The Contemplative Rosary with St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Avila

I’ve been saying the rosary the same way for many years. I love the perspectives given in this book and the prayers/how to so much that I gave another copy as a gift.

Because of this book, when I say the rosary, I feel the rosary has come to life. It is hard to describe, but it really makes me happy to say it because it feels interactive. I used to get bored easily when saying the rosary or distracted. But this book has added a whole new dimension to the experience, from the beautiful artwork, the biblical passage and the commentary--with each mystery. It makes saying more than one rosary per day possible because it seems to go fast. This book was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Try as I might, I have never had a great devotion to the rosary. My meditation on the mysteries would last through two Hail Marys and the next eight were spent thinking about something else. However, I've always liked praying the rosary with the scriptures or other meditations, so when I heard about this book, I knew I would want to buy it.There are number of things I like about this book, first,it gives us a look at how St. John Paul II and St. Teresa approach prayer in general and the prayers of the rosary in particular. For those who have forgotten how to pray the rosary, a chapter is devoted to the how-tos. Then for each mystery there is a scriptural meditation, beautiful artwork and short reflections to help keep you focused on prayer. You don't have to use all the meditations at one sitting, just listen to the Holy Spirit as you move through the prayer.My favorite part is the addition of the statement of faith that is prayed during the Hail Mary. For example, for the Annunciation, when you pray, "blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus", you would add "who was conceived in you by the Holy Spirit". I've only been using this book for three days, but that little addition has made all the difference for me. Admittedly, sometimes I get through the entire Hail Mary and realize I was on auto-pilot and did not add the statement of faith. But when I start the next Hail Mary, I slow down and become more attentive. I look forward to having those statements of faith memorized so I don't always have to refer to the book.I recommend this book for people who are still trying to love the rosary as well as those who already do. This book just might help you go deeper in your love for our Lord.

I have enjoyed reading this whilst praying the rosary. I unfortunately have my mind wander easily, and this keeps me on track contemplating the mysteries of our Lord's life.

Trying to grow in your prayer life is not easy. I thought this would give me a better understanding, but I'll use the virtue of patience and perseverance (constancy and diligence) and let God's Grace show me the way.

I love praying the Rosary but frequently find myself distracted while praying it. I often catch myself mindlessly repeating "Hail Marys" with my mouth while my mind goes off on its own little adventure (an "adventure" that often has little to nothing to do with the mysteries, I have to admit). The Contemplative Rosary is an excellent book that can help people overcome a "wandering mind" while also showing us how to pray with the whole heart. I particularly loved the section that addresses distractions and dryness in prayer. The first few chapters of the book speak about prayer and contemplation as seen through the eyes of St. John Paul II and St. Teresa of Avila. One of the chapters explains the difference between meditation and contemplation, with the focus on deepening your prayer life in order to open your heart to infused contemplation and a closer relationship with God. The remainder of the book show us how to pray the rosary in a way that draws us more deeply into the life of Jesus. I found the reflections at the end of each mystery very helpful and liked how they gave me a fresh new "peek" into the life of Christ. This is a great book for folks who are caught in a prayer "rut" and looking for a way to deepen their relationship with Christ. I'll end my review with a wonderful quote from this book that seems to capture its essence: "Our life on earth is meant to prepare us for the life of Heaven. We ponder the face of Christ not only in paintings, or in our imagination, or figuratively through reading the gospels; as we mature in Christ, He brings the soul into His presence in an ever more frequent and growing union. In infused contemplation God draws us to look upon His face ever more fully."

A beautiful inspiring little booklet that keeps my rosary praying alive! I have bought about 10 different booklets on the mysteries of the rosary and use a different one every week.

The book has beautiful pictures of Jesus and Mary in it and the texts make you really concentrate on the crucial parts of the Holy Rosary. Therefore, you feel like really uniting with Mary's Immaculate Heart and God while praying the Rosary!

I love how one is drawn into a contemplative encounter with Jesus through the Rosary.Teaches one how to pray the Rosary rather than say it.

Good little book! Small enough to carry in your handbag and whip out when required. Nice introduction and then a picture and page for meditation for each decade of the Rosary!

The product is what I expected and I received it within a reasonable time frame I didn't take months or weeks. Excellent service