This heroic Pope told the world
that the Rosary was his favorite prayer, one of “great
significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of
holiness”.
His beautiful Apostolic Letter of October 16th, 2002
(Rosarium Virginis Mariae) reflected his conviction
that the faithful receive abundant graces through
the praying ofthe Rosary – “as though
from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer.”
He knew that the Rosary helps us “to be conformed
evermore closely to Christ until we attain true holiness”.
His Letter recalls that the Rosary is “the fruit
of centuries of experience” and a proven help
for countless saints; yet it remains a method of prayer,
which serves as a means to an end and cannot become
an end in itself. As a method, he teaches that the
Rosary can be improved by the introduction of the
Luminous mysteries, citing the Catechism of the Catholic
Church which places great emphasis on the mysteries
of Christ: “Everything in the life of
Jesus is a sign of His Mystery”.
Thus the existing 15 mysteries of the Joyful, Sorrowful
and Glorious “cycles of meditation” now
are joined by 5 Luminous mysteries, selected by the
Pope from the many events in the public life of Jesus.
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“I
look to all of you,
brothers and sisters of every
state of life, to you, Christian
families, to you, the sick
and elderly, and to you,
young people: confidently
take up the Rosary once
again. Rediscover the
Rosary in the light of
Scripture, in harmony
with the Liturgy, and in the
context of your daily lives”.
“May this appeal
of mine not go
unheard!”
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