Magnificat
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; Because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Holy is His Name; And His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him. He has shown might with His arm, He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has given help to Israel, His servant, mindful of His mercy - Even as He spoke to our father - to Abraham and to his posterity forever.
 

Steps to Praying the Rosary
1.            While holding the crucifix make the Sign of the Cross. and then recite the Apostles Creed.
2.            Recite the Our Father on the first large bead.
3.            Recite a Hail Mary for an increase of faith, hope and charity on each of the three small beads.
4.            Recite the Glory Be to the Father on the next large bead.
5.            Recite the Fatima Prayer "O my Jesus" on the large bead.
6.            Recall the first Rosary Mystery and recite the Our Father on the large bead.
7.            On each of the adjacent ten small beads (also refered to as a decade) recite a Hail Mary while reflecting on the mystery.
8.            On the next large bead, recite the Glory Be to the Father, the Fatima prayer.
9.            Each succeeding decade is prayed in a similar manner by recalling the appropriate mystery, reciting the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, the Glory Be to the Father, and the Fatima prayer while reflecting on the mystery.
10.          When the fifth mystery is completed, the Rosary is Customarily concluded with the Hail Holy Queen, and the Sign of the Cross.

10 Reasons to Pray the Rosary
1.   Fr. Bob Barron in his dynamic documentary on the Catholic Faith talks about how the repetivie nature of the rosary helps calm down our "monkey minds."  He explains that often our minds are like monkeys jumping from one thing to another as a monkey jumps from one branch to another.  By slowing down and doing something repetively it helps calm us down so that we can be more aware of God speaking to us.

2.  Praying the rosary also helps us in times of temptations by creating a temporal distance between a moment of temptation and the actual sins.  Many of our sins especially sexual sins are impulsive and reactionary to different stimuli. If when we are feeling tempted we took the time to pray the rosary it would allow us to focus and remind us what really is important in our life. 

3.  Praying the rosary also helps to reorrient ourselves.  One of the orginal meetings of the word "sin" was actually a military term.  When an archer missed his target he "sinned" and the "sin" was measured by how far away from the bullseye was where his arrow actually landed.  The greater distance away from the bullseye the greater the sin.  In a similar way the more our actions are like that of Christ the closer we are to the bullseye in our moral life and thus less sin.  By praying the rosary it helps reorients us to the mysteries of faith and what Jesus would do in a particular situation. 

4.  Praying the rosary is also quoting Scripture.  The first part of the Hail Mary is the greeting the angel Gabriel gave to the Blessed Virigin Mary in the Gospel of Luke.  The Our Father is found in both the Gospel of Mathew and Luke.  Finally all of Scripture is about praising the Blessed Trinity.

5.  Praying the rosary reminds us that God is our Father and that He has not abandoned us.  He rather has an awesome plan for each one of us.  God is not against us but rather He is totally for us. 

6.  Praying the rosary reminds us that we are sinners and thus we do not always make the right decisions.  Reminding ourselves that are sinners reminds us that we are in need of God's grace and thus praying "pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death" is in many ways the beginning of true wisdom. 

7.  Praying the rosary is praying a simple and true method of prayer that has led many others to heaven.  Mother Teresa carried a rosary with her at all times.  She encouraged others to pray with her.  For she saw in Mary the model of the perfect disciple and a loving mother who loved all her children. 

8.  Praying the Rosary reminds us of the mysteries of faith.  It reminds us that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn us but rather to save us (see John 3:16).  We can sometimes feel for one reason or another that God is out to get us so it is always important for us to be reminded just how much God loves us by meditation on the different mysteries of the rosary. 

9. Praying the Rosary is an expensive way to grow closer to God.  Even if you do not have a rosary one can simply use his or her fingers to keep track of the prayers.  10 fingers - 10 Hail Marys in a decade. 

10.  Praying the Rosary invokes Mary's motherly care.  Praying the rosary points out to us that Jesus in His divinity chose Mary to be his mother and in his humanity He was obedient to her.  Upon the cross Jesus gave Mary to us to be our Mother. 
 

Our Lady of Guadalupe - Mystical Rose
Our Lady of Guadalupe, mystical rose, intercede for the Church, protect the Holy Father, help all who invoke You in their necessities. Since You are the ever Virgin Mary and Mother of the True God, obtain for us from Your Most Holy Son the grace of a firm and sure hope amid bitterness of life, as well as an ardent love and the precious gift of final perseverance.  Dearest Lady, fruitful Mother of Holiness, teach me Your ways of gentleness and strength. Hear my prayer, offered with deep felt confidence to beg this favor. O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to Thee under the glorious title "Guadalupe" - the Virgin who crushed the serpent. Queen of Martyrs, whose Immaculate Heart was pierced by seven swords of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns strewn across my path. Invoke the Holy Spirit of Wisdom to fortify my will to frequent the Sacraments so that, thus enlightened and strengthened, I may prefer God to all creatures and shun every occasion of sin. Help me, as a living branch of the Vine that is Jesus Christ, to exemplify His divine charity always seeking the good of others. Queen of Apostles, aid me to win souls for the Sacred Heart of my Savior. Keep my apostolate fearless, dynamic, and articulate, to proclaim the loving solitude of Our Father in Heaven so that the wayward may heed His pleading and obtain pardon, through the merits of Your Merciful Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our Lady Help of Christians by St. John Bosco
Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christian, how sweet it is to come to your feet imploring your perpetual help. If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me? Grant then to me, I implore you, your perpetual help in all my necessities,  in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations. I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering.  Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners. Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life.  Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians, that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.

History:
The Franciscan historian Luke Wadding (1588-1657) dates the origin of the Franciscan Crown to the year 1422. He tells the story of a young novice in the Franciscan Order who, previously accustomed to express his devotion to the Blessed Virgin by adorning her statue with a wreath of fresh flowers, was prevented from continuing this practice in the novitiate. In distress, he considered leaving the Order. But the Blessed Virgin appeared to him and instructed him to recite a rosary of seven decades in honor of her seven joys; thus, he might weave a “crown” more pleasing to her than flowers on her statue.

From that time the practice of reciting the “crown of the seven joys“ became general in the order. Thus it became known as the Franciscan Crown—or the Seraphic Rosary.
 
How to Pray The Franciscan Crown
1. Using beads for the Franciscan Crown (seven decades), announce the First Mystery and pray the Our Father on the single bead just before the medallion.
 
2. Pray one Hail Mary for each of the ten beads. (It seems most fitting to proceed around the beads in a clockwise direction.)
 
3. On the single bead between the decades, announce the next Mystery and then pray the Our Father. Continue as in Step 2 for the remaining Mysteries.
 
4. After the last Mystery, pray one Hail Mary each on the fourth and third beads from the Cross to complete 72 years of Mary’s Joy.
 
5. Pray the Our Father and the Glory to the Father (Gloria Patri) for the intention of the Holy Father on the 2nd bead from the Cross.
 
6. Pray a Hail Mary on the single bead closest to the Cross.
 
The Seven Joys of Mary
1. The Annunciation
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
 
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:26–38
 
 2. The Visitation
During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” . . . Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. (Luke 1:39–45, 56)

3. The Nativity
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
 
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1–7)
 
 4. The Adoration by the Magi
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”
 
. . . And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.
 
They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1–2, 9b–11)

 5. The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple
Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
 
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.
 
When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:41–51)
 
 6. The Resurrection
But at daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
 
While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.
 
They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” And they remembered his words. (Luke 24:1–8)
 
 7. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin into Heaven and Her Coronation as Queen of Heaven
Hence the revered Mother of God, from all eternity joined in a hidden way with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a most perfect virgin in her divine motherhood, the noble associate of the divine Redeemer who has won a complete triumph over sin and its consequences, finally obtained, as the supreme culmination of her privileges, that she should be preserved free from the corruption of the tomb and that, like her own Son, having overcome death, she might be taken up body and soul to the glory of heaven where, as Queen, she sits in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages.
 
And so we may hope that those who meditate upon the glorious example Mary offers us may be more and more convinced of the value of a human life entirely devoted to carrying out the heavenly Father’s will and to bringing good to others. Thus, while the illusory teachings of materialism and the corruption of morals that follows from these teachings threaten to extinguish the light of virtue and to ruin the lives of men by exciting discord among them, in this magnificent way all may see clearly to what a lofty goal our bodies and souls are destined.

Novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots
1.            Make the sign of the cross.
2.            Say the Act of Contrition.
Oh my God I am heartily sorry for having offended you. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell. But most of all, because I offended you, oh my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. – Amen
3.            Say the first 3 decades of the Rosary.
4.            Make the meditation of the day (See below).
5.            Say the last 2 decades of the rosary
6.            Finish with the Prayer to Our Lady the Undoer of Knots
(Closing Prayer)
Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of his children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power
with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot... [Here you mention the cross that you have...] I beg you to undo it for the glory of God, once for all, You are my hope. O my Lady, you are the only consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution and with Christ the freedom from my chains. Hear my plea. Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me

Meditation for Day 1
Dearest Holy Mother, Most Holy Mary, you undo the knots that suffocate your children, extend your merciful hands to me. I entrust to You today this knot.... [Here you mention the cross that you have...]
and all the negative consequences that it provokes in my life. I give you this knot that torments me and makes me unhappy and so impedes me from uniting myself to You and Your Son Jesus, my Savior.
I run to You, Mary, Undoer of Knots because I trust you and I know that you never despise a sinning child who comes to ask you for help. I believe that you can undo this knot because Jesus grants you everything. I believe that you want to undo this knot because you are my Mother. I believe that You will do this because you love me with eternal love. Thank you, Dear Mother.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
The one who seeks grace, finds it in Mary's hands.


Meditation for Day 2
Mary, Beloved Mother, channel of all grace, I return to You today my heart, recognizing that I am a sinner in need of your help. Many times I lose the graces you grant me because of my sins of egoism, pride, rancor and my lack of generosity and humility. I turn to You today, Mary, Undoer of knots, for You to ask your Son Jesus to grant me a pure, divested, humble and trusting heart. I will live today practicing these virtues and offering you this as a sign of my love for You. I entrust into Your hands this knot [Here you mention the cross that you have...] which keeps me from reflecting the glory of God.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Mary offered all the moments of her day to God.


Meditation for Day 3
Meditating Mother, Queen of heaven, in whose hands the treasures of the King are found, turn your merciful eyes upon me today. I entrust into your holy hands this knot in my life... [Here you mention the cross that you have...] and all the rancor and resentment it has caused in me. I ask Your forgiveness, God the Father, for my sin. Help me now to forgive all the persons who consciously or unconsciously provoked this knot. Give me, also, the grace to forgive me for having provoked this knot. Only in this way can You undo it. Before You, dearest Mother, and in the name of Your Son Jesus, my Savior, who has suffered so many offenses, having been granted forgiveness, I now forgive these persons... and myself, forever. Thank you, Mary, Undoer of Knots for undoing the knot of rancor in my heart and the knot which I now present to you. Amen.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Turn to Mary, you who desire grace.

Meditation for Day 4
Dearest Holy Mother, you are generous with all who seek you, have mercy on me. I entrust into your hands this knot which robs the peace of my heart, paralyzes my soul and keeps me from going to my Lord and serving Him with my life. Undo this knot in my love...., [Here you mention the cross that you have...]
O mother, and ask Jesus to heal my paralytic faith which gets downhearted with the stones on the road.
Along with you, dearest Mother, may I see these stones as friends. Not murmuring against them anymore but giving endless thanks for them, may I smile trustingly in your power.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Mary is the Sun and no one is deprived of her warmth.

Meditation for Day 5
Mother, Undoer of Knots, generous and compassionate, I come to You today to once again entrust this knot... [Here you mention the cross that you have...] in my life to you and to ask the divine wisdom to undo, under the light of the Holy Spirit, this snarl of problems. No one ever saw you angry; to the contrary, your words were so charged with sweetness that the Holy Spirit was manifested on your lips. Take away from me the bitterness, anger and hatred which this knot has caused me. Give me, o dearest Mother, some of the sweetness and wisdom that is all silently reflected in your heart. And just as you were present at Pentecost, ask Jesus to send me a new presence of the Holy Spirit at this moment in my life. Holy Spirit, come upon me!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Mary, with God, is powerful.

Meditation for Day 6
Queen of Mercy, I entrust to you this knot in my life... [Here you mention the cross that you have...]
and I ask you to give me a heart that is patient until you undo it. Teach me to persevere in the living word of Jesus, in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Confession; stay with me and prepare my heart to celebrate with the angels the grace that will be granted to me. Amen! Alleluia!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
You are beautiful, Mary, and there is no stain of sin in You.

Meditation for Day 7
Mother Most Pure, I come to You today to beg you to undo this knot in my life... [Here you mention the cross that you have...] and free me from the snares of Evil. God has granted you great power over all the demons. I renounce all of them today, every connection I have had with them and I proclaim Jesus as my one and only Lord and Savior. Mary, Undoer of Knots, crush the evil one's head and destroy the traps he has set for me by this knot. Thank you, dearest Mother. Most Precious Blood of Jesus, free me!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
You are the glory of Jerusalem, the joy of our people.

Meditation for Day 8
Virgin Mother of God, overflowing with mercy, have mercy on your child and undo this knot... [Here you mention the cross that you have...] in my life. I need your visit to my life, like you visited Elizabeth. Bring me Jesus, bring me the Holy Spirit. Teach me to practice the virtues of courage, joyfulness, humility and faith, and, like Elizabeth, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Make me joyfully rest on your bosom, Mary. I consecrate you as my mother, Queen and friend. I give you my heart and everything I have (my home and family, my material and spiritual goods.) I am yours forever. Put your heart in me so that I can do everything Jesus tells me.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Let us go, therefore, full of trust, to the throne of grace.

Meditation for Day 9
Most Holy Mary, our Advocate, Undoer of Knots, I come today to thank you for undoing this knot in my life... [Here you mention the cross that you have...] You know very well the suffering it has caused me. Thank you for coming, Mother, with your long fingers of mercy to dry the tears in my eyes; you receive me in your arms and make it possible for me
to receive once again the divine grace. Mary, Undoer of Knots, dearest Mother, I thank you for undoing the knots in my life. Wrap me in your mantle of love, keep me under your protection, enlighten me with your peace! Amen.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.