Would it be alright to pray the Seven Sorrows, rather than the Rosary daily, or must the seven sorrows complement the rosary? For some reason I have found of late that it's easier to motivate myself to the Seven Sorrows, rather than the Rosary, so I was wondering if it would be spiritually permissible to put down the rosary, and focus on the Seven Sorrows, perhaps at least temporarily.

The seven sorrows requires almost the same amount of Hail Mary's as the Rosary, and, structure wise, seems quite similar to the rosary, but I don't know much about this issue. Would it be wise to make a move like this?

Would it be alright to pray the Seven Sorrows, rather than the Rosary daily, or must the seven sorrows complement the rosary? For some reason I have found of late that it's easier to motivate myself to the Seven Sorrows, rather than the Rosary, so I was wondering if it would be spiritually permissible to put down the rosary, and focus on the Seven Sorrows, perhaps at least temporarily.

The seven sorrows requires almost the same amount of Hail Mary's as the Rosary, and, structure wise, seems quite similar to the rosary, but I don't know much about this issue. Would it be wise to make a move like this?

Just like PartyIsOver221 wrote, I too have had this dilemma: I guess there are more of us than we had thought!

The recitation of the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary is quite a salutary devotion, and St. Alphonsus especially recommends that the servants of Our Lady meditate on her Sorrows because this would entail meditation upon the Passion of Our Lord, which is the greatest matter for mental prayer out there.

However, the recitation of the [Dominican] Rosary has been lavishly indulged by the Supreme Pontiffs and given the enthusiastic support of all sorts of spiritual authors and Saints, and earnestly recommended by Our Lady herself, particularly at Fatima.

The excellence of the Holy Rosary is constituted by the fact that: 1) it encourages the individual Christian to practice mental prayer, which is morally indispensable for salvation and perfection, since meditation on the Mysteries is required to gain the Indulgences for the Dominican Rosary; 2) it is a heavenly-inspired epitome of the Holy Scriptures, containing the Mysteries of the New Testament and the fulfillment of the types and oracles of the Old Testament; 3) it is a wondrous summary of the Liturgical Year, with the Joyous Mysteries mirroring Advent and Christmastide---the Dolorous Mysteries encompassing Septuagesimatide, Lent, Passiontide and Holy Week---and the Glorious Mysteries mirroring Paschaltide, Ascenstiontide, Pentecost and the season after Pentecost (with the Feasts of Our Lady); 4) it is the "Psalter of Jesus and Mary," the 150 Angelical Salutations being a complement to the 150 Psalms and the Divine Office recited by Priests and Religious.

However, the fruit that is drawn from the recitation of the Holy Rosary can be drawn also from the above-mentioned Chaplet if it is worthily recited with such attention and devotion so as to enable the individual soul to meditate on the Sorrows of Our Lady in such a way that it truly becomes mental prayer that will be of great assistance in the cultivation of the interior life and the attainment to higher degrees of divine charity and grace.

Meditating on the Sorrows of Our Lady is particularly salutary for penitent souls, especially those struggling with violent temptations against purity and temperance, as St. Alphonsus teaches.

So here is my advice: Don't abandon the recitation of the Holy Rosary, but fell free to recite the Sorrowful Mother Chaplet whensoever you are drawn by inspirations of grace. It would be well to adopt the practice of reciting the Chaplet on Fridays, for example.

Interesting tangent: One good way of reciting either the Dolorous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary or the Sorrowful Mother Chaplet is to end it with the recitation (or chanting, if you are lucky enough to know how to chant) of the Stabat Mater. In personal experience this has been quite fruitful.

Quote from: Lybus

Would it be alright to pray the Seven Sorrows, rather than the Rosary daily, or must the seven sorrows complement the rosary? For some reason I have found of late that it's easier to motivate myself to the Seven Sorrows, rather than the Rosary, so I was wondering if it would be spiritually permissible to put down the rosary, and focus on the Seven Sorrows, perhaps at least temporarily.

The seven sorrows requires almost the same amount of Hail Mary's as the Rosary, and, structure wise, seems quite similar to the rosary, but I don't know much about this issue. Would it be wise to make a move like this?

Just like PartyIsOver221 wrote, I too have had this dilemma: I guess there are more of us than we had thought!

The recitation of the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary is quite a salutary devotion, and St. Alphonsus especially recommends that the servants of Our Lady meditate on her Sorrows because this would entail meditation upon the Passion of Our Lord, which is the greatest matter for mental prayer out there.

However, the recitation of the [Dominican] Rosary has been lavishly indulged by the Supreme Pontiffs and given the enthusiastic support of all sorts of spiritual authors and Saints, and earnestly recommended by Our Lady herself, particularly at Fatima.

The excellence of the Holy Rosary is constituted by the fact that: 1) it encourages the individual Christian to practice mental prayer, which is morally indispensable for salvation and perfection, since meditation on the Mysteries is required to gain the Indulgences for the Dominican Rosary; 2) it is a heavenly-inspired epitome of the Holy Scriptures, containing the Mysteries of the New Testament and the fulfillment of the types and oracles of the Old Testament; 3) it is a wondrous summary of the Liturgical Year, with the Joyous Mysteries mirroring Advent and Christmastide---the Dolorous Mysteries encompassing Septuagesimatide, Lent, Passiontide and Holy Week---and the Glorious Mysteries mirroring Paschaltide, Ascenstiontide, Pentecost and the season after Pentecost (with the Feasts of Our Lady); 4) it is the "Psalter of Jesus and Mary," the 150 Angelical Salutations being a complement to the 150 Psalms and the Divine Office recited by Priests and Religious.

However, the fruit that is drawn from the recitation of the Holy Rosary can be drawn also from the above-mentioned Chaplet if it is worthily recited with such attention and devotion so as to enable the individual soul to meditate on the Sorrows of Our Lady in such a way that it truly becomes mental prayer that will be of great assistance in the cultivation of the interior life and the attainment to higher degrees of divine charity and grace.

Meditating on the Sorrows of Our Lady is particularly salutary for penitent souls, especially those struggling with violent temptations against purity and temperance, as St. Alphonsus teaches.

So here is my advice: Don't abandon the recitation of the Holy Rosary, but fell free to recite the Sorrowful Mother Chaplet whensoever you are drawn by inspirations of grace. It would be well to adopt the practice of reciting the Chaplet on Fridays, for example.

Interesting tangent: One good way of reciting either the Dolorous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary or the Sorrowful Mother Chaplet is to end it with the recitation (or chanting, if you are lucky enough to know how to chant) of the Stabat Mater. In personal experience this has been quite fruitful.

I remember, after reading your stuff, wondering to myself whether I would want you more as my English teacher, my Catechism teacher, or my philosophy professor. I still can't decide which one.

Alright, most of the responses seem to indicate that I should continue with the rosary, and I guess I knew in my heart that that was the best choice.

The Sorrowful mysteries are definitely meant to be an AID to the Rosary, meditationally that is. For instance, I found a few connections between the flight into Egypt and the Crucifixion that I thought to be helpful in prayer.

Thanks for all the responses, I can't thank you all enough.

The Sorrowful mysteries are definitely meant to be an AID to the Rosary, meditationally that is. For instance, I found a few connections between the flight into Egypt and the Crucifixion that I thought to be helpful in prayer.

Meditation upon the Mysteries constitutes the essence of the devotion of the Holy Rosary.

Yes, I too have found many connections. Here is a chart (Don't you just love charts!? I know I do... sometimes)

The Fifth Joyous Mystery <---> The First Glorious Mystery

The Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph seek the Child Jesus and find Him in the Temple --- St. Mary Magdalen seeks Jesus in the tomb and remains in ardent charity, finding Him in the Garden and thus being the first recorded witness of the Resurrection --- the epitome of the interior life: to seek Jesus and to find Him by grace here and in glory hereafter

The Second Joyous Mystery <---> The Third Glorious Mystery

By means of the Blessed Virgin Mary's visitation and greeting, the Incarnate Word replenishes the souls of His Precursor St. John the Baptist and his mother St. Elizabeth with the Holy Ghost, and the mouth of Zacharias is opened to pronounce the Canticle Benedictus --- United in prayer with the Blessed Virgin Mary and through her patronage and tutelage, the Lord Holy Ghost is sent unto the Apostolic College, and their mouths are opened to pronounce the praises of God and preach the sacred Gospel

The First Joyous Mystery <---> The Fifth Dolorous Mystery

The Archangel St. Gabriel announces unto the Blessed Virgin Mary the Divine Maternity and the plenitude of glory and grace to which she had been predestined, being forever the Virgin Mother of God --- Our Crucified Savior announces unto His Sorrowful Mother the spiritual and universal Motherhood to which she had been predestined, to have maternal care for His Mystical Body and the care of all mankind in general in pronouncing the words, "Behold thy son."

There are more connections, but I cannot remember them...

I remember, after reading your stuff, wondering to myself whether I would want you more as my English teacher, my Catechism teacher, or my philosophy professor. I still can't decide which one.

Ha! Bless your heart for your kindness.

Actually, when not working construction, I sometimes work as an English literature tutor for college students. I do have a degree in that field, after all...

The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows would be appropriate to say during September, a month consecrated to the Dolorous Virgin Mother of the Crucified Savior.

Anyways, saying the Stabat Mater after the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary is a salutary practice to adopt particularly during this month.

Rev. Fr. Aquinas Byrnes in his book Hymns of the Dominican Missal and Breviary, (St. Louis, MO: B. Herder Book Co., 1943), gives a very beautiful commentary upon this awesome Sequence, which has been given an indulgence of seven years (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. 378).