Man’s advanced intellect today, academically or simply through all the enlightenment of modern media technology with the latest information and news, our minds are so advanced today that we analyse and make informed personal choices about everything.

With all that has happened in our Church we no longer only listen to the Church for spiritual guidance, we examine the subject matter, debate it with others and make up our own mind. This is not to say we don’t believe in God anymore, we do, but our understanding of who or what God is, is now something we come to terms with in our own way, we still attend the sacraments and have our own personal prayers, but many have stopped praying the Rosary as a daily prayer.

What a terrible pity, Our Blessed Mother Mary is one of us, a human being, and the closest human being to God. The Blessed Virgin is the one who has constantly got permission from the almighty, to return to earth to remind us of the need to pray to bring peace to our life on earth and to ensure our eternal salvation. The prayer she has told us to say is the Rosary.

The greatest evidence of how important this prayer is, became clear in Fatima where Francesca a seven year old boy asked Our lady if he would go to heaven when he died. Her answer was startling. “Yes but you will have to say many Rosaries first”. From that day on, Francesca gave every spare moment in his young life saying the Rosary.

It is of course great to ponder the mysteries while saying the prayers. The mysteries are to the spoken word, what the soul is to the body. The decades and the mysteries are a living prayer. But it is difficult to say the Our Fathers and Hail Marys, listening to the words we are saying while at the same time meditating on the mysteries?

What is important is that you give this 20 minutes to Mary every day, begin by telling her that if your mind wanders the words that you are reciting are meant sincerely, even though you may not be listening to them from time to time. In the Rosary, Jesus and Mary are bound together. Through it Mary brings us to Jesus. At every Marian shrine Mary’s purpose is to bring us to Jesus. The Rosary is Mary interceding for us with Jesus.

Many have stopped saying the Rosary because they don’t understand the repetition of the prayer that is the Rosary, they say it is a mantra. But what is wrong with a mantra. Unfortunately it has always been associated with Hinduism or Buddhism as a phrase or chant in their meditation prayers. What it really is, is a prayer that is repeated continually to express our belief. This is what Our Lady asks of us, so let us respect our Lady’s wishes and let us repeat our belief in her over and over again, the Rosary emphasises our belief in Mary and the Trinity.

However, people should feel free to pray the Rosary as the Spirit moves them. Some people find it easier to pray one decade of the Rosary in the morning, one at lunch time, one after their evening meal. The final two before retiring for the night. The important thing is to mean what you say when you pray. The Rosary brings us into communion with Mary and the Trinity which is our faith. Praying the Rosary will bring you their continuous help here on earth and prepare you to share their glory in Heaven.

Its unbelievable the change it will make to your life, like Francesca, after a short while of continuous daily Rosary, it brought him peace and eventually Heaven.