Our Family's Week with the Joyful Mysteries

Karen Estep recaps her family’s experience of using the new book, The Family That Prays Together Stays Together, to pray the Rosary.

As a newish Catholic, I wish The Family That Prays Together Stays Together had been published about two years sooner, because it would have made learning the Rosary a bit easier for my entire family!

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My husband and I were formally welcomed into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 2022. Neither of us grew up Catholic, so we had to learn a lot. Then we found out that we now had to teach this to our children as well …

Our first time praying the Rosary in RCIA was a flop. We had no idea what bead to be on, how the prayers could be responsive, and really even how to say any of the prayers. It was frustrating to say the least and yet we knew that we needed to learn it to be able to pass this beautiful prayer to our children.

For one week, we followed how The Family That Prays Together Stays Together sets up praying the Rosary as a family: one decade a day on Monday through Friday, Saturday an entire Rosary, and then a reflection on Sunday. In all honesty, we did the one decade a day Monday through Friday, got busy Saturday, completed our full Rosary on Sunday, and here is my reflection. I would say that all sounds like a pretty typical, busy family in the spring!

I saved starting this with my family until Holy Week, and the timing was meant to be. We started Monday, March 25, which is typically the Solemnity of the Annunciation (this year it was moved to April 8). The first Joyful Mystery is the Annunciation! Also, since we missed completing the full Rosary on Saturday, we got to pray a full Rosary as a family on Easter Sunday. All of the Joyful Mysteries on the most joyous day for Christians … coincidence? I think not!

The first few days of praying the decade as a family were a bit slow going. I was the one leading the prayers typically (because I was the “keeper of the book”). My children both attend Catholic school, so I was slightly surprised they didn’t jump in more during the prayers. However, the really neat part was when it came to reflecting on the various Mysteries, because they were both able to tell me everything they had learned at school! I was so proud, and it really showed how they really are paying attention to their religious education studies. As the week went on both of my kiddos and husband joined in more with the prayers.

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We had tried something similar to this during the Lent before coming into the Church, and it did not go as well that year. Perhaps it was because my children were much younger, or perhaps it was because we didn’t have a guide like the one Fr. Willy Raymond, C.S.C., created for families. Whatever the case may be, I was really worried about praying the whole Rosary with two very silly, young, ants-in-their-pants type kiddos, but I am proud to report that they did amazing! They even really seemed to like doing the entire Rosary as a whole family!

If you are a new Catholic like me or you find the Rosary to be overwhelming at times, I would recommend this book to you. It breaks down the Mysteries and it gives really cute anecdotal stories about Fr. Patrick Peyton. There is also a picture guide on how to pray the Rosary, plus the history of the Rosary, in the appendix. The book makes the Rosary not just about learning repetitive prayers, but it shows us that the Rosary is a tool for your family to grow in faith, to grow closer to Mama Mary, and in turn grow closer to Jesus.

Save 20% off the cover price of The Family That Stays Together Prays Together when you purchase the book from the Holy Cross Family Ministries online store. Use coupon code CMROSARY at checkout. This offer expires June 10, 2024.