Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.

— Hebrews 12:1

Either before you arrive or as you wait for class to begin, find this short passage from Sacred Scripture in your Bible or through an online search. Reading it will prepare you for this week’s material.

—John 19:25–27

O God our Father who have raised up a great number of saints to glorify your name, help us now by their intercession that, aided by those who have gone before us, we may safely reach the heavenly kingdom. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

As you watch the video lesson, refer to these key highlights. Feel free to use the space provided to take notes.

• The devotion of the Catholic faithful has given rise to various devotional prayers such as the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, novenas, and the Stations of the Cross.

• Devotional prayers embody particular mysteries of the Faith and allow them to permeate our life.

• The Rosary is an especially powerful form of devotional prayer. Praying the Rosary is a way to obtain Mary’s intercession and meditate on the mysteries of Christ’s life.

• We can cultivate a devotion to the saints by asking them to intercede for us or adopting them as our special patron or patroness.

• Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is critical. Devotion to Mary in no way detracts from the worship we owe God.

• Jesus has given Mary to us so that we can benefit from her motherly care and intercession. We can cultivate a devotion to her under many different titles.

Wisdom of the Saints

Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.

— St. Maximilian Kolbe

Take a moment to go through these questions with the group. For larger classes, divide them up into partners. Answers are provided to assist you in leading discussion.

1. What is a devotional prayer? Give some examples. How do they get started?

   A devotional prayer is a particular prayer outside of the liturgy. These include the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Stations of the Cross, litanies, and novenas. Devotions may be connected to a particular object like the miraculous medal or simply be a collection of prayers like litanies and novenas. Devotions may arise from the prayers of ordinary Catholics or visionary saints.

2. Why is the Rosary significant?

   The Rosary stands out as the most popular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Countless miracles, conversions, and favors have been…
   …obtained through praying the Rosary. Meditating on the Rosary puts us in touch with the mysteries of Christ’s life and Mary’s intercession.

3. What does it mean to have a devotion to a saint? What are some concrete actions associated with this?

   Someone has a devotion to a saint when they pray to that saint on a regular basis and ask for their special patronage. Outside of prayer, devotions to a saint might include having a statue or painting of him or her around the house, keeping prayer cards with an image nearby, studying his or her life and writings (if there are any), and spreading one’s devotion by telling others about the saint.

4. Why is devotion to Mary so important?

   Devotion to Mary is critical because of the role Mary has played in our salvation and the motherly intercessory role she continues to play in our lives. Devotion to Mary leads us closer to Christ.

Catechism Connection

By canonizing some of the faithful, i.e., by solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God’s grace, the Church recognizes the power of the Spirit of holiness within her and sustains the hope of believers by proposing the saints to them as models and intercessors.

— CCC 828

Discuss these questions with the group, pair them with a partner, or ask them to meditate on their own.

1. Have you ever had a chance to pray different devotional prayers? If not, which devotion are you interested in learning more about?

   Yes — I have tried several common devotional prayers such as the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross. If I wanted to learn more, I would start with the Rosary because it is rich in Scripture and accessible: begin by learning the prayers (Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be), then meditate on the Mysteries.

2. Do you have a patron saint? If so, what do you know about him or her? Do you ever ask your patron for help?

   I do / I could choose a patron saint whose life or work relates to my situation (for example, St. Joseph for workers or fathers, St. Thérèse for trust in God). I would learn about their life and virtues and ask for their intercession in prayer, believing the saints pray for us before God.

3. Have you begun to have a devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary? If so, what form has this taken? If not, what are some ways you could begin?

   Some common ways to grow a Marian devotion are praying the Rosary regularly, celebrating Marian feast days, entrusting oneself through a Marian consecration (e.g., St. Louis de Montfort), praying short Marian prayers (e.g., Hail Mary, Memorare), and learning about Mary in Scripture and Church teaching. These practices help draw one closer to Christ through Mary.

After concluding your group discussion, return to watch the second video where converts to the Catholic faith discuss their conversion and how they live today as Catholics.

Rome to Home

Mary’s motherhood, which becomes man’s inheritance, is a gift: a gift which Christ himself makes personally to every individual.

— Pope St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, no. 45

Devotional Prayer: A form of prayer such as the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Stations of the Cross, litanies, and novenas. Devotions may be connected to a particular object (like the miraculous medal) or simply be a collection of prayers like litanies and novenas.
Novena: A set of prayers said every day for nine successive days for a particular intention. The tradition of a novena arises from the nine days the apostles spent in the upper room before the Holy Spirit descended upon them on Pentecost.

Litany: A collection of various short invocations or prayers to God and the saints.

Sacramental Object (or “Sacramentals”): Holy objects such as a rosary, medal, or holy water by means of which spiritual effects are signified and obtained through the prayers of the Church.

Venerate: To honor or hold in high esteem.

God’s Word

My soul magnifies the Lord, / and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, / for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. / For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed; / for he who is mighty has done great things for me, / and holy is his name.

— Luke 1:46–49

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

This serves as a review of the material that your students can read after each class, but it may be helpful for you to read as well. Consider reading it before each class to better prepare you for group discussion.

Means of Drawing Closer to God

Throughout this program we have discussed various forms of prayer, such as mental prayer and liturgical prayer. Mental prayer is concerned with intimate conversation between the soul and God, while liturgical prayer is the official worship that we, as the body of Christ, offer to God.

Another important type of prayer is called devotional prayer, or devotions. These include prayers such as the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and the Stations of the Cross. The prayers found at the end of each of our chapters are also short traditional Catholic devotional prayers. Unlike liturgical prayer, devotions are not typically regulated by the Church but spread through popular piety; that is, the religious fervor of practicing Catholics. Devotions may be connected to a sacramental object (also called “sacramentals”) like the miraculous medal, or they may simply be a collection of prayers as with novenas, which are prayers prayed on nine successive days for a particular request. Many devotions have been started and spread by visionary saints, whereas others emerged gradually from ordinary Catholics.

Devotional prayers often embody particular mysteries of the Faith and allow them to permeate the whole of our life and practice. For example, praying the Stations of the Cross, as many Catholics do during Lent, helps us to meditate on the mystery of Christ’s suffering and death and allows us to follow him spiritually through the many arduous steps of his passion. Catholics enjoy a great freedom in choosing the devotional prayers that best suit them and help their life of prayer. It is a way to “personalize” our practice of the Faith.

One way to become acquainted with devotional prayers is to buy a book of traditional Catholic prayers. You can experiment with different prayers and choose a few that you like. It is a good idea to choose a handful of devotional prayers to pray each day. For example, it is customary to pray the Morning Offering when one wakes up in the morning or to pray to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death, before going to bed. There is a potentially infinite number of devotional prayers and devotions available. Catholics should not feel like they need to do all of the devotions they learn about. Rather, we should experiment with several and select some to do on a regular basis.

There is a great variety of devotional prayers and it would be impossible to name them all here. However, one devotional prayer stands above the rest. The Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a devotional prayer that was promoted by the early Dominican friars. Our Lady is often depicted giving the Rosary to St. Dominic. The Rosary has subsequently become one of the most important devotional prayers in the Church, to the point of being an icon of Catholicism itself. The prayer involves the use of a string of beads which one passes between the fingers, helping him to keep track of the Hail Marys and Our Fathers he says. The beads are divided into five sets of ten for the Hail Marys, with one lone bead in between those sets for the Our Fathers. As one says these prayers, he or she meditates on various events in the life of Mary and Jesus, known as the Mysteries of the Rosary. There is also an association that you can join called the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, where you promise to say certain prayers for the other members, and benefit from their prayers for you. (More information about how to pray the Rosary and about the Confraternity can be easily found through a simple online search).

The history of the Church and the experience of Catholics reveal that the Rosary is an incredibly powerful prayer. Many favors have been obtained through the Rosary, and the Rosary plays a key role in many people’s conversion. It is a privileged instrument of the Blessed Virgin Mary and an extension of her motherly intercession. Meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary put us in touch with the events of Christ’s life and the many graces he won for us by deeds and sufferings. Catholics should know how to pray the Rosary and cultivate a habit of praying it often, even daily.

It is also important for Catholics to cultivate a devotion to the saints. Holy men and women have lived the Faith over the centuries and stand as role models for us. They also intercede before God on our behalf in heaven. We have thousands to choose from whom we can invite to be our special intercessors. You may be led to cultivate a devotion to a particular saint because you share a name or because you have been impressed by his or her life and want to imitate it. It is a great idea to choose several saints to pray to on a regular basis. This can take the form of a devotional prayer or a short invocation of that saint each day—such as, “St. Dominic, pray for us,” or, “St. Catherine, pray for us”—in order to form a small personal litany. Outside of prayers, devotions to a saint might include having a statue or painting of him or her around the house, keeping prayer cards with an image nearby, studying his or her life and writings (if there are any), and spreading one’s devotion by telling others about the saint.

Since the Blessed Virgin Mary occupies such an important role in our salvation, devotion to her is critical. God blessed her abundantly and gave her a unique role in interceding for us. She is the Mother of God and, consequently, the Mother of our salvation and the Mother of the Church.

Devotion to Mary tends to be a big stumbling block for those who approach the Catholic faith from a Protestant denomination. Some are worried that devotion to her takes away from worship of Christ. But Catholics do not worship Mary; we venerate her, which means to honor …or hold in high esteem. God does not see Mary as a threat to the sovereign worship owed to him and neither should we. God delights in directing us toward Mary’s motherly intercession. She is an incredible gift to us. God included her most closely in the work of redemption, and he wants us to benefit from her motherly love. Just as a pastor, friend, or family member can bring us closer to Christ by teaching us about him and praying to him on our behalf, so, too, does Mary. She strengthens our relationship with her Son. As his mother, no one is better able to open our hearts to him. There is a tremendous love between the two of them, so if one is close to Mary, it will inevitably bring one closer to Jesus. On the Cross, Jesus entrusted Mary to John, saying, “Behold your mother” (Jn 19:27). In this gesture, Jesus also gave Mary to all of us so that we could benefit from her motherly care and intercession.

One of the keys to a successful spiritual life is to allow the Blessed Mother to be a special intercessor for us. It is important to pray to Mary in time of special need, but it is also important to pray to her on a regular basis. One way to personalize our devotion to Mary is to choose a particular Marian apparition to study and be devoted to. The Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared to Christians in many times and places and so devotion to her has arisen according to many different names. For example, you may pray to Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe, etcetera. Another excellent practice is to pray to Mary under a particular title; for example, Mary Queen of the Angels, Health of the Sick, or Refuge of Sinners. Any litany of the Blessed Virgin will expose you to many titles for Mary, all of which are different and express the many maternal roles she plays in our lives.

Devotion to Mary and the saints and the many litanies and other prayers the Church offers us, while all different, serve one chief purpose: to draw us closer to God. They are meant not to distract or take away from this relationship but to enhance it. It is important to have this understanding as a Catholic, for your own benefit and so that you can explain this often misunderstood aspect of the Church to others. These means to drawing closer to God are a great gift, and all Catholics would be wise to make use of these gifts.

Cameron, Peter John. Mysteries of the Virgin Mary: Living Our Lady’s Graces. Servant, 2010.

Rotondi, Rick and Brian Kennelly. Queen of Heaven: Mary’s Battle for Souls. Charlotte, NC: TAN Books, 2017.