Formulary
Below are directions for praying the rosary using a normal rosary with beads. If you don't have beads and you still want to pray the rosary then just say the prayers and meditate on the Mysteries. If you miss a prayer, get out of order, or have trouble meditating on the mysteries don't worry, you aren't offending God The Father, Jesus, or the Virgin Mary. They are exceedingly happy that you are trying and want you to continue on. If you are out of order then just pick up where you think is best. Physical directions are in italics, the prayers and words are in normal text, and larger direction sets are in bold and italics. Below the Instructions are the prayers, if you need to refer to the prayers. There is also a Word by Word page which takes you step by step through the whole rosary.
The Introduction
Hold the Crucifix, cross yourself and say
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Then say
The Apostles Creed
Hold the first large bead or Pater bead after the Crucifix and say
One Our Father
Hold the first smaller bead in the set of three and say
For an increase in Faith, Hope, and Love
And
One Hail Mary
Hold the second of the three beads and say
One Hail Mary
Hold the third bead and say
One Hail Mary
One Glory Be
The Decades
Hold the rosary's center piece and announce the First Mystery of the day and then say
One Our Father
Holding the small bead to the right of the center piece say
One Hail Mary
Move to the next bead to the right, hold it and say
One Hail Mary
Repeat this until you have prayed 10 Hail Mary's. While praying the Hail Mary's meditate on the First Mystery. Think about the mystery, consider what it means to you now, what it meant to the people who lived through it, try and relive it as Jesus or Mary or one of the disciplines. If your mind wanders, always direct it back to the prayers you are saying and the mystery you are meditating about.
Move to the Large bead to the right and hold it saying
One Glory Be
Announce the Second Mystery
One Our Father
Holding the small bead to the right of the large bead say
One Hail Mary
Move to the next bead to the right, hold it and say
One Hail Mary
Repeat this until you have prayed 10 Hail Marys. While praying the Hail Marys meditate on the Second Mystery.
Repeat this pattern of Announcing the Mystery, praying the Our Father, praying ten Hail Marys, and praying the Glory Be for the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Mysteries. Once you complete the Fifth Mystery you will have completed the circle of the rosary and you will be holding the bead next to the center piece.
The Conclusion
Holding the center piece say a concluding prayer. This prayer can be any prayer you want, either a formulaic prayer or a spontaneous prayer of thanks, adoration, asking for forgiveness, or asking for something from God. If you can't think of anything then you can't go wrong with an Our Father. End by crossing yourself and saying the Doxology, which is
In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
As you are able spend a little time after the rosary considering the five Mysteries you meditated on, think on them as a group or individually, think about the life of Jesus and the disciples, or read some Sacred Scripture or Sacred Tradition from which the Mysteries are drawn.
The Prayers
The Apostle's Creed
I believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord.
By the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin May.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell.
On the third day He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
He is seated at the right hand of the Father from which he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen
The Our Father
Our Father who art in heaven
Hallowed be Thy name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation but delivery us from evil.
Amen
The Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen
The Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen