The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
In Ascension’s Rosary in a Year podcast, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, guides listeners in a step-by-step journey that will change the way you pray – no matter where you are in your spiritual life.
By starting small and adding on over time, listeners will find themselves falling more in love with this powerful Marian devotion, becoming a source of grace for the whole world.
Listen to discover….
How to build a daily habit of prayer
How to form a relationship with Jesus and Mary
The Biblical foundations of the Rosary
How to meditate with sacred art (visio divina), saint writings, and scripture (lectio divina)
The power of Mary’s influence in your life
…and more.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
By starting small and adding on over time, listeners will find themselves falling more in love with this powerful Marian devotion, becoming a source of grace for the whole world.
Listen to discover….
How to build a daily habit of prayer
How to form a relationship with Jesus and Mary
The Biblical foundations of the Rosary
How to meditate with sacred art (visio divina), saint writings, and scripture (lectio divina)
The power of Mary’s influence in your life
…and more.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Episodes (172)
Day 256: The Luminous Mysteries
Today, we pray and meditate on the Luminous mysteries. We can draw on our mental archive, reminded of Jesus and Mary’s awareness of the couple’s needs at the Wedding Feast at Cana, and therefore our...
Day 255: The Joyful and Luminous Mysteries
Concluding the Joyful Mysteries and entering into the Luminous Mysteries, we follow the unfolding revelation of Christ’s identity. In the Presentation at the Temple, the Infant Jesus is offered to the...
Day 254: The Joyful Mysteries
The Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity are at the heart of today’s prayer. Together, they tell the story of God’s saving love entering the world through Mary’s faithful “yes” and the birth of...
Day 253: The Glorious Mysteries
Lifting up our hearts to the final Glorious Mysteries, we rejoice in the Descent of the Holy Spirit, who fills the Apostles with courage and ignites the Church with divine power. We then behold the...
Day 252: The Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries
We journey through the heart of our faith as we pray the final Sorrowful Mystery and enter the Glorious Mysteries. We behold the Crucifixion, where Christ’s boundless love is poured out upon the Cross...
Day 251: The Sorrowful Mysteries
As we meditate on the Sorrowful Mysteries, we enter into the depth of our Lord’s Passion. The Scourging at the Pillar, the Crowning with Thorns, and the Carrying of the Cross each draw Christ nearer...
Day 250: The Luminous and Sorrowful Mysteries
Beginning our decades with the Luminous Mysteries, we contemplate the Transfiguration and the Institution of the Eucharist. In these events, Christ points toward His Passion and prepares His disciples...
Day 249: The Luminous Mysteries
Our focus today is on the Luminous Mysteries—the Baptism of Jesus, the Wedding Feast at Cana, and the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God. These moments mark the beginning of Christ’s public ministry...
Day 248: The Joyful Mysteries
We continue to immerse ourselves in the Joyful Mysteries. Today, we meditate on the birth and early life of Jesus through three mysteries: the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, and the Finding...
Day 247: The Glorious and Joyful Mysteries
Today we begin our three decades by meditating on the Coronation of Mary, honoring her as Queen of Heaven and earth. Moving into the Joyful Mysteries, we meditate on the Annunciation and the...
Day 246: The Glorious Mysteries
We’re invited to lift our hearts in joyful hope as we pray the Glorious mysteries. We reflect on the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the dignity and destiny of...
Day 245: The Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries
We continue to build spiritual endurance through the rhythm of daily prayer. Meditating first on the carrying of the cross and the crucifixion and death of Jesus, we enter deeply into his suffering...
Day 244: The Sorrowful Mysteries
As we begin praying three decades together, Fr. Mark-Mary shares insight on why we’re moving into a focus on prayer in this phase of the Rosary in a Year podcast. We’re encouraged to lean into our...
Day 243: The Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist
How do we recognize God’s voice in prayer? Fr. Mark-Mary teaches that the most certain way is through Scripture, where God’s word speaks clearly and consistently. As we regularly read and pray with...
Day 242: The Wedding Feast at Cana and Proclamation of the Kingdom and Call to Conversion
Are you feeling bored in your prayer life? Many experience a sense of spiritual dryness during mental prayer or while praying the Rosary. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that love often calls for...
Day 241: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple and Baptism of Jesus
Many of us struggle with distraction in prayer. Fr. Mark-Mary offers encouragement for cultivating a more focused and peaceful prayer life by examining the noise we allow into our daily routines. He...
Day 240: The Nativity and the Presentation
We dive back into the joyful mysteries of the Nativity and the Presentation, drawing upon our mental archive and praying with Fr. Mark-Mary. Fr. Mark-Mary also explores distraction in prayer and how...
Day 239: The Annunciation and the Visitation
Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to dive deeper into our meditation while we pray with the Annunciation and the Visitation. As we revisit these familiar moments, we’re invited to take a new angle each time,...
Day 238: The Assumption and Coronation of Mary
Today we pray with the Fourth and Fifth Glorious Mysteries: the Assumption of Mary and her Coronation as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that in the Assumption, we witness God’s...
Day 237: The Ascension and the Descent of the Holy Spirit
We pray with the Second and Third Glorious Mysteries: the Ascension of Jesus and the Descent of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus ascends into heaven, we reflect on the mystery of his closeness, how his union...
Day 236: The Crucifixion and the Resurrection
We pray with the fifth Sorrowful Mystery, the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus, and the first Glorious Mystery, his Resurrection. At the Cross, we witness Christ’s total self-gift, his mercy toward the...
Day 235: The Crowning with Thorns and the Carrying of the Cross
In prayer, we focus on the third Sorrowful Mystery, the Crowning with Thorns, and the fourth Sorrowful Mystery, the Carrying of the Cross. In the mockery of Jesus as King, we behold the profound...
Day 234: The Agony in the Garden and the Scourging at the Pillar
As we enter into the sorrowful mysteries of Christ’s Passion, we reflect on His agony in the garden and His scourging at the pillar. We see Jesus pleading with the Father in solitude, embracing the...
Day 233: The Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist
Leading us in prayer, Fr. Mark-Mark reflects on the Transfiguration and the gift of the Eucharist as these moments reveal Jesus’ divine identity and His enduring presence. We witness Jesus revealed in...
Day 232: The Wedding Feast at Cana and Proclamation of the Kingdom and Call to Conversion
Fr. Mark-Mary invites us into a prayerful meditation on Jesus’ miracle at the Weeding in Cana and His proclamation of the Kingdom of God. At the wedding, we reflect on Mary’s attentiveness and Jesus’...
Day 231: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple and Baptism of Jesus
Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in prayer by drawing our hearts to two powerful scenes in the life of Christ. We are invited to ponder the mystery of Jesus being found in the temple and His baptism at the...
Day 230: The Nativity and the Presentation
In today’s episode, we continue praying simply and slowly with the mysteries themselves. Fr. Mark-Mary guides us in reflecting on the birth of Jesus, God made flesh, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and...
Day 229: The Annunciation and the Visitation
Today, we begin moving into meditation with the mysteries of the Rosary. Fr. Mark-Mary gently reminds us of the major themes of the Annunciation and the Visitation, inviting us to draw upon our mental...
Day 228: Lifted Up With Mary
We entrust our intentions, someone else’s need or a situation outside of ourselves, to Our Lady. Fr. Mark-Mary guides us to imagine her with us at home, in your car, or wherever you are, receiving...
Day 227: Shared with the Trinity
Today we share our intentions with not just one Person of the Trinity, but with the full Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, an eternal exchange of love. Whatever intention you’re carrying,...
Day 226: Entrusted to the Spirit
Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to pray, bringing our hearts and intentions to the Holy Spirit, asking to be overshadowed by the same Spirit who came upon Mary at the Annunciation. We entrust our intentions...
Day 225: Bring It to Jesus
Continuing the focus on intercessory prayer, Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to bring the intentions on our hearts directly to Jesus. He encourages us to imagine the Lord drawing near—whether to rejoice with...
Day 224: Intentions to the Father
Fr. Mark-Mary enriches our time of prayer by inviting us to practice intercessory prayer, where we can bring before the Lord all that weighs on our hearts and minds. He invites us to imagine offering...
Day 223: Now and at Death
Focusing on the final petition in the Hail Mary, Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that we are pilgrims on a journey, accompanied by Mary who lovingly intercedes for our salvation. He encourages us to invoke...
Day 222: Elizabeth’s Greeting
Contemplate Elizabeth’s joyful greeting: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Fr. Mark-Mary leads us with prayerful attentiveness to recognize the sacred wonder of...
Day 221: Words of an Angel
By reflecting on the angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary from Luke 1:28, we are guided through the opening words of the Hail Mary with renewed attentiveness. Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to enter into a...
Day 220: Lingering in the Words
Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to pray with attentiveness to the words of the prayers and let the repetition become a space for deeper reverence, presence, and meditation. Resting in the words, we discover...
Day 219: The Gift of Prayer
We begin meditating on the words of the prayers as we pray our decades of the Rosary. Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to focus on the words of the Our Father, recalling the gift of this prayer that Jesus...
Day 218: Walking With Mary
In this final episode of our series on relational prayer with the Rosary, we turn our hearts toward Our Lady, inviting her not only into our imagination but into the very moments of our day, whether...
Day 217: Resting With the Trinity
As we continue focusing our decades of the Rosary on the persons we’re praying to, Fr. Mark-Mary shares some insight on how to pray to the Trinity. We’re invited to sit at the table with the Trinity,...
Day 216: Overshadowed by the Spirit
We continue our review of relational prayer with the Trinity, turning our hearts to the Holy Spirit. Fr. Mark-Mary shares various aspects of the Spirit to start our meditation, inviting us to...
Day 215: Here With Jesus
Imagine Jesus present in your everyday environment—your home, school, office, or car. While we often picture Him in distant historical settings, Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to experience Jesus coming...
Day 214: Trusting the Father
We are invited to enter into prayer with a deep awareness of the Heavenly Father’s presence through Fr. Mark-Mary’s meditative reflection. Drawing from Jesus’ prayers before Lazarus’ tomb and His...
Day 213: Advocate, Queen, and Mother
Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to build a personal, relational prayer life by connecting intimately with the Blessed Virgin Mary. He invites us to imagine ourselves stepping into St. John’s home, sitting...
Day 212: Eternal Exchange of Love
Opening with prayerful reflection, Father Mark-Mary invites listeners to contemplate the Holy Trinity not as an abstract concept but as a living communion of love—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Drawing...
Day 211: Presence of the Holy Spirit
We have an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit through today's meditative prayer and the Rosary. Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to personally engage with the Holy Spirit by offering...
Day 210: Relationship With the Son
We continue deepening our practice of relational prayer, focusing on Jesus the Son. We place ourselves in his presence not abstractly, but intimately, as we step into the moment with him. This prayer...
Day 209: Praying With the Father
Today we begin Phase 5: Building Up the Decades. We begin to deepen not only the quantity but especially the quality of our prayer. This next phase is all about growing our capacity for contemplative,...
Phase 5 Bonus: Introduction to Phase Five: “Building Up the Decades”
Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Dr. Edward Sri as they discuss practical tips for growing your devotion to the rosary and persevering through dry periods in prayer. Dr. Sri shares inspiring stories about...
Day 208: Mary is With Us
In the mystery of Mary’s coronation, we dive into the depths of Mary’s role as queen and mother. Fr. Mark-Mary reviews some of the many layers of this mystery: Mary’s role as an intercessor, her love...
Day 207: Fiat by Fiat
Those of us who wish to experience the fulfillment of God's promises in our lives are called to make the journey through life to heaven just like Mary did: fiat by fiat. Fr. Mark-Mary walks through...
Day 206: Promise of the Father
In Pentecost, the Church receives the promise of the Father: the Holy Spirit. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in meditation with the Holy Spirit, focusing on Pentecost as a prayer event, the Apostle’s...
Day 205: With Us Always
Fr. Mark-Mary explains that the Ascension is not Christ’s departure, but the perfection of His presence with us. No longer limited by time or space, Jesus is now intimately present to each of us in a...
Day 204: Transcending Death
The Resurrection was a transformation of life that transcended death, bringing hope, healing, and renewal to all of creation. Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes that this new reality is not just a return from...
Day 203: God’s Relentless Pursuit
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Christ’s cry from the cross reveals not despair, but a prayer that carries the weight of human suffering to the heart of the Father. Fr. Mark-Mary draws...
Day 202: Scapegoat and Savior
Fr. Mark-Mary connects Jesus carrying His cross to Christ as the new scapegoat, freely taking on the exile, rejection, and sins of all humanity and carrying them to His place of crucifixion. Simon of...
Day 201: Thorns for Love
Mocked and spat upon, Christ crowned with thorns fulfills the image of the suffering servant—humble in agony, yet still the King, still victorious. Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to behold Him, as Pilate...
Day 200: Glory Hidden in Suffering
We follow the trajectory of the Scourging, beginning with sorrow as we behold the results of sin in Jesus scourged, are encouraged to respond by consoling Jesus as he suffers, and finally contemplate...
Day 199: What the Garden Reveals
The Agony in the Garden reveals deep truths, shared by Fr. Mark-Mary, as we return to three prior meditation topics. The nature of sin is unveiled, as we draw the connection to the prodigal son. Jesus...
Day 198: The Love of Jesus
The Holy Eucharist is one of the greatest signs of Jesus’ love. With Fr. Mark-Mary, we return to the mystery of the Institution of the Eucharist, diving into the creativity of love and the abyss of...
Day 197: Mystery of Light
We’re invited to faithfulness in prayer and a journey to the mountaintop in the Transfiguration. Returning to this mystery, Fr. Mark-Mary meditates on the theme of Jesus’ revelation of himself, our...
Day 196: Invited to the Kingdom
We review our meditations focused on the Proclamation of the Kingdom, recalling Jesus’ call to us, asking us to become residents of the kingdom of heaven. Revisiting Rembrant’s Storm of the Sea of...
Day 195: New Wine, New Life
“Do whatever He tells you.” Mary’s powerful words at the Wedding Feast at Cana urge us to trust Jesus wholeheartedly. This moment reveals Jesus as the divine bridegroom who brings transformation, joy,...
Day 194: Beloved Sons and Daughters
Reflecting on the Baptism of Jesus, Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes that our own baptism equips us with the identity and strength needed to face spiritual trials. Drawing from Scripture and the works of St....
Day 193: Faith in the Silence
Our guided meditation on the fifth Joyful Mystery, the Finding of Jesus in the Temple, highlights the faith and trust of Mary and Joseph when faced with unexpected events and limited understanding....
Day 192: A Renewed “Yes”
Through storytelling and scripture, Fr. Mark-Mary explores the sacrificial freedom expressed by both Jesus and Mary during the Presentation in the Temple. Mary’s renewed “yes” is a powerful witness to...
Day 191: Unworthy Yet Welcomed
Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the Nativity, emphasizing the overwhelming joy and sense of unworthiness that can accompany encountering the gift of Jesus. We are invited to contemplate the transformative...
Day 190: Returning to the Visitation
We continue practicing meditation with our mental archive, returning to Mary as the Ark of the Covenant, understanding the Visitation as our invitation to song, and Mary’s charity and love towards us....
Day 189: Beginning Our Meditation
We begin Phase 4: Finding Focus today, reviewing several topics for meditation on the Annunciation. Putting the mental meditation archive we’ve been building into practice, Fr. Mark-Mary leads us...
Bonus: Introduction to Phase Four: “Finding Focus”
What’s the difference between a commitment and a devotion? How can we grow in love for the rosary? In this special bonus episode, Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Sr. Miriam James Heidland SOLT, to discuss...
Day 188: Gifts for Mary
In our final visio divina episode, we meditate on a fresco entitled Mary, Help of Christians, by Giuseppe Rollini. Mary is surrounded by rows and rows of saints, from all backgrounds and professions,...
Day 187: God is Never Outdone
Jesus took flesh from Mary and glorified it, says St. Augustine. As we meditate on the Assumption through a stained glass depiction, Fr. Mark-Mary explains how Mary’s generosity to Jesus is given back...
Day 186: Power From On High
In anticipation of Pentecost, Jesus tells his disciples to wait until the Father sends them power from on high. Fr. Mark-Mary tells us, considering the painting of Pentecost, attributed to Simone...
Day 185: Proclaiming Christ
Each of us is called to share the Gospel boldly through our witness, words, and love. Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on this mission through Duccio’s Appearance on the Mountain in Galilee, where Christ...
Day 93: Look Like You Love Him
When Mary and Joseph realized that Jesus was missing, they searched everywhere, stopping at nothing to find him. This is how love searches, Fr. Mark-Mary tells us, drawing from a reading by St....
Day 92: Waiting in the Temple
When Jesus was presented in the Temple, Simeon was ready to receive the long desired savior. With a reading from St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fr. Mark-Mary asks us how we’ve been preparing to receive our...
Day 91: Cause For Joy
Is the Nativity a cause for joy in your life? Reflecting on a sermon from St. Leo the Great, Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that sometimes when we don’t feel the joy of the Nativity, we’re actually being...
Day 90: Consoling Mother
We read from St. Alphonsus Liguori’s On the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, recognizing that Mary’s office as Mother means that she will console us. Fr. Mark-Mary shares a prayer from St. Mother...
Day 89: Long Desired
We move into our Saint Reflections section of Phase 3 with a reading from St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s Four Homilies in Praise of the Virgin Mother. Fr. Mark-Mary focuses on St. Bernard’s explanation of...
Day 88: The Road of Humility
Mary chose humility, waiting with confidence in the Lord and his goodness. For this, Fr. Mark-Mary says, she has been made queen of heaven and earth. In our lectio divina today, we’re encouraged to...
Day 87: It’s All True
The mystery of the Assumption reveals that everything God promised to Mary was fulfilled. Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes that we can place our hope in this: if God’s faithfulness was true for Mary, God’s...
Day 86: Filled with New Wine
After the descent of the Holy Spirit, those who hear the Apostles are amazed and perplexed, suggesting that perhaps the Apostles have had too much wine. On one level, the people are wrong, but on...
Day 85: The Blessing Never Stops
In his glorified body, Jesus no longer has physical limitations. This is why, Fr. Mark-Mary explains, Jesus’ blessing upon the Apostles, and therefore us, never ends after he ascends to heaven....
Day 84: Do Not Be Afraid
In the mystery of the Resurrection, Jesus and the angels bring the same message: do not be afraid. This is a sign of the joy and confidence with which the Father wants us to encounter life. Fr....
Day 83: Father Forgive Them
In the midst of the most tragic of circumstances, his crucifixion and death, what does Jesus say? Jesus prays for all of us, asking the Father to forgive. Today, Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio...
Day 82: Simon’s Choice
During Jesus’ passion, the gospel tells us that a man named Simon was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross. In this moment, Simon was given a decision: to fight back against this injustice, or to make the...
Day 81: Behold Your King
Although the Roman soldiers mockingly hail Jesus as king, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that in this mystery we see the reality of Jesus’ true kingship and dignity. In our prayer of lectio divina, we...
Day 80: His Blood For You
Jesus freely endured the suffering of the scourging because of his great love for us. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, meditating on the depth of Jesus’ love for us and how he wants us to...
Day 79: Trust like Jesus
When Jesus is sorrowful in the Garden of Gethsemane, he stays in relationship with the Father, trusting in the Father’s plan. Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to sit with Jesus, trusting in the Father when we...
Day 78: Given for You
At the last supper, Jesus tells his disciples that he earnestly desires to eat the Passover with them. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, meditating on Jesus’ longing, his earnest desire, to...
Day 77: Have No Fear
When we experience fear and doubt, we can turn to the Father’s revelation that Jesus is the one we have been looking for. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina as we meditate on Jesus' gentle...
Day 76: The Shepherd is Shepherding
The mystery of the Proclamation of the Kingdom and the Call to Conversion reveals to us that the time is now. God is here, and he desires to shepherd you. As we pray lectio divina, Fr. Mark-Mary asks...
Day 75: Jesus and Mary See You
At the Wedding Feast at Cana, Mary notices first that the wine has run out. Fr. Mark-Mary explains that this means Mary and Jesus are invested in us. They are looking for our areas of need, so that...
Day 74: Beloved of the Father
We know Jesus is the beloved of the Father, but today Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that we too should see ourselves as beloved through the grace of our Baptisms. As we pray lectio divina, we meditate on how...
Day 73: Seek Him
How are we seeking Jesus? Are we aware that as we seek Jesus, he too is seeking us? Fr. Mark-Mary asks us the words Jesus asks Mary when she finds him in the Temple, “how is it that you sought me,” as...
Day 72: You Don’t Wait in Vain
Simeon and Anna spent their entire lives waiting in the Temple for the savior. We might feel like Simeon and Anna, waiting for God and his promises in our own lives. Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that the...
Day 71: Behold God
What was the experience of the shepherds, called by angels to the birth of God? How would we react to seeing the newborn Christ? Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, drawing us into the experience...
Day 70: The Faith of Mary
In the Visitation, God is revealing that he keeps his promises. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, meditating on finding blessedness in our faith in God, like Mary who believed in God’s...
Day 69: Nothing is Impossible
Congratulations! You have made it to Phase 3 of the Rosary in a Year: Meditating on the Mysteries. We begin lectio divina with Fr. Mark-Mary, meditating on Mary’s yes to a person, not a plan. We’re...
Bonus: Introduction to Phase Three: “Meditating with the Mysteries”
How do we really dive into meditation while we pray the rosary? In this special bonus episode, Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Fr. Gregory Pine to discuss Franciscan and Dominican prayer, accessing grace...
Day 68: Fancy Friends
Many of us have “fancy” friends in our lives, and sometimes we are the “fancy” friend: someone whose role, talents, or connections are able to help us out. However, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that we all...
Day 67: He Has Promised
Sometimes God asks us to do things that are unexpected or difficult. However, these times are often an opportunity for God to bless us: although we might have planned good things for ourselves, God...
Day 66: Wait and Pray
What were the Apostles feeling as they waited in the upper room? Despite their trepidation, the Apostles waited and prayed with confidence, and the Holy Spirit transformed them. Fr. Mark-Mary shares a...
Day 65: Returning Home
Did Jesus leave us when he ascended to heaven? Fr. Mark-Mary answers this question, leading us in a meditation on the certainty of Jesus’ perpetual presence with us in all times and places. Today’s...
Day 64: Christ is Risen
How do you celebrate Easter? Fr. Mark-Mary provides listeners with a challenge, reminiscing on the moment he realized just how important Easter is, and how much hope the truth that Christ is Risen can...
Day 63: Even Unto Death
Just as the father in the parable of the prodigal son does not merely wait to welcome his son back, but pursues to meet him on the way, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that God does not wait for us to return...
Day 62: He Meets Us
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father does not wait for his son to come back home, but instead descends to meet him on the way. In the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross, God our Father...
Day 61: You Are Beloved
When the devil attacks, he tries to mock us and deny our dignity. Fr. Mark-Mary continues the journey of reflecting on the passion of our Lord as it reveals the true nature of sin, revealing how...
Day 60: Effects of Sin
Sometimes we don’t fully recognize or understand the effects of sin on our soul, but the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar reveals the reality of sin to us. Fr. Mark-Mary continues the journey of...
Day 59: The Nature of Sin
As we begin journeying through the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to illustrate how Jesus’ Agony in the Garden reveals humanity’s rejection of...
Day 58: Creativity of Love
When you love someone, you create a way to be with them. Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that if you love Jesus, you’ll create time to be with him. However, our love for God is a response to God’s love for us....
Day 57: Let's Step Away
To reveal his glory in the Transfiguration, Jesus took the apostles up the mountain, apart from distractions. Today, Fr. Mark-Mary asks if Jesus might be asking us to step away and go up the mountain...
Day 56: Good News
What is the Proclamation of the Kingdom and the Call to Conversion really about? Fr. Mark-Mary explains the rich mystery of the Proclamation of the Kingdom and the Call to Conversion, revealing the...
Day 55: Water Into Wine
In the Wedding Feast at Cana, we see Mary taking a new role: that of the initiator, asking Jesus to perform his first miracle. Fr. Mark-Mary unpacks this mystery, revealing the depth of Mary’s...
Day 54: My Beloved Son
The waters of the Jordan in our lives must always precede the sands of the desert. Fr. Mark-Mary explores the mystery of Jesus’ Baptism, highlighting that Jesus’ baptism immediately precedes his...
Day 53: Our Perfect Director
Mary and Joseph knew that they had a special role when raising Jesus, but something unexpected happens in the mystery of the Finding in the Temple. Mary may not fully understand Jesus’ explanation...
Day 52: My Eyes Have Seen Salvation
Simeon’s words at the Presentation of the Lord, “Now let your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation,” are said around the world every day by religious...
Day 51: Moved With Awe
How would we feel if we could experience the Nativity the way Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and Magi did? Fr. Mark-Mary shares the story of a visitor who truly experienced the awe and wonder of...
Day 50: Rejoice in the Beauty
God takes our ordinary and turns it into the extraordinary. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us through a meditation on the mystery of the Visitation, focusing on the Magnificat, describing how Elizabeth’s words...
Day 49: How Can This Be?
How do we move forward when we can’t see God’s plan ahead of us? Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in a meditation on the mystery of the Annunciation, explaining how Mary can show us the way. She may not have...
Day 48: Mother and Queen
How should we venerate Mary as the Queen of Heaven, and what does being Queen of Heaven mean? Fr. Mark-Mary explains that far from detracting from our worship of God, giving due veneration to Mary...
Day 47: Mary’s Return Home
What are the Biblical roots of the Assumption? Fr. Mark-Mary draws from both the Old and New Testament to explain the Biblical basis of Mary’s Assumption. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, and so...
Day 46: Come Holy Spirit
The Descent of the Holy Spirit makes all things new, including our way of participating in God’s life. Fr. Mark-Mary looks at Pentecost as a prayer event, the fulfilment of the promise of the Father,...
Day 45: He Parted from Them
What does Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, body and soul, mean for us? Fr. Mark-Mary explains that this mystery is more than Jesus joining the Father in Heaven: the Ascension has implications for our...
Day 44: Glorified Reality
In the Resurrection we are given an opportunity to see the glorified reality that is our destiny and our hope. Fr. Mark-Mary pulls from Pope Benedict XVI’s writings to explain glorified reality and...
Day 43: The Veil is Torn
Are Jesus’ last words on the cross from Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” a cry of despair, or a revelation of hope? Fr. Mark-Mary shares a meditation on God’s response to Jesus in...
Day 42: Sent into Exile
In the Old Testament, the scapegoat was led outside of the city, bearing the sins of the people. In a striking parallel, the fourth Sorrowful mystery of the Rosary features Jesus being led outside of...
Day 41: The Victorious King
In the mystery of the Crowing with Thorns, we see both the effects of sin on the world, but also the truth that Jesus is conquering death. Fr. Mark-Mary continues drawing connections between the...
Day 40: Suffering Servant
Fr. Mark-Mary explains the historical context behind the mystery of the Scourging at the Pillar, and reveals how this mystery fulfills prophecies within the Old Testament book of Isaiah. Today’s focus...
Day 39: In the Garden
Through obedience to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemene, in the mystery of the Agony in the Garden, Jesus will repair the damage caused by Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Fr....
Day 38: Food for the Journey
In the institution of the Holy Eucharist Jesus is revealed as the Bread of Life that sustains us to the promised land. Fr. Mark-Mary draws upon the Old Testament to reveal how this mystery was...
Day 37: To Be Transfigured
The mystery of the Transfiguration is a glimpse of heaven, giving us an image of the home Jesus has prepared for us. Fr. Mark-Mary takes us on a journey in the book of Exodus as we explore Jesus’...
Day 36: The Kingdom and the Gospel
The Lord is here and he is at work! Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that we don’t have to save ourselves: Jesus is proclaiming the Good News and acting for good in our lives, just as he acts in this third...
Day 35: Divine Bridegroom
Sometimes we can feel like we’ve run out of wine, we’ve run out of sweetness in our lives. However, as the Divine Bridegroom, Jesus will provide the wine. Fr. Mark-Mary explains the spiritual...
Day 34: The Anointed One
Each of the Luminous mysteries reveal an aspect of Jesus’ nature and mission. Fr. Mark-Mary draws on the history of the Jordan River and the Jewish Day of Atonement, historical details that reveal...
Day 33: Lost and Found
Why does Jesus leave Mary and Joseph to remain in the temple in Jerusalem? Fr. Mark-Mary unpacks the spiritual significance of the Finding in the Temple, teaching us about filial obedience and how we...
Day 32: A Total Offering
The Mystery of Jesus’ Presentation signifies an important moment of fulfillment between the Old and New Covenant. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us through this mystery, pointing out parallels between Simeon’s...
Day 31: No Other Savior
Sometimes it’s difficult to see how God can work through the hard situations in our lives. In the Mystery of the Nativity, the Holy Family was faced with an incredibly hard situation: traveling 90...
Day 30: The New Ark
In the Old Testament, God met his people, dwelt with them, and brought them victory through the Ark of the Covenant. As we explore the Biblical roots of the Mysteries of the Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary...
Day 29: Something Unexpected
All of Jesus’ story was unexpected, as a very different Messiah than the people anticipated. Fr. Mark-Mary walks us through the historical and Biblical context of the mystery of the Annunciation,...
Day 28: Be Joyful, Be Free
Do you fully believe in the forgiveness of sins professed in the Creed? Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that so often we receive forgiveness but continue to carry the internal burden of sin. Drawing from the...
Day 27: The Spirit Prepares Us
Fr. Mark-Mary shares his personal testimony on the Holy Spirit’s influence in his life and encourages us to look for the Holy Spirit’s presence in our own lives. He explains how meditating on the...
Day 26: The Room is Ours
Jesus has already prepared a room for us in the Father’s house. Fr. Mark-Mary reveals that not only will we be able to join Jesus in heaven someday, but each time we pray the Rosary, we have a moment...
Day 25: No Longer in Darkness
By the grace of Jesus Christ, there is no longer total darkness. Fr. Mark-Mary explains how we can maintain hope while meditating on the crucifixion, a necessary prelude for the Sorrowful Mysteries....
Day 24: Still, Small Voice
The Holy Spirit chooses to do his greatest works and reveal his glory in still and quiet moments. While reflecting on the Apostles’ Creed, Fr. Mark-Mary uncovers the Incarnation as one of these silent...
Day 23: Creator of Heaven and Earth
Were you there when he laid the foundation of the Earth? Fr. Mark-Mary brings us this pertinent question from the book of Job as we reflect on the Apostles Creed that we pray every Rosary. He explains...
Day 22: Lead Souls to Heaven
The Fatima Prayer, said at the end of each decade of the Rosary, was given to us in the Marian apparition at Fatima. Fr. Mark-Mary draws from Romans 8:28, balancing between gravitas and hope,...
Day 21: Show Unto Us
When we call upon Mary, what does she say to us? As we pray the Rosary and ask Mary to show Jesus unto us, we hear her response through the story of the Wedding Feast at Cana in the Gospel of John. If...
Day 20: Eyes of Mercy
You are enough for God. Fr. Mark-Mary contemplates Mary’s Magnificat, reminding us that Mary and Jesus look upon us with eyes of mercy, rejoicing in our offerings of love to them, no matter how small...
Day 19: Valley of Tears
We may be in a valley of tears, but we are never alone. Fr. Mark-Mary reads from the Gospel of John, revealing that the Blessed Mother has shared in our sufferings, and in the Rosary, is always with...
Day 18: Our Sweetness, Our Hope
Jesus gives us not only what we need, but in his abundance, gives us more than what we need so that we might have joy. Fr. Mark-Mary meditates on the Hail Holy Queen, exploring the relationship...
Day 17: Turn On the Light
Catholics may be very familiar with the Sign of the Cross, but this short prayer has deep significance. Fr. Mark-Mary shares the Biblical origins of the Sign of the Cross, reading from Matthew’s...
Day 16: Glorify Him
How often do we pray a prayer of purely praise and adoration to God? Fr. Mark-Mary explains how the Rosary and the Glory Be can be said as a prayer of praise, drawing from the Catechism of the...
Day 15: Mother of God
You know the Mother of God. Fr. Mark-Mary contemplates this amazing gift, drawing from Biblical examples of the special relationship between mothers and children that is present in Mary’s relationship...
Day 14: Blessed Are You
Everytime we say the Hail Mary, we express a cry of joy in honor of the Blessed Mother. Fr. Mark-Mary reveals the Biblical celebration at the center of the Hail Mary that we too can participate in,...
Day 13: Full of Grace
As we pray the rosary, we can focus on the words of the prayers we’re saying, especially the words of the Hail Mary. Fr. Mark-Mary explains the Biblical roots of the Hail Mary, leading us in a...
Day 12: Deliver Us From Evil
We conclude our meditations on the Our Father with Fr. Mark-Mary delving into the parable of the Good Shepherd, the Fall in Genesis, and Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, helping build our mental...
Day 11: As We Forgive
We are to forgive as we have been forgiven. Today, Fr. Mark Mary leads us in a meditation upon the forgiveness described in the Our Father, taking inspiration from a parable in Matthew 18 and a...
Day 10: Daily Bread
What is the “daily bread” we pray for in the Our Father? Fr. Mark-Mary provides Biblical examples from the Gospels and Exodus to reveal how God is always providing daily bread for his people. The...
Day 9: Thy Will Be Done
Fr. Mark-Mary continues meditating on the Our Father, exploring the concept of the kingdom of heaven through Matthew 18:1-4. Jesus instructs his disciples to become like children in order to enter the...
Day 8: Our Father in Heaven
How do you approach God when you pray the Rosary? Fr. Mark-Mary begins exploring the Biblical Roots of the Rosary with the Our Father by comparing the story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 32 to Jesus’...
Bonus: Introduction to Phase Two: “Biblical Roots of the Rosary”
How can praying the Rosary help you dive deeper into Scripture? In this special bonus episode, Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Jeff Cavins to discuss the Scriptural basis of the Rosary. Jeff Cavins...
Day 7: Grace Will Overflow
Praying the Rosary is not just for ourselves! Fr. Mark-Mary reveals how your prayers of the Rosary are a powerful action that God can use to create an overflowing of grace into your relationships,...
Day 6: Prayer is a Battle
How is prayer a battle, and what role does the rosary serve in this fight? Fr. Mark-Mary explains the various struggles we may experience while trying to grow our prayer life, and how we can use the...
Day 5: A Garden of Rest
When we’re with Mary, we don't have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. Fr. Mark-Mary looks into the history of the Rosary and shares a meditation to help us rest with Mary in the...
Day 4: Prayer With Mary
The Rosary is a Marian prayer, which means we can deepen our experience of prayer through meditating on Mary’s life and virtues. Follow along with Fr. Mark-Mary as he explains how Mary mirrors God the...
Day 3: Heart of Jesus
What do you feel when you are in the presence of Jesus? Freedom and comfort, or is there some apprehension or anxiety? Today, we journey with Fr. Mark-Mary to Jesus’ workshop, practicing imaginative...
Day 2: The King Knows You
Jesus, the eternal king, knows your name. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in a meditation on the presence of Jesus to assist us in our prayer of the Rosary, expressing the truth that the king of the universe...
Day 1: Responding to God
Welcome to Day 1 of the Rosary in a Year! Today we begin our journey with Fr. Mark-Mary, as he leads us in a guided meditation to help us find the presence of God as we pray. This first phase, Forming...
Bonus: Introduction to Phase One “Forming the Relationship”
Are you getting ready to pray the Rosary in a Year? In this special pre-launch episode, Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Fr. Mike Schmitz to explore why prayer is so essential to our relationship with God...
Bonus: Preparing for the Rosary in a Year
What is the Rosary in a Year Podcast? Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Fr. Mike Schmitz to discuss The Rosary in a Year Podcast and share their personal experiences with the Rosary. Fr. Mike and Fr....
Introducing The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR)
Welcome to The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR) from Ascension. In 365 days, Fr. Mark-Mary will take Catholics on a journey into deeper prayer and greater love for the Rosary. Form a...
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