St. Vincent Martyr is a community which prays together. The power of prayer is beyond our comprehension and the prayers of many unite us in love and faith. To have your prayer request announced at Mass or placed in the bulletin, please send prayer requests to the MainOffice@svmnj.org or call the office at ext. 100.

The Holy Rosary

The complete rosary is composed of twenty decades, divided into four distinct parts, each containing five decades. The first part consists of five joyful events in the life of Jesus and Mary, the second part recalls five sorrowful events, and the third part considers five glorious events. The Holy Father John Paul II with the Apostolic Letter ROSARIUM VIRGINIS MARIAE of 10/16/2002 added 5 new mysteries of the Rosary: The Mysteries of the Light.

It is customary to recite five decades at a time while meditating on one set of mysteries. The decades may be separated, if the entire chaplet is completed on the same day.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Praying the Rosary

Beginning with the Rosary's Cross: Begin as with all prayers In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (making the sign of the Cross while doing that)
On the single bead just above the cross, pray the Apostles Creed. This and all prayers of the rosary are meditative prayers
Next is a cluster of 3 beads. The "Hail Mary" prayer is said on each of these three beads. You pray the 3 Hail Marys while meditating on the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and love/charity.
On the next bead, which is a single bead, you announce the first divine mystery of contemplation. For example, if it were a Monday, you would say the first Joyful Mystery is "The Annunciation", at this point you pray the "Our Father" prayer.
Now this will bring you to the first decade, or set of 10 beads of the Rosary. You will then pray 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the first mystery, example: The Annunciation.
After the 10th Hail Mary you will have completed the first of 5 decades which make up a Chaplet of the Rosary. You now come to another single bead, at this point, you pray the... Glory be to the Father... then (on the same bead) pray the O My Jesus... then (on the same bead) announce the next or second mystery. For example: if it's Monday and you're praying the Joyful Mysteries, the second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation. At this point you pray the Our Father....
You will now come to the second decade or group of 10 beads, you will now pray the 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the appropriate mystery.
You continue to pray the rosary the same way throughout. If your intention is to pray a Chaplet (a single set of mysteries) at the end of the fifth mystery you will come back to the joiner, this is where the decades all join with the lower part of the rosary which contains the cross. When you come to the joiner, you decide whether or not you wish to say another Chaplet or end. If you decide to say another Chaplet you simply announce the next mystery and continue. If you wish to end, you simply say the Glory Be To The Father, the O My Jesus, The Our Father and end the rosary with the Hail Holy Queen and the sign of the Cross........

Various Rosary Prayers in approximate order as prayed in the Rosary

THE APOSTLES' CREED: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

THE OUR FATHER: Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

THE GLORY BE TO THE FATHER (Prayer of Praise): Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. (this prayer is optional and may be said after all Glory Be to the Fathers.....)

THE O MY JESUS: O my Jesus, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Take all souls into heaven, especially, those most in need of thy mercy. Amen.

THE HAIL MARY: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

The mysteries of the rosary are scenes from the life of Jesus and Mary. By meditating on these sublime truths, we come to a better understanding of our religion: the Incarnation of the Lord, the Redemption, and the Christian life--present and future.

In the following outline the words in parentheses indicate practical applications to our daily lives.

The Joyful Mysteries (Monday and Saturday)

The messenger of God announces to Mary that she is to be the Mother of God. (Humility)
Mary visits and helps her cousin Elizabeth. (Love of Neighbor)
Mary gives birth to Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem. (Spirit of Poverty)
Jesus is presented in the Temple. (Obedience to God's Will)
Jesus is found in the temple. (Fidelity to Vocation)

The Sorrowful Mysteries (Tuesday and Friday)

Jesus undergoes his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Spirit of Prayer)
Jesus is scourged at the pillar. (Modesty and Purity)
Jesus is crowned with thorns. (Courage)
Jesus carries the cross to Calvary. (Patience in Suffering)
Jesus dies on the cross for our sins. (Self-denial)|

The Glorious Mysteries (Wednesday and Sunday)

Jesus rises from the dead. (Faith)
Jesus ascends into heaven. (Hope)
The Holy Spirit comes to the apostles and the Blessed Mother. (Wisdom, Love, Zeal, Fortitude)
The Mother of Jesus is taken into heaven. (Eternal Happiness)
Mary is crowned queen of heaven and earth. (Devotion to Mary and Final Perseverance)

The Light Mysteries (Thursday)

The Baptism of Jesus.
The Wedding of Cana.
The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God.
The Transfiguration.
The Institution of the Eucharist.

Stations of the Cross

(Meditations on the Suffering and Death of Jesus)

Introductory Prayer

Jesus is condemned to death on the cross.
Jesus accepts his cross.
Jesus falls the first time.
Jesus meets his sorrowful Mother.
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his cross.
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
Jesus falls the second time.
Jesus meets and speaks to the women of Jerusalem.
Jesus falls the third time.
Jesus is stripped of his garments.
Jesus if nailed to the cross.
Jesus dies on the cross.
Jesus is taken down from the cross.
Jesus is placed in the tomb.

Closing Prayer (recalling the Resurrection)
(At each station, contemplate the scene and pray a brief, heartfelt prayer.)

Grace Before and Thanksgiving After Meals

Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts, which we are about to receive from your bounty, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

We give thanks for all your benefits, almighty God, who lives and reigns forever. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. (Spontaneous prayers may also be used at mealtime.)

Prayer to Jesus Christ Crucified

Behold, my beloved and good Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in your sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray and beseech you to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins and a most firm desire of amendment; while with deep affection and grief of soul I consider within myself and mentally contemplate your five most precious wounds, having before my eyes that which David the prophet long ago spoke about you, my Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and my feet;/I can count all my bones" (Psalm 22:17-18).

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Act of Faith

O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because you revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived. Amen.

Act of Hope

O my God, relying on your infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of your grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer. Amen.

Act of Love

O my God, I love you above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.

Act of Contrition

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.

O my God, I am sorry for my sins because I have offended you. I know I should love you above all things. Help me to do penance, to do better, and to avoid anything that might lead me to sin. Amen.

Any spontaneous and heartfelt prayer that tells God that you are truly sorry for all your sins, that you will mend your ways, and that you firmly intend to avoid what leads to sin is a good Act of Contrition.