Seven Sorrows Rosary
The Rosary
Novenas
A novena is a nine-day period of private or public prayer to
obtain special graces, to implore special favors, or to make special
petitions.
The practice was believed to be adopted after the event of the Twelve Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Upper Room as they prayed for nine days until the Holy Spirit descended on the Feast of the Pentecost.
A good website to be notified about novenas is:
Servite Rosary or
Seven Sorrows Rosary
The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of Mary is especially connected to the Servite Order (also called Servants of Mary) and so this chaplet is commonly referred to as the Servite Rosary. Rather than decades like in a traditional rosary, it consists of seven sets of seven beads. This rosary is focused specifically on the seven sorrows, or dolors, of Mary.
The rosary is a meditative beaded prayer used not only to ask for the intercession of Our Blessed Mother for our special intentions, but unite our heart to hers and her Son. Just as we ask our friends and family to pray for us, we ask Our Heavenly Mother to place our prayers and intentions before the throne of her Son. Jesus loves His mother and wants us to honor her by using her as a mediator. Because Mary's Immaculate Heart and Jesus' Sacred Heart are one, Mother Mary knows exactly how to ask her Son on our behalf, and He answers all her prayers as long as they are aligned with the Divine Will of Our Heavenly Father. Therefore, the rosary is a very powerful prayer when asking for help, guidance, healing or giving thanks. In addition, many graces are bestowed upon those who pray the rosary with a sincere heart, such as inner peace. By meditating on The Mysteries of Christ or The Sorrows of Mary, Our Mother brings our heart right to The Sacred Heart of Her Son. The strength of the these prayers is magnified when prayed in groups, with family or before the Blessed Sacrament.
Traditional Rosary
The five decade rosary is the one most people picture when they hear the word rosary. It consists of a crucifix, then a short set of 5 beads, for praying the Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, a Glory Be, and a Fatima prayer and then a rosary center, followed by a loop of 5 decades (sets of ten beads) to count the Hail Marys prayed as one meditates on the mysteries of the rosary, with a bead for praying the Our Father between each decade. This traditional rosary (both the physical strand of beads and the prayer) is also known as the Dominican Rosary, due to St. Dominic’s role in encouraging and spreading devotion to the holy rosary at the request of the Blessed Mother.