July 9, 2009

Rosary Plan

As a catechumen I learned this plan for the daily rosary: Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Thursdays, Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, Glorious Mysteries on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

Over the years, two things have interfered with this plan. First, I acquired the devotion to the Franciscan Crown rosary while I was in formation with the OFM. The Crown more or less duplicates the Joyful Mysteries (less the Presentation) so it can conveniently replace the Dominican rosary on the Joyful Mystery days. Second, the appearance of the Luminous Mysteries on Thursdays created a problem. That leaves the Joyful Mysteries with just one day, while the Glorious still have three.

Thanks in part to frequent and erudite commenter Ben in Denver, I have finally come up with a plan for the daily rosary that has been working for me:

Advent-Christmas: Franciscan Crown every day.

Lent: Sorrowful Mysteries every day.

Easter and Ordinary Time:

Sunday: Glorious Mysteries
Monday: Franciscan Crown
Tuesday: Sorrowful Mysteries
Wednesday: Glorious Mysteries
Thursday: Luminous Mysteries
Friday: Sorrowful Mysteries
Saturday: Franciscan Crown

5 comments:

ben in denver said...

I'm so happy to have been helpful.

Paul A. Zalonski said...

Dear Friar Charles, Thanks for this post. I've been looking for info on the Crown. I am happy to see a reasonable plan of action.

What's the history of doing the Crown in Friars Minor? (the answer to this question will take a forest of trees) It seems to me that even though the "Franciscans" have had a strong devotion to Mary the promotion of the Crown is lax. Now, I can't make generalizations but if I understand a friend who is a Conventual correctly, that group presented the Crown to the novices and they prayed it as a group only on Saturdays but little more was said or advocated. Even encouraging --not even mandating-- the praying of the Crown daily in October was prohibited.

Is the Crown promoted in Capuchin parishes? How is it spoken of in Capuchin formation programs?

The beauty of the rosary devotion is that it's Scripture in miniature and that's method is very flexible.

Brother Charles said...

I picked up the Crown when I was in formation with the OFM (Province of the Most Holy Name, New York). Friars who carried a rosary on their habit usually had this 7 decade thing, and I was curious. So I learned it myself and it stuck.

In the Capuchins, most who carry the rosary on their habit have a 5 decade Dominican style one. Not once in my entire religious life have I prayed the rosary publicly with other friars, or been encouraged to.

Dan Lower said...

What's "Fransiscan Crown" mean?

Brother Charles said...

There's a link in the post.