Almighty and merciful God! On account of Thy boundless love for us, Thou hast willed that Thy Sole-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, should come down from heaven upon earth, taking flesh at the Angel’s message in the sacred womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Queen, submitting to death on the Cross, and on the third day rising gloriously from the dead, in order that He might snatch us from Satan’s tyranny. Wherefore, we humbly beg Thee of Thine immeasurable goodness to bless  and to sanctify  these rosaries, which Thy faithful Church has consecrated in honor and praise of the Mother of Thy Son. And let them be endowed with such power of the Holy  Spirit, that whosoever carries one on his person or treasures it with reverence in his home or uses it for pious prayer, the while he meditates on the divine mysteries, according to the rules of this holy society, may be imbued with salutary and abiding devotion. May he, moreover, fully participate in all the graces, privileges, and indulgences which the Holy See has granted to this society; may he be delivered from all enemies, visible and invisible, in all places and at all times in this world, and at the hour of his death may it be his happiness to be presented to Thee by the same Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, laden with good works. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, God, world without end.

℟. Amen.

[He sprinkles the Rosaries with holy water.]

While we are on the topic of the Holy Rosary, it is appropriate to remind our readers that Holy Mother Church grants the great gift of a Plenary Indulgence on any day of the year to those who pray the Rosary in a church, publicly or privately, under the usual conditions of Confession within 20 days, reception of Holy Communion, prayer for the Holy Father’s intentions, and freedom from attachment to sin. The Rosary is prayed before Sunday Mass at both St. Josaphat and Assumption Churches.

Tridentine Masses This Coming Week

Mon. 07/25 7:00 PM: High Mass at St. Josaphat (St. James, Apostle)

Tue. 07/26 7:00 PM: High Mass at Assumption-Windsor (Ste. Anne)

[Comments? Please e-mail tridnews@stjosaphatchurch.org. Previous columns are available at www.stjosaphatchurch.org. This edition of Tridentine Community News, with minor editions, is from the St. Josaphat bulletin insert for July 24, 2011. Hat tip to A.B.]