Saint John Paul II ends Rosarium Virginis Mariae with an appeal to families: the family that prays together stays together, and the Rosary, 'by its very nature', is a prayer of the family. Familiaris Consortio likewise names the Rosary among the forms of prayer the Church warmly commends to the home. A family Rosary does not need to be perfect or complete; it needs to be regular, gentle and shared. This guide gives the practical shape most families settle into.

What you need

• A rosary for each person who wants one (children love their own)
• A fixed time and a corner of the home, ideally before an image of Our Lady or a crucifix
• Today's mysteries, chosen in advance
• About twenty-five minutes, or ten for a single decade

When to pray it

Daily if you can, often after the evening meal or before bedtime; a decade a night is a real family Rosary. Many families keep the full five decades on Sundays, in October and in May.

Steps

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   Step 1: Choose a time and place

   Pick a time you can keep most days and a place where the family naturally gathers. Light a candle or set out an image of Our Lady so the moment is visibly different from the rest of the evening. Phones are put away before the Sign of the Cross▾.

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   Step 2: Assign the leader and the decades

   One person leads the whole Rosary, or, better, the decades are shared out: a parent takes the first, and each child who can pray the Hail Mary▾ takes one. Younger children can announce a mystery or lead the Glory Be▾. Decide this before you begin so there is no negotiating mid-prayer.

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   Step 3: Open together

   The leader begins the Sign of the Cross▾ and everyone joins. Pray the Apostles' Creed▾ together, then the Our Father▾, three Hail Marys▾ and the Glory Be▾ on the opening beads. In the leader-and-response pattern the leader prays the first half of each prayer and the family answers with the second half.

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   Step 4: Let children announce the mysteries

   Before each decade a child announces the mystery, for example: "The first Joyful Mystery: the Annunciation." A parent may add one sentence about the scene, or read two or three verses from the Gospel. Keep it to a sentence or two; children lose the thread in long meditations.

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   Step 5: The leader prays the first half, the family answers

   For the Our Father▾ the leader prays as far as "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" and all answer "Give us this day our daily bread..." For each Hail Mary▾ the leader prays "Hail Mary▾, full of grace... blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus," and all answer "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen." Close each decade with the Glory Be▾ and the Fatima Prayer▾.

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   Step 6: Add intentions before each decade

   Before the Our Father▾ of each decade, invite one person to name an intention aloud: a sick grandparent, a friend, a test, the souls in purgatory, peace. This teaches children that the Rosary is prayed for someone, and it gives each decade a face.

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   Step 7: Close with the Hail, Holy Queen

   After the last decade pray the Hail, Holy Queen (Salve Regina▾) together, then: V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Add the closing prayer of the Rosary if the family knows it. Many families end with the Guardian Angel Prayer▾ for the children and the Sign of the Cross▾.

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   Step 8: Keep it going when it gets hard

   There will be evenings of tiredness and resistance. Shorten rather than skip: one decade prayed together is still the family Rosary. Return to five decades on Sundays and feasts, and do not measure success by how reverent the children looked. Saint John Paul II's word for the family Rosary is perseverance.

Tips

• Start small and be faithful: one decade every evening will outlast five decades attempted twice.
• Give every child a job: leading a decade, announcing a mystery, holding the candle, naming an intention.
• Expect wriggling, yawning and wandering. Keep going without scolding; the habit matters more than the posture.
• Let teenagers lead. Being asked to lead a decade is very different from being told to attend one.

Related devotions

• The Holy Rosary

Related saints

• Saint Pope John Paul II
• Saint Joseph