--- title: "My Rosary Story: Mary in the Front Seat" description: Facing a long commute, Shelly Henley Kelly used her time in the car to cultivate the habit of praying the Rosary. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/My%20Rosary%20Story.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/my-rosary-story-mary-in-the-front-seat#) [FAITH](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/faith) # My Rosary Story: Mary in the Front Seat Oct 4, 2020 10:00:00 AM  |  by [Shelly Henley Kelly](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/shelly) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/My%20Rosary%20Story.png) *Facing a long commute, Shelly Henley Kelly used her time in the car to cultivate the habit of praying the Rosary.* After returning from maternity leave, I surprised everyone – including myself – by changing careers and taking on a new role with the family business. Instead of having a five-minute commute, I now drive 45 minutes each way. Faced with the reality of being in the car daily for 90 minutes, I am taking advantage of the time to do things I haven’t had time to do before, like listen to audio books, podcasts, and audio CDs of lectures delivered at church. I also started a new habit. After loading up my smartphone with the Rosary Army podcast, I committed to praying the rosary daily either on my way to work, or on the drive home. Using the [*RosaryCast* MP3](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rosary-cast-the-gospel-as-a-meditation/id216763425) to first lead and now guide me, I’ve learned some of the prayers I’m less familiar with, particularly Hail Holy Queen. I’m also learning the mysteries and trying to really reflect on them during the prayer. There are days when I pray the words cheerfully. There are days when it feels like a real chore. There are days when it feels routine and my mind wanders. There are days when I can barely choke out the words through my tears. There are days when the words are a very real and physical comfort to me. There are days when the rhythmic repetition soothes me. When I pray the Rosary, I imagine Mary riding with me in the front seat, someone to talk with during the drive. I tell her my thoughts, whatever weighs on my mind, particularly people I'm praying for. Sometimes I have specific requests, and other times I allow the Holy Spirit to inspire me.  Someone I know expecting a baby, the victims of a tragic traffic accident that happened outside the office building last week, or just an unknown woman walking down the street with two young boys and a baby in her arms. I envision Mary taking these petitions up to our Christ Jesus, her being in His presence, just a Mother spending time with her son. > [When I pray the Rosary, I imagine Mary riding with me in the front seat, someone to talk with during the drive. #catholicmom #myrosarystory](https://ctt.ac/7rde1) [Look for a new Rosary Story](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/my-rosary-story) each day throughout October, and use the hashtag #myrosarystory to share yours on social media!   ![My Rosary Story IG](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/My%20Rosary%20Story%20IG.png?width=1080&name=My%20Rosary%20Story%20IG.png) --- Copyright 2020 Shelly Henley Kelly Shelly originally shared this story in 2012. ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fmy-rosary-story-mary-in-the-front-seat%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fmy-rosary-story-mary-in-the-front-seat%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fmy-rosary-story-mary-in-the-front-seat%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=My%20Rosary%20Story%3A%20Mary%20in%20the%20Front%20Seat) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fmy-rosary-story-mary-in-the-front-seat%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fmy-rosary-story-mary-in-the-front-seat%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Shelly Henley Kelly](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Shelly%20Kelly.jpg) ### [Shelly Henley Kelly](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/shelly) Shelly Henley Kelly is a wife, mother of three, and native Texan who writes and records a podcast with her sister on [Of Sound Mind and Spirit](http://www.soundmindandspirit.com/). When not writing or recording, Shelly can be found keeping the scorebook at her son’s baseball games, diving deep into historical research, or hiding with a good book in between games. [**](https://www.facebook.com/SoundMindandSpirit/) [**](https://www.twitter.com/shellyhkelly) ## Related Blog Articles [ 'Triumph of the Heart': More Than a Story of Sacrifice Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/triumph-of-the-heart-more-than-a-story-of-sacrifice) [ Following Mary: Our Lady of Prompt Succor Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/following-mary-our-lady-of-prompt-succor) [ Marriage Gifts: Knowledge Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/marriage-gifts-knowledge) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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