Praying the Rosary Book

Internationally acclaimed author Megan McKenna gives this Catholic tradition enriched modern relevance in a completely up-to-date guide to praying the Rosary, designed for general readers and incorporating the recent additions made by Pope John Paul II.

As a speaker, teacher, and bestselling Catholic author, Megan McKenna has informed and inspired audiences both in- and outside of the Catholic tradition with her warmhearted, contemporary approach to spirituality. Now she turns her attention to the Rosary, revealing the universality of this ancient practice and how it can enrich lives today.

Praying the Rosary—the act of counting off prayers with a string of beads in a rhythm of focused spiritual contemplation—is a practice that has existed for centuries and is common to many faiths. For the world’s one billion Catholics it has become the most popular form of devotion. Though strongly associated with the Virgin Mary, the prayers of the Rosary are ultimately meant to bring those who say them closer to Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings are central to all branches of the Christian faith. This gives the Rosary an ecumenical dimension that is in sync with today’s emphasis on the common bonds, rather than the divisions, among all Christians. In 2002, Pope John Paul II updated the Rosary by adding a new section on the teachings of Jesus, further emphasizing the centrality of Christ and the biblical Gospels at the heart of the prayers.

Embracing this ecumenical attitude in Praying the Rosary, Megan McKenna explores the Rosary and explains how to pray it, incorporating the Pope’s recent additions and revealing its relevance to a new generation. She breaks down the Rosary into its twenty components, prefacing each with a selection from Scripture that identifies the prayer’s source in the Bible. Combining practical instruction with meditative reflections on the prayer’s spirituality, she reveals the Rosary’s richly contemplative nature and shows how praying the Rosary can inspire peaceful, calm attitudes, and an awareness of the universal spiritual mystery that connects all Christians.

Publishers Weekly

In the midst of a revival of interest in the rosary, McKenna, a retreat leader and author of The New Stations of the Cross, weighs in with a fresh look at the traditional Catholic devotion that honors the mother of Christ. Anyone who expects a primer may need to search out a more basic guide, as this book assumes a fundamental understanding of the rosary. Although McKenna offers historical perspective and some instruction in how to pray the rosary, what she has to say will be most appreciated by existing practitioners and those seeking a more profound understanding of Mary. Finding little about the mother of Jesus in the Christian gospels, McKenna takes the few details that are known and develops them. She draws upon such sources as a Native American story in which Mary emerges as a believer, disciple, healer and "one who prays and listens to the community and who reflects upon the Word." At the heart of McKenna's book, however, are her thoughtful reflections on each set of the Rosary's "mysteries," including the "luminous mysteries" recently introduced by Pope John Paul II. In expanding on these sets of themed biblical scenes meant to be used as meditations for each section of the Rosary, McKenna is in her element, leading readers and those who will use this book to pray the rosary deeper into each scriptural passage. (April 6) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.