For centuries, we had the standard fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary: Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious. I remember being taught these by an old nun in Catholic school. (Most of the religious education in that school was pop psychology and inspirational feature films, so this was a real exception.)
Then, in 2002, St. John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, and suggested they be prayed every Thursday. I follow this practice myself.
Today I learned about the Hopeful Mysteries of the Rosary, which were introduced by Bishop William Albert Wack of Pensacola–Tallahassee in 2024.
They are:
CreationThe Flood
Abraham's Sacrifice
Passover
The Immaculate Conception
I must say I'm impressed by Bishop Wack's audacity. Proposing a new set of rosary mysteries when you've been the Supreme Pontiff for over twenty years is one thing. Doing so as a relatively new and obscure bishop is another.
Still, I'm the sort of traditionalist who loves new traditions, so I'll definitely pray the Hopeful Mysteries at some stage!
Bishop Wack of Pensacola.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not April 1.
Some might say he's out of Wack but I'm going to give his idea a Wack...
DeletePersonally I prefer to distinguish between the rosary and other forms of mental prayer. I always felt that the luminous mysteries were better suited to the Ignatian method. Old Testament passages are good for meditation also, I'm a great fan of Abraham, but do they always need to become rosary mysteries? Is praying the traditional 15 that restrictive that we can't wander into other events and considerations anyway?
ReplyDeleteWhat I ask myself anyway.
But wouldn't that point about Ignatian spirituality apply to all the mysteries of the rosary?
DeleteIt's a fair point that the rosary is already a flexible prayer and that you could have other devotions to meditate on those mysteries. I also wonder how exactly you would visualize the Immaculate Conception-- the Annunciation? But there's a mystery for that already...
I do like that devotions afford so much scope for freedom and even self-expression, in a way.
The Immaculate Conception is the conception of Mary, not Jesus, so it's quite distinct from the Annunciation.
DeleteWJT, you're quite right. I can't believe I made that rookie mistake!
DeleteOld Testament Mysteries for the Rosary seems a little odd.
ReplyDeleteI pray the Luminous Mysteries on Thursdays but think having four sets of mysteries for a seven-day week is a little awkward. The old three-set system worked -- each set twice a week, with the Sunday Mysteries depending on the liturgical calendar. Bishop Wack should have added three new sets to make it seven. It's not like there's any shortage of events in the life of Christ.
I actually haven't looked at the video yet, so I don't know if he had any ideas on how to incorporate them. I do think that adding them to the weekly cycle would be a bit much, but maybe that's not his ideas.
DeleteThe Luminous Mysteries are actually my favourite, especially the Transfiguration. I always have a sense of a treat when I pray them.
Anonymous above is me. Forgot to sign in.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteIgnatian meditation can of course be used to the rosary mysteries but events in Christ's public ministry are more suited. The rosary mysteries, as crystallized in Pius V's reign are not unchangeable but the cycle of Incarnation, Passion, Reurrection had become something specific
ReplyDeleteIt's always Pius V, isn't it?
DeleteI'm only kidding. You have a good point. There was probably a reason those mysteries lasted as they were for so long. But the Luminous Mysteries seem to have been pretty well accepted-- although they do refer to Christ's ministry, as you say.