I have wonderful memories of my mother, but none as powerful as watching her saying her daily Rosary at the kitchen table every morning. Whatever was going on with our family, her day would start with her coffee and Rosary. 

I grew up in a large Catholic family; prayer was something my mother taught us. My father was a salesman and had to travel. If he was running late, it was not unusual for her to wake us and have us kneel down on the kitchen floor with our rosaries to pray for his safe return. When we went to Mass, we would always arrive 15 minutes early to say our Rosary before Mass. 

As a teenager, I thought it was annoying. As an adult with a family of my own, it became a comfort.

My mother became sick for a while but would say she was doing as well as could be expected for someone at the age of 81. The year was 1997. I received a phone call from her: She was excited. She said that morning, sitting in her living room chair while saying her Rosary, her walls became covered in roses. I told her, “Maybe you were imagining it.” She replied, “No, the living room still has the scent of roses, I wasn’t imagining it.”  

She added, “I won’t be here much longer. This only means that Jesus and his mother Mary are close by.” She died two weeks later. 

The word “rosary” means “crown of roses.” Oftentimes, Jesus’ mother, Mary is pictured with a crown of roses on her head.  There are differing views as to the history of the Rosary. It is thought that the Rosary was given to St. Dominic when he had an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1214. In 1475, St. Alan of the Rock, who was a Dominican priest and theologian, is said to have had a vision from Jesus stating the urgency of using the Rosary as a form of prayer. In 1571, Pope Pius V encouraged all of Europe to pray the Rosary for the victory at the Battle of Lepanto. The Christian victory at Lepanto was celebrated on Oct. 7.  It was later renamed as the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. From the 16th century to the 20th century, the Rosary consisted of 15 decades. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added five new Luminous Mysteries. 

It remains a comfort to me.

When I was diagnosed with cancer seven years ago, one of the first things I did was pray the Rosary. I had several friends call and tell me they were saying a Rosary for me before my surgery. I have had several CAT scans, and there is no trace of cancer now.  I feel very blessed because of this. I can’t help but attribute this to the power of prayer. I am grateful for all of the Rosaries and prayers that were said for me. I believe they were helpful in my beating cancer. 

A year and a half ago, it was my husband with a cancer diagnosis. He went through surgery and many painful treatments. His cancer was extremely invasive. Again, prayers were said — and a few Rosaries — praying that he would beat it. He has now officially been told he is in remission.  The doctors were surprised. We weren’t, because we know that prayer can make the difference. 

When I arrive at Mass on Sundays, there is an elderly lady saying her Rosary who appears to have severe arthritis. I think of my mother when I see her. I think of how powerful her prayers must be. It gives me comfort to know that her prayers are going directly to God and blessing all of us who see her. 

Indeed, there is comfort in the Rosary.