The Living Rosary

Today when Mom and I were in the chapel for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, I picked up a little magazine published by the Universal Living Rosary Association. I began to read, and read the whole magazine during the time we were there. It touched my heart, and I wanted to know more about the Association. I try to be careful not to get involved in things that might be contrary to the Church in any way, so tonight I looked on-line to see what I could find out.

Reading the website, I discovered that the Living Rosary was founded by Venerable Pauline-Marie Jaricot (pictured here). I had no knowledge of her, so I googled her name. Imagine my surprise to discover that her spiritual director and dear friend was no other than my 2009 patron saint, St. Jean Baptiste-Marie Vianney!

Pauline-Marie also founded the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which exists to this day and is one of the Vatican's four pontifical mission societies. The administration of the Living Rosary Society was given to the Dominicans after Pauline's death. They also managed the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, and after awhile the Living Rosary Society became just a stepping stone to the Confraternity. However, Pauline and the Living Rosary were not forgotten, and in 1962 Pope John XXIII proclaimed Pauline-Marie Jaricot "venerable," stating that she was the one who thought of the idea for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, "who conceived it and made it an organized reality."

From the new website of the Universal Living Rosary Association:

On Dec. 8, 1986, Richard and Patricia Joann Melvin, married more than 30 years, began a revival of Pauline Jaricot’s Living Rosary lay apostolate in an effort to honor Our Blessed Mother and St. Philomena. What originated with less than 30 people dedicated to praying a daily decade of the rosary has grown to more than 11 million devoted Christians around the world, all praying their dedicated decades of the Rosary each day of every year.

"The aim of the Living Rosary is to ask God, through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, the conservation of the Faith in Catholic countries, the conversion of sinners, the strengthening of the just, and the exaltation of the Holy Church.

The people who join together for this pious exercise, divide among themselves the recitation of the prayers of the entire Rosary, and divide into groups of 15, in honor of the 15 principal mysteries of our redemption. Their intention is to form, by the union of their hearts, as so many living rosaries which unceasingly recall to the Celestial Father the sign of salvation manifested to St. Dominic by the Mother of Mercies.

After Our Lady of the Rosary, the Association recognizes and honors as its mediatrix before God, the illustrious Virgin and Martyr, St. Philomena, named by the Sovereign Pontiff, protectress of the Living Rosary."
- Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot

There is a form on the website, should you wish to join the ULRA. Please click on the links to read more about the Association.

PS: Remember my New Year's resolution to pray the Rosary every day, and how I asked St. Jean Vianney to pray for me that I would be able to do so? I believe that it was through his intercession that I was introduced to Pauline-Marie Jaricot and the Living Rosary. By making this commitment, I am promising to pray at least my dedicated decade of the Rosary every day for the rest of my life.