The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)

Day 149: Littleness Before the Lord

May 29th, 2026  |  12 mins 26 secs

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Henry Ossawa Tanner’s depiction of the Annunciation is distinctly unique. Fr. Mark-Mary directs our meditation to an observation of Mary’s youth and littleness before the Lord, contrasted with her complete trust and confidence. This, he says, can help us trust God despite our own littleness. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Annunciation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

All of the Sacred Art we’ll be meditating with can be found in the Rosary in a Year Prayer Guide, for free linked in the complete prayer plan, or for free in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 148: Daughter, Mother, Spouse

May 28th, 2026  |  12 mins 46 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, coronation, coronation of mary, daughter, diego velázquez, father, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, holy spirit, mother, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, son, spouse, the coronation of the virgin, trinity, visio divina

The Coronation of Mary can be seen in a distinctly Trinitarian sense, highlighted in Diego Velázquez’s painting, The Coronation of the Virgin. Fr. Mark-Mary explains Mary’s relationships to each member of the Trinity as daughter, mother, and spouse. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

All of the Sacred Art we’ll be meditating with can be found in the Rosary in a Year Prayer Guide, for free linked in the complete prayer plan, or for free in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 128: Queen of Angels

May 8th, 2026  |  12 mins 11 secs

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Mary  is the general of an angelic army, and her aim is fighting for us, protecting us from harm. Fr. Mark-Mary, with help from St. John Henry Neumann, explores the authority vested in Mary’s title of Queen of Heaven and Earth. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 108: Heights of Holiness

April 18th, 2026  |  12 mins 10 secs

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A Queen is set apart, but Mary, as Queen of Heaven and Earth is set apart so that as our mother she can draw us up to her son. When we are too little to reach the heights of holiness, she lifts us up, says Fr. Mark-Mary, reading from St. John Damascene. We ask Our Lady to help us echo her fiat and do the Father’s will. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 88: The Road of Humility

March 29th, 2026  |  16 mins 33 secs

ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, coronation, coronation of mary, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, humble, humility, lectio, lectio divina, mary, queen of heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust

Mary chose humility, waiting with confidence in the Lord and his goodness. For this, Fr. Mark-Mary says, she has been made queen of heaven and earth. In our lectio divina today, we’re encouraged to not look down upon the humble road, but to follow in Mary’s example, trusting in the goodness of God. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 68: Fancy Friends

March 9th, 2026  |  10 mins 40 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, coronation of mary, faith, friendship, glorious, glorious mysteries, mary, mary as queen, mother, mother of god, queen, revelation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

Many of us have “fancy” friends in our lives, and sometimes we are the “fancy” friend: someone whose role, talents, or connections are able to help us out. However, Fr. Mark-Mary explains that we all have the best “fancy” friend in Mary, our Mother and Queen. Reading from the book of Revelation, he explores how we can have total confidence in Mary as we bring our petitions to her. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 365: The Glorious Mysteries

December 31st, 2025  |  29 mins 17 secs

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We conclude our Rosary in a Year journey with the Glorious Mysteries, thanking God for all of his gifts and blessings, both throughout Salvation history and our own lives. Fr. Mark-Mary shares his farewell message of thanks and emphasizes that while our 365 episodes of Rosary in a Year have come to an end, our journeys of prayer and drawing closer to God should continue on. We bring our “loaves and fish,” our prayer, commitment, and perseverance to Mary and Jesus today, confident that they will multiply our efforts. 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 362: The Glorious Mysteries

December 28th, 2025  |  28 mins 50 secs

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Inviting us to encounter the risen Jesus, Fr. Mark-Mary focuses on the deep joy that comes from loving Christ and rejoicing in His victory, a joy meant to shape our daily lives. As we pray, we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with awe before God’s greatness and to renew our hearts. We also place our hopes and struggles into the care of Mary, our Queen and Mother, trusting in her loving intercession. 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 358: The Glorious Mysteries

December 24th, 2025  |  32 mins 1 sec

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, heaven, holy spirit, home, 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

We begin the Glorious Mysteries, returning to St. Augustine’s reflection on the Resurrection: a doorway to new life was opened in the Resurrection, that we ourselves share in through our baptism. Just as we enter into the Resurrection through our Baptisms, the Ascension too is a promise about our future destiny, as Fr. Mark-Mary explains Jesus is giving us the promise we’re meant to join him in heaven. In the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Jesus sends us the Spirit to accompany us, and sends us another promise in the form of Mary’s Assumption. Finally, Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the beautiful love of God revealed in Mary’s 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 355: The Glorious Mysteries

December 21st, 2025  |  31 mins 15 secs

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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.