The Rosary Before Mass: A Valuable & Grace-Filled Opportunity to Spend Time with Our Blessed Mother

Twenty minutes before our weekend Masses begin, our parishioners have a beautiful, grace-filled opportunity to grow closer to Mary through the Rosary.

“Praying the Rosary before Mass helps you have a better worship experience,” says Alice Rakers. “It motivates you to come early for Mass, take time to think about prayer, and focus your mind.”

Those who pray the Rosary before Mass also have a wonderful chance to grow closer to one another and share the profound fellowship that prayer in common can bring.

“It is great for the parish to come together in prayer,” Alice says. “A lot of people say they like our parish because it feels like a family. The more that you do together as a parish, the more people feel a sense of belonging.”

Presently, the Rosary is prayed before every weekend Mass at our parish. Alice schedules the Rosary leaders for three months at a time. She notifies each leader of the upcoming schedule by contacting them personally or through the mail.

By leading this prayer effort, Alice can help our parish family grow in its devotion to the Blessed Mother in amazing ways.

“I hope to help our parishioners grow in their friendship with Mary, and develop a real relationship with her,” she says. “It is really important to think of Mary and the different saints and pray to them. I believe that people should contact Mary and tell her to put in a good word for all of us!”

Since she was just a young child, Alice has loved praying the Rosary and making it an integral part of her life.

“Throughout the years, it has helped me grow in my faith and get through various struggles,” she says. “It is a very helpful way to keep your mind on spiritual things so you are not weighed down by everyday cares. Sometimes, I pick up a rosary and hold it when I go to bed because it helps me to fall asleep peacefully. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I often start praying the Rosary and it helps me fall back asleep again.”

These days, Alice and her husband, Rich, pray the Rosary nearly every day. They especially enjoy praying it along with the religious sisters on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN).

“They try to promote the Rosary on EWTN,” she says. “We enjoy the meditations and the pictures that accompany the Rosaries featured there, especially when they show it being prayed at Lourdes.”

St. Padre Pio, who was known to pray up to 50 rosaries every day, once said, “The Rosary is the weapon!” With his powerful words in mind, let us take up this “weapon” whenever we can, and fight for the triumph of the Kingdom of God.

More people are needed to bring others to the heart of Our Blessed Mother by leading the Rosary. Substitutes are available to fill in when needed, so no one should feel strictly committed to their assigned day. For further information, or to sign up to lead the Rosary at St. Anthony’s, please contact Alice Rakers at 217-222-4798.

Alice Rakers