Hawaii Catholic Herald
Look closely at images of St. Marianne Cope and her fellow Sisters of St. Francis and you will see, tucked into the simple white cord that secures their habits, a rosary dedicated to St. Francis that dates back hundreds of years and continues to be an essential part of Franciscan prayer life.
The Franciscan Crown rosary includes seven decades; the more widely known rosary, often linked to St. Dominic, has five. And instead of contemplating the mysteries of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, the rosary focuses on the seven joys of Mary.
“Praying the rosary is more than a rewarding spiritual prayer which continues to deepen the love and understanding of the Gospels; it creates greater peace, causes joy and brings one closer to Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother,” said Franciscan Sister Davilyn Ah Chick, a member of St. Marianne’s order now called the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities.
The Franciscan Crown rosary is also called the Franciscan rosary, the Seraphic rosary and the rosary of the seven joys of Our Lady.
As the Catholic Church this year marks the 800th death anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi, declaring it a special jubilee year, Sister Ah Chick encourages the faithful to pray the Franciscan Crown rosary this month — especially as part of prayer groups, families, schools and other organizations.
Origin story
In the early 15th century, according to a story by Franciscan Father Luke Wadding, an Irish historian who lived from 1588-1657, a Franciscan novice named James saw an apparition of Mary in Assisi.
As a child, young James offered Mary a crown of roses daily. When he entered the Friars Minor, he feared he would no longer be able to offer this gift.
Mary appeared to him to offer comfort, and she showed him another daily offering — to pray seven decades of the Hail Mary each day, meditating on one of the seven joys she had experienced in her life between each decade.
James began this devotion, and one day, the novice director saw him praying — accompanied by an angel weaving a crown of roses, accented with golden lilies separating each decade of blooms. The angel placed the crown on James’ head when he finished praying.
James explained his vision to the novice director, and the devotion spread throughout the Franciscan family.
When Sister Ah Chick joined the Franciscans, she found that the Franciscan Crown rosary deepened her vocational call.
“As a community, the rosary was prayed every day with the Franciscan Crown rosary prayed specifically on Thursdays,” Sister Ah Chick said. “Devotion to the rosary, one of the most powerful prayers, continues to be more than an essential part of my daily prayer life.
“Answering the call of God to become a Sister of St. Francis was more than a blessing, an honor and a privilege for me.”
How to pray the Franciscan Crown rosary
Announce the first joy and meditate on it while praying one Our Father and 10 Hail Marys. This same procedure is then followed for the other six joys.
Add a Glory Be at the end of each decade. Finish with two Hail Marys in honor of the 72 years that Mary is said to have lived on Earth, and one Our Father and Hail Mary for the intentions of the pope.
The seven joys:
- The annunciation
- The visitation
- The nativity of Jesus
- The adoration of the magi
- The finding in the temple
- The resurrection of Jesus
- The assumption and coronation of the virgin
During penitential seasons, such as Lent, the seven joys can be replaced by seven sorrows:
- The prophecy of Simeon
- The flight into Egypt
- The loss of the child Jesus
- Mary meets Jesus on the way to Calvary
- The crucifixion
- The taking down of Jesus’ body
- The burial of Jesus