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

Day 127: Reunion into Heaven

May 7th, 2025  |  11 mins 54 secs

ascension, assumption, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, grace, heaven, mary, mother teresa, resurrection, reunion, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. bernard, st. bernard of clairvaux

What was it like in heaven the day Mary was assumed?  St. Bernard of Clairvaux describes the incredible joy that must have occurred, and Fr. Mark-Mary shares a story of Mother Theresa that mimics the joy of reunion to help us meditate on the mystery of the Assumption. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 107: Beauty Which Never Fades

April 17th, 2025  |  14 mins 58 secs

aging, ascension, assumption, beauty, catholic church, catholic faith, earth, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fulton sheen, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, venerable fulton sheen

The mystery of the Assumption reveals to us that true beauty lies not in earthly appearances, but heavenly things, in heaven, our true home. Fr. Mark-Mary reads from Venerable Fulton Sheen, meditating on the Assumption lifting us out of earthly despair to heavenly joy. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 105: Love Draws Us Up

April 15th, 2025  |  11 mins 31 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, love, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. thomas aquinas, theological truth, theology

Heaven is more than just a theological reality. Heaven can be a personal truth we approach with profound love, longing to join Jesus in heaven. Fr. Mark-Mary reads from St. Thomas Aquinas, leading us in meditation on the mystery of the Ascension. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Ascension and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 65: Returning Home

March 6th, 2025  |  9 mins 48 secs

apostles, ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, home, jesus, pope benedict xvi, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

Did Jesus leave us when he ascended to heaven? Fr. Mark-Mary answers this question, leading us in a meditation on the certainty of Jesus’ perpetual presence with us in all times and places. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Ascension and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 47: Mary’s Return Home

February 16th, 2025  |  12 mins 36 secs

ark of the covenant, assumption, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, historical context, mary, mother of god, old testament, revelation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

What are the Biblical roots of the Assumption? Fr. Mark-Mary draws from both the Old and New Testament to explain the Biblical basis of Mary’s Assumption. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant, and so just as David ensured the first Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem, Jesus would ensure that his mother was brought home to heaven, body and soul. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption of Mary, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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

Day 46: Come Holy Spirit

February 15th, 2025  |  11 mins 59 secs

covenant, descent of the holy spirit, ezekiel, fulfillment, glorified reality, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, historical context, holy spirit, joel, new covenant, old testament, pentecost, pope john paul ii, promises, reality, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

The Descent of the Holy Spirit makes all things new, including our way of participating in God’s life. Fr. Mark-Mary looks at Pentecost as a prayer event, the fulfilment of the promise of the Father, and as a fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Pentecost, drawing on audiences from Pope John Paul II. As we pray the Rosary, we meditate on this new life of God at work in us through the Holy Spirit. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Descent of the Holy Spirit, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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

Day 45: He Parted from Them

February 14th, 2025  |  9 mins 33 secs

ascension, destination, destiny, future, glorified reality, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, historical context, hope, human nature, humanity, old testament, pope benedict xvi, reality, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, space

What does Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, body and soul, mean for us? Fr. Mark-Mary explains that this mystery is more than Jesus joining the Father in Heaven: the Ascension has implications for our future destiny. For the first time, humanity enters into the life of God as Jesus’ human body enters heaven. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Ascension, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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

Day 44: Glorified Reality

February 13th, 2025  |  12 mins 14 secs

destination, destiny, future, glorified reality, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, historical context, hope, lazarus, old testament, pope benedict xvi, reality, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

In the Resurrection we are given an opportunity to see the glorified reality that is our destiny and our hope. Fr. Mark-Mary pulls from Pope Benedict XVI’s writings to explain glorified reality and what is spiritually occurring in the mystery of the Resurrection. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Resurrection, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 43: The Veil is Torn

February 12th, 2025  |  9 mins 44 secs

cross, crucifixion, heaven, historical context, hope, old testament, pope benedict xvi, psalm 22, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, salvation, sorrowful, sorrowful mysteries

Are Jesus’ last words on the cross from Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” a cry of despair, or a revelation of hope? Fr. Mark-Mary shares a meditation on God’s response to Jesus in the mystery of the Crucifixion, expressing the certainty of salvation that we too can hope to share in. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Crucifixion, and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

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

Day 37: To Be Transfigured

February 6th, 2025  |  11 mins

completion, exodus, glory, heaven, historical context, journey, light, luminous, luminous mysteries, meditation, moses, old testament, pilgrimage, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, transfiguration

The mystery of the Transfiguration is a glimpse of heaven, giving us an image of the home Jesus has prepared for us. Fr. Mark-Mary takes us on a journey in the book of Exodus as we explore Jesus’ fulfillment of the Old Testament. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Transfiguration and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.