Prayer ancient and modern
Seamus Hargrave welcomes the benefits of re-introducing the Rosary
Exploring new, yet ancient, forms of Christian Prayer is vital, not just to the maintaining of a personal faith but also to keeping alive the spirit of pilgrimage which is at the heart of every Church community. That is why we at St Leonard’s, Loveston, have recently begun an ecumenical Rosary Group which meets every second Wednesday of the month.
The rosary is an ancient form of Christian devotion which, coming out of the Dessert monks in the Second Century, uses repetition of common Christian prayers, to time, and deepen, meditation on the pivotal moments, or Mysteries, of Christ’s life on earth.
It has been a popular form of Christian prayer, used in numerous traditions and moments through our Christian history. In the Rosary we join with Mary who “pondered all these things and kept them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) and are thus drawn into deeper revelation on the depth of so much within the Christian narrative which we can then draw on for sustenance in our daily lives.
The depth, and participation, in the life of Christ that the Rosary can invite us into has become an important, fruitful way to encourage more regular prayer throughout the week. It is easy to think of churches as places people come to on Sunday and then disappear for the rest of the week; introducing this weekday opportunity to gather together for prayer not only makes the church an open resource for anyone seeking encounter with God at any moment, but also helps us put the stresses and strains of our weekday lives in a context of prayer. The Rosary is usually used as a form of intercessory prayer. For many people attending, the rosary group was a welcome return to a form of prayer they remembered fondly from their youth.
One source of encouragement is the way it has helped us engage ecumenically. From the outset we have been blessed with brothers and sisters from local Roman Catholic churches who have become regular attenders, very keen to support this ongoing effort, appreciating the chance to share a common form of prayer in which there is no form of division. Interest has also come from other Christian traditions who are just curious to learn a new form of prayer. If you are interested in experiencing for the first time, or continuing your use of the rosary as a form of meditation and devotion, please do join us in community St Leonard’s where all are welcome to share this pilgrimage in prayer together.