“[W]hen you begin to change the way you pray the Rosary, your life will change” (The Way of the Rosary, p. 3).
This statement couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to my own pilgrimage of prayer. For years, I prayed the Rosary in my car during my commute to work. The fifteen-to twenty-minute drive was the perfect opportunity to carve out a few sacred moments of prayer before my busy and extremely stressful day started—or ended, depending on how late I was running in the morning.
However, when I began a new position just two minutes from my home, I quickly realized that my little pocket of prayer was gone, and I needed to pivot my daily Rosary routine. The Lord led me to a new ritual that has unleashed tremendous grace into my life.
Rediscovering the Rosary
Now, every evening after dinner, I have a tea date with our Blessed Mother, using my favorite set of beads and the Rosary art cards I made myself. And after five months of this intentional, focused meditation with Mary, I can honestly say that I have fallen in love with the Rosary all over again.
This joyous rediscovery is at the heart of Shannon Wendt’s new book, The Way of the Rosary: A Journey with Mary Through Scripture, Liturgy, and Life.
The book is organized into five parts:
- Why the Rosary?
- Joy
- Light
- Sorrow
- Glory
Within this framework, Wendt’s words are presented as a beautiful and bold response to Pope Saint John Paul II’s exhortation for Christians to “rediscover the Rosary in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the Liturgy, and in the context of [our] daily lives” (p. 7). The author’s honest and inviting fervor for the Rosary is fluently woven into her clear and deep-rooted knowledge of its connection to the Mass, the Sacraments, Scripture, and everyday life, guiding readers to encounter Mary—and the Heart of her Son—through this ancient prayer.
The Rosary in History
From the beginning, I was enamored by the author’s definition of the Rosary as “a journey through the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus, walking hand in hand with the one on earth who knew him the best, his Mother, and allowing her to become our Mother along the way” (p. 5).
While I knew our Blessed Mother presented the Rosary to Saint Dominic, I did not realize that after his death, devotion to the Rosary fell by the wayside for over two hundred years. Were it not for the Dominican preacher Blessed Alan de la Roche, who established the form of the Rosary we know today, it may never have been revived! And when the ardor waned again, it was our steadfast Mother who intervened. I was amazed to learn that in almost every Marian apparition since the mid-twentieth century, including Fatima, our Lady has either held a Rosary in hand or encouraged us to pray it.
The Rosary in Scripture
The first section reveals how the author wrestled with prayer and the Rosary during a season of darkness and how God, through His Mother, turned her trial into a testimony—something that will resonate with anyone who has endured difficult loss. In the subsequent sections, Wendt walks us through the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries—and, as the subtitle suggests, explores how the power of each is revealed in Scripture, Liturgy, and daily life.
The section covering joy was my personal favorite. In particular, the insights surrounding the Old Testament types of Mary as the New Ark, the New Eve, and the New Rachel especially resonated with me. And while I was already familiar with the parallels between the Ark of the Covenant and the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, Wendt’s descriptive and enlightening deep-dive immediately drew me in. I know I will return to this chapter again as I seek to reflect more upon this fascinating connection.
The Rosary in Liturgy
Another favorite part of the book is in the section entitled “Living the Joyful Mysteries at Mass.” Drawing from the writings of Saint Vincent Ferrer, Wendt highlights the hidden preparations of the priest before Mass. I was awe-struck by the Saint’s comparison of the sacristy to the womb of our Lady. In poetic language, Wendt carries home his point in this captivating passage:
The people waiting in the sanctuary are not unlike the ancient Israelites, waiting in great hope for the promised Messiah. Though it wasn’t until the Nativity that the world knew Jesus, Mary’s ‘"yes”’ months before at the Annunciation made way for each one of us to encounter God in a radically new way: in our very bodies. So too, long before we arrive for Mass, the priest has given his own ‘“yes”’ and become a conduit of the grace of the Incarnation." (p. 36)
I found this revelation stunning, and I cannot wait to share it with my priest friends!
The Rosary in Life
Ultimately, Shannon Wendt’s goal is to help readers see the Rosary as “a living journey of prayer” (p. 5). When we etch the events of Jesus’ and Mary’s lives into our hearts, our worship, and our homes, we can bring every offered moment of joy, struggle, and suffering into harmony with their story.
As Wendt reminds us, “Jesus chose to make the mundane sacred” (p. 38). By uniting our own daily activities with Him through our Lady’s Rosary, we create an uninterrupted rhythm of prayer that permeates and transforms the mysteries of our own lives.
And the best news? “[I]t isn’t our job to bring that to perfection. Our job is just to respond” (p. 125).
The Rosary Revisited
Although I read The Way of the Rosary from cover to cover, I appreciate how it is broken into four standalone sections that can be studied individually. I agree with the author’s recommendation to revisit the book according to the liturgical rhythms of the Church year, and from this perspective, I think it is an enriching resource that aids deeper prayer.
While the author’s method of praying the Rosary “little by little” (p. 5) differs from my own, I have no doubt that countless readers—whether new to the Rosary or seasoned in this sacred practice—will benefit from this approachable and edifying book.
Cathy Webb is a consecrated virgin for the Diocese of Wilmington and the creator of the Sacred Heart to Heart prayer journal. A full-time Library Assistant, she finds joy in embracing the sacrament of the present moment and spreading the fragrance of Love everywhere she goes. She also treasures large cups of tea; her Chihuahua, Lucy; and anything Saint Therese. When she’s not writing and creating for the Kingdom, she can be found wearing a pretty dress while adoring the Heart of her Divine Spouse in the Eucharist. She is a contributing author to Blessed Conversations: Home. Find out more about her here.
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