The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
Pray the Rosary Like Never Before
About the show
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.
Episodes
-
Day 356: The Joyful Mysteries
December 22nd, 2025 | 30 mins 59 secs
annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, conversation, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, jan van eyck, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. joseph, trust, visitation
We journey again through the Joyful Mysteries, stopping to meditate with Jan van Eyck’s depiction of the Annunciation and its reminder to keep in conversation with God. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us of St. Joseph’s essential role in the Nativity. We meditate on Mary’s sacrifice revealed in the Presentation in the Temple, and the call to turn to God in the Finding in the Temple. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 355: The Glorious Mysteries
December 21st, 2025 | 31 mins 15 secs
ascension, assumption, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, coronation, coronation of mary, decades, descent of the holy spirit, father mark mary, father mark-mary, five decades, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fresco, glorious, glorious mysteries, holy spirit, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, pentecost, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, queen, queen of heaven, queen of heaven and earth, relational prayer, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. john chrysostom, st. john damascene, st. john the baptist, st. paul
Fr. Mark-Mary draws us into the Glorious Mysteries, reflecting first on the Resurrection as the definitive victory over death. He then considers the Ascension as the culmination of Christ’s self-emptying, urging us to imitate his humility. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit’s fire becomes a source of renewal for hearts grown weary. The Assumption highlights Mary’s childlike trust, which becomes a powerful defense against evil. Finally, in the Coronation, Mary’s unique grace as Queen and Mother strengthens us to do the Father’s will. Today's focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 354: The Joyful Mysteries
December 20th, 2025 | 31 mins 30 secs
anna, annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, rembrandt, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. bernard of clarivaux, st. leto the great, visitation
Today, Fr. Mark-Mary prays with the Joyful Mysteries, beginning with the Annunciation and the beautiful tension St. Bernard describes as all of heaven awaiting Mary’s “yes.” In the Visitation, he reminds us that although we don’t know every detail of our future, God gives enough light for each step. At the Nativity, he encourages us to bring our whole hearts—joys and sorrows alike—to the newborn Christ. He then reflects on the Presentation through Anna’s long waiting and God’s tender gaze. Finally, in the Finding in the Temple, we learn from Mary’s calm, confident pondering as she receives everything in love. Today’s focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 353: The Sorrowful Mysteries
December 19th, 2025 | 33 mins 25 secs
agony, agony in the garden, ascension, carrying, carrying of the cross, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, crowning, crowning with thorns, crucifixion, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, love, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, prodigal son, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, scourging, scourging at the pillar, sin, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries
Guiding us through the Sorrowful Mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary ponders these mysteries through the lens of the Prodigal Son. In the Agony in the Garden, he highlights that just as the prodigal son demanded his inheritance, sinful humanity grasped at Christ, prompting us to consider the ways we, too, take matters into our own hands. During the Scourging and the Crowning with Thorns, he reveals both the cost of sin and the unshakable truth of our identity as beloved sons and daughters of the Father. As we arrive at the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion, Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes the Father’s relentless pursuit of us—running toward us in our weakness and answering every doubt with unwavering love. Today’s focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 352: The Luminous Mysteries
December 18th, 2025 | 28 mins 14 secs
ascension, baptism, baptism in the jordan, call to conversion, call to repentance, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, eucharist, father mark mary, father mark-mary, five decades, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fresco, imaginative prayer, institution of the eucharist, intercessory prayer, luminous, luminous mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, proclamation of the kingdom, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. augustine, transfiguration, wedding, wedding at cana
Fr. Mark-Mary shares insights on the Luminous Mysteries. In the Baptism of Jesus, he reminds us that the light of Christ shines even in the shadow of the cross, and at the Wedding at Cana, we see Mary noticing our needs and interceding with tender care. He meditates on Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom and His call to a deeper, more generous love, and on the Transfiguration as the moment when Christ reveals His radiant divinity. Finally, we are called to marvel at the “creativity of love” in the Eucharist, where Jesus remains with us in every place and circumstance. Today’s focus is the Luminous Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 351: The Glorious Mysteries
December 17th, 2025 | 30 mins 8 secs
ascension, assumption, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, coronation, coronation of mary, decades, descent of the holy spirit, father mark mary, father mark-mary, five decades, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, holy spirit, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, keys to the kingdom, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, pentecost, peter, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, queen, queen of heaven, queen of heaven and earth, relational prayer, rene girard, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. thomas aquinas, titian
For today’s Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the hidden beauty of the Resurrection, the longing for heaven stirred within us by the Ascension, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit revealed at Pentecost. He invites us to contemplate Mary’s Assumption as a sign of the glory prepared for those who trust in the Lord and her Coronation as the fruit of a life lived in humility. Today’s focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 350: The Sorrowful Mysteries
December 16th, 2025 | 28 mins 55 secs
agony, agony in the garden, ascension, blood, carrying, carrying of the cross, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, crowning, crowning with thorns, crucifixion, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glory, imaginative prayer, indignity, love, martyrdom, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, pieter bruegel, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, scourging, scourging at the pillar, soldiers, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, st. thomas aquinas
As we pray the Rosary, contemplating the sorrowful mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to draw close to Jesus. We witness the culmination of all of salvation history in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the depths of love poured out for us with his blood, and we are invited to bring our contrition and hearts to our Lord. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 349: The Joyful Mysteries
December 15th, 2025 | 28 mins 34 secs
actor, annunciation, ascension, blessed, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, director, faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, focus, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, humility, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, obedience, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, reverence, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust, visitation
We return to Fra Angelico’s painting of The Annunciation and Giulio Campi’s fresco of the Presentation in the Temple as Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in meditation on the reverence and faith revealed in the Joyful Mysteries. Our prayer explores themes of humility, God’s love for us, and the importance of keeping our eyes on Jesus. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 348: The Glorious Mysteries
December 14th, 2025 | 26 mins 45 secs
apprehension, ascension, assumption, blessing, catholic church, catholic faith, confidence, contemplative prayer, coronation, coronation of mary, decades, descent of the holy spirit, faithfulness, father mark mary, father mark-mary, five decades, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorified reality, glorious, glorious mysteries, help of christians, holy spirit, home, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, magnificat, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, pentecost, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presence, queen, queen of heaven, queen of heaven and earth, relational prayer, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust
Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in the Rosary, centering our meditations around hope. We’re reminded of the message both Christ and the Angel share: to not be afraid, the Apostles’ assiduous prayer of hope before Pentecost, and the promise revealed in Mary’s Assumption. Today's focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 347: The Joyful Mysteries
December 13th, 2025 | 28 mins 59 secs
annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, visitation
Our meditations for today’s Rosary remind us of how God so often moves in unexpected ways. Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us of the prophecy shared with Zechariah and Elizabeth, concurrent with the Annunciation. Instead of the Messiah coming to a priest in the Temple, the Messiah is given to a hidden, lowly woman. Similarly, the Holy Family’s journey to Bethlehem was surely difficult, yet God was working through this to fulfill Micah 5:2. Today's focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 346: The Sorrowful Mysteries
December 12th, 2025 | 26 mins 39 secs
agony, agony in the garden, ascension, carrying, carrying of the cross, catholic church, catholic faith, compromise, contemplative prayer, crowning, crowning with thorns, crucifixion, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, hebrews, imaginative prayer, isaiah, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, pilate, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, rainbow, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, scapegoat, scourging, scourging at the pillar, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries, suffering servant, vincente masip
For today’s Rosary, Fr. Mark-Mary shares meditations on Vincente Masip’s Jesus in Gethsemane, the parallels between Christ and Isaiah’s prophecy of the Suffering Servant, Fulton Sheen’s reflection on Pilate’s choices, and more. We walk with Christ through his passion, journeying from the Garden to the Cross. Today's focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 345: The Luminous Mysteries
December 11th, 2025 | 27 mins 37 secs
ascension, baptism, baptism in the jordan, call to conversion, call to repentance, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, eucharist, father mark mary, father mark-mary, five decades, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, institution of the eucharist, intercessory prayer, luminous, luminous mysteries, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, proclamation of the kingdom, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, transfiguration, wedding, wedding at cana
Gathering in prayer, we turn to the Luminous Mysteries as Fr. Mark-Mary invites us to rediscover our identity as the Father’s beloved children in the light of Jesus’ Baptism. At the Wedding at Cana, we reflect on Mary’s courageous willingness to offer her Son for the sake of God’s plan and the good of the world. Jesus proclaims the Kingdom and calls us to open our hearts, and during the Transfiguration, He reveals a glory that draws us beyond our distractions and into deeper wonder. In the Eucharist, we encounter the burning desire of Jesus’ heart for communion with us. Today’s focus is the Luminous Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
Today's focus is the Luminous Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 344: The Glorious Mysteries
December 10th, 2025 | 28 mins 22 secs
ascension, assumption, caravaggio, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, coronation, coronation of mary, decades, descent of the holy spirit, father mark mary, father mark-mary, five decades, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, holy spirit, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, jean restout, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, new ark of the covenant, pentecost, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, queen, queen of heaven, queen of heaven and earth, relational prayer, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, thomas
Fr. Mark-Mary prays through the Glorious Mysteries, inviting us to trust more deeply in Jesus’ nearness and mercy. While meditating on the Resurrection, we look to Caravaggio’s Incredulity of St. Thomas and see Christ meeting our doubts with tenderness. In the Ascension, He becomes even more present to us without spatial limitations. At Pentecost, Jean Restout’s depiction of Mary steady beneath the tongues of fire inspires us to welcome the Holy Spirit with renewed boldness. We contemplate Mary as the New Ark of the Covenant in her Assumption and rejoice in her loving intercession as Queen in her Coronation. Today’s focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 343: The Sorrowful Mysteries
December 9th, 2025 | 27 mins 24 secs
agony, agony in the garden, ascension, carrying, carrying of the cross, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, crowning, crowning with thorns, crucifixion, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, passion, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, scourging, scourging at the pillar, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries
Immersing ourselves in the Sorrowful Mysteries, Fr. Mark-Mary directs us to ponder Jesus’s final moments on earth. We see through Jesus’s eyes in the Agony in the Garden as He suffers yet continues to trust the Father. We look through Mary’s perspective during the Scourging at the Pillar, entering into her sorrow and offering our own suffering alongside hers. In the Crowning with Thorns, Jesus endures mockery and pain while reminding us of our unshakeable identity as beloved sons and daughters of the Father. As He carries His Cross, Jesus feels the weight of our sins yet reveals a hope that perseveres. And at the Crucifixion, even in His final breath, Jesus is forgiving us from the cross. Today’s focus is the Sorrowful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 342: The Joyful Mysteries
December 8th, 2025 | 28 mins 14 secs
annunciation, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding, finding in the temple, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, henry ossawa tanner, imaginative prayer, joyful, joyful mysteries, magnificat, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, nativity, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, presentation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, visitation
As we enter into today’s meditation, Fr. Mark-Mary guides us through the Joyful Mysteries with reflections on grace, trust, and the hidden beauty of God’s work in our lives. We reflect on Mary’s humble courage at the Annunciation, the transforming joy of her encounter with Elizabeth, and the gentle invitation to draw close to Christ in the Nativity. We’re called to seek Jesus with the same relentless love shown by Mary and Joseph in the Finding in the Temple. God meets us in our littleness and invites us into deeper trust and wonder. Today’s focus is the Joyful Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
-
Day 341: The Glorious Mysteries
December 7th, 2025 | 28 mins 7 secs
ascension, assumption, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, coronation, coronation of mary, decades, descent of the holy spirit, father mark mary, father mark-mary, five decades, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, holy spirit, imaginative prayer, intercessory prayer, mary, meditating, meditation archive, meditation muscles, meditative prayer, mother theresa, paschal candle, pentecost, poco a poco, prayer, praying together, queen, queen of heaven, queen of heaven and earth, regina angelorum, relational prayer, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. augustine, st. bernard of clairvaux
Together with Fr. Mark-Mary, we meditate on the Glorious Mysteries, drawing inspiration from St. Augustine and Mother Teresa. We contemplate the triumph of Christ and the joy of Heaven, reflect on what it means to hold fast to Jesus through charity, and give thanks for the “new wine” of the Holy Spirit poured into our hearts. We’re also reminded of Mary’s powerful and tender care as Queen who watches over her children. Today’s focus is the Glorious Mysteries, and we’ll be praying the full Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.