I love October for a whole host of reasons, not least among them that it’s the Month of the Rosary. So, today, our Quick Takes fun will be all things rosary.

Pray the Family Rosary

We don’t. (More about that soon.) But…I’m taking notes. And I found this little article helpful.

“Make Them, Pray Them, and Give Them Away”

Rosary Army gets a plug in our parish bulletin every couple of months or so, and their scriptural rosary audio download is still one of my two go-to audio rosaries, though I have nine different varieties. In addition to the how-to you’d expect (meaning how to pray it), they’ll teach you how to make the rosary too…an all-twine knotted version. These are my very favorite rosaries, though I haven’t yet tried my uncoordinated hands at it. If my crafty friend ever dips into it, I’m sure to jump in with her. Until then, I’ll just purchase them. And pray them. And give them away. 🙂

Keep Company with Jesus and Mary

Karen Edmisten‘s book The Rosary: Keeping Company with Jesus and Mary is one of my all-time favorites, and it’s the best book on the rosary I’ve read. Whether you rank it that high or not, you should definitely read it. It won’t take you long, but it will add to both your appreciation for this prayer and your understanding of what’s happening as you pray it.

Pray Twice

I don’t sing the rosary when there are witnesses who aren’t related to me. It just wouldn’t be charitable to their ears. (The people who are related to me get a special dispensation and time off in purgatory, I’m quite sure.) But when I sing it, I do feel like I pray twice, and sometimes, that’s just the kick in the pants my rosary praying needs. My sung rosary of choice is by Susan Bailey, the Mary, Queen of Peace Sung Rosary (which comes with a meditation guide if you order through Amazon, though I downloaded it through iTunes).

Make It Real

Through the years, one of the struggles I’ve faced is making the mysteries of the rosary real: connecting with them, experiencing them as more than just distant events that don’t touch me, allowing them to change me. One of the best resources I’ve found for this is James Hahn’s book Rosary Meditations for Real Life, which he sells through his Real Life Rosary website (where you’ll also find some lovely twine rosaries for sale). I’ve also used his online meditations. He really speaks to me with his down-to-earth approach and his devotion to Jesus is so evident in how he writes and examines each mystery.

Use the Word of God to Guide You

Years ago, as a thank you to those who had committed to an hour for our parish’s Eucharistic Adoration program, Father ordered a host of these little blue and white scriptural Rosary books. I ended up giving mine away (rosary-related items seem to be transient items in my life; I am but the bearer for them…which, I’d like to add, does not come naturally and does not usually make me feel happy or generous), but I quickly replaced it, because it’s been one of the most helpful aides I’ve found to praying the rosary. I’ve used this awesome scriptural rosary website before too, and love the artwork that accompanies the mysteries.

Let Your Fingers Do the Walkin’

My husband recently received an iPod Touch (from me), and I do my best not to drool over it too much. I have, however, downloaded a few apps and tried them out, and, to my surprise, iRosary is one that we both love. I know there are many others available (the Rosary Miracles app, which I’ve downloaded but haven’t had a chance to test out yet, comes highly recommended), but we like the ease of use on this and the art. Oh, and the fact that the Apostles Creed is written out. That’s helpful. (Especially if you’re leading the parish rosary and your mother-in-law’s purse is your only hope of getting it right…in case you were wondering, you’ll be restarting it, while smiling nicely, and wondering at the courage you just used to lead the rosary and tackle a rambunctious two-year-old and restart the Apostles Creed after botching it beyond recognition.) (Not that I know anyone who could tell you a thing or two about that situation.)

As usual, Jen’s the Quick Takes hostess-with-the-mostest, and you can stop over to leave her some love, participate with your own Quick Takes, or just nose around.