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<![CDATA[The Rosary: Keeping Company with Jesus and Mary]]>
http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6455808-the-rosary
5.00629248075.006450falseMon Jun 08 00:00:00 -0700 2009Sat Jun 13 09:56:37 -0700 2009Sat Jun 13 10:13:04 -0700 2009 Many books have been written about the rosary, but Karen's has the unique perspective of coming from being an atheist, and converting to Catholicism. Her memories of objections to Catholicism and Mary and the rosary add interest and provide her with the ability to maintain a fresh perspective on a very traditional prayer.
As a regular rosary-pray-er who needed no incentive to keep praying the prayers, I still found insights and understanding that I didn't expect when I read this book. I found the author warm, approachable, charming, friendly, a companion, motherly, approachable. I felt, if we lived near each other, we'd have coffee together and chat.
"I think we cling to the rosary because....somehow, it works."
I really liked that line. Sometimes I wonder why my rosary is on my bedside table, why I turn to it in times of trouble and joy, why I rely on it when I am disturbed by news I find myself helpless to answer. Karen's simple, "It works," resonates with me.
Karen describes many Catholics paradoxical feelings about the rosary very well. In a guilt-free way, she describes how some love and some hate the rosary. People long for a goddess (witness, Da Vince Code) in their lives, but reject the real Mother of God as fulfilling that position.
In reading Edmisten's description of how to say a rosary, I even learned that "my style" of praying the prayers between the last Hail Mary of a decade and the Our Father of a new decade was different than the author's way. Not that it matters, but as I was reading I thought, "Oh! I do that differently." But the author assures we readers that there is no absolute "right" way to pray the rosary. And after years of praying it in many different public circumstances, I know that to be true.
So whether you love or hate the rosary, are curious about why people pray it, cling to it, or reject it, The Rosary: Keeping Company with Jesus and Mary is an interesting and thought-provoking book. The forward by Mike Aquilina isn't bad either. ;-)