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

Day 192: A Renewed “Yes”

July 11th, 2025  |  16 mins 30 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding focus, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, freedom, hope, independent meditation, joy, joyful mysteries, joyful mystery, meditation, offering, practice, prayer, presentation, presentation in the temple, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, simian, the canticle of simian, trust, yes

Through storytelling and scripture, Fr. Mark-Mary explores the sacrificial freedom expressed by both Jesus and Mary during the Presentation in the Temple. Mary’s renewed “yes” is a powerful witness to steadfast faith. We are reminded to remain anchored in Christ with unwavering trust. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 191: Unworthy Yet Welcomed

July 10th, 2025  |  15 mins 2 secs

adoration, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding focus, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, independent meditation, joy, joyful mysteries, joyful mystery, meditation, nativity, practice, prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, unworthy, worship

Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the Nativity, emphasizing the overwhelming joy and sense of unworthiness that can accompany encountering the gift of Jesus. We are invited to contemplate the transformative love offered through the birth of Christ. Using Scripture, sacred imagery, and prayer, we are drawn into an intimate encounter with Jesus, who offers not only salvation but also warmth and affection. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 155: More than Meets the Eye

June 4th, 2025  |  12 mins 29 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, celebration, double, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, intentional, joy, luminous, luminous mysteries, miracle, miracles, multitasking, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, visio divina, wedding, wedding feast at cana

Jesus is a divine multitasker, intentionally and perfectly. Fr. Mark-Mary explains that while we might struggle to multitask, God works on multiple levels at all times. As Jesus turns water into wine in Gérard David’s painting, The Wedding at Cana, he is both continuing the joy of the celebration and revealing himself as the divine bridegroom. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Wedding Feast at Cana 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 in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 91: Cause For Joy

April 1st, 2025  |  11 mins 1 sec

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, christmas, conversion, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, nativity, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. leo, st. leo the great

Is the Nativity a cause for joy in your life? Reflecting on a sermon from St. Leo the Great, Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that sometimes when we don’t feel the joy of the Nativity, we’re actually being called deeper into our relationship with God. We meditate on the Nativity’s personal impact on our lives as we lean into deeper conversion. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 84: Do Not Be Afraid

March 25th, 2025  |  17 mins 39 secs

afraid, ascension, catholic, catholic church, catholic faith, catholicism, confidence, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fear, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, hope, joy, lectio, lectio divina, resurrection, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year

In the mystery of the Resurrection, Jesus and the angels bring the same message: do not be afraid. This is a sign of the joy and confidence with which the Father wants us to encounter life. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, encouraging us to find this hope and joy in the message of the Resurrection. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Resurrection and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.

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

Day 53: Our Perfect Director

February 22nd, 2025  |  9 mins 1 sec

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, finding, finding in the temple, finding jesus, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, meditation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust

Mary and Joseph knew that they had a special role when raising Jesus, but something unexpected happens in the mystery of the Finding in the Temple. Mary may not fully understand Jesus’ explanation that he would be “in his Father’s house”, but she continues to trust in God’s plan. We have all experienced times in which we cannot visualize God’s plan for us, but Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that we have a perfect director who will make a masterpiece out of our stories. All we have to do is trust and say yes. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 52: My Eyes Have Seen Salvation

February 21st, 2025  |  10 mins 31 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, meditation, presentation, presentation of jesus, presentation of the lord, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, simeon

Simeon’s words at the Presentation of the Lord, “Now let your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation,” are said around the world every day by religious and lay people alike in Compline, also known as Night Prayer. Fr. Mark-Mary shares the story of a blind man who truly knew what it meant to see his savior with the eyes of faith, inviting us to pray our Rosary for true sight like Simeon. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 51: Moved With Awe

February 20th, 2025  |  13 mins 2 secs

awe, catholic, catholic church, catholicism, christmas, faith, homily, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, meditation, nativity, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, wonder

How would we feel if we could experience the Nativity the way Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and Magi did? Fr. Mark-Mary shares the story of a visitor who truly experienced the awe and wonder of Christmas, revealing what an incredible gift Jesus is for all of us. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Nativity and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 50: Rejoice in the Beauty

February 19th, 2025  |  9 mins 33 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, st. elizabeth, visitation

God takes our ordinary and turns it into the extraordinary. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us through a meditation on the mystery of the Visitation, focusing on the Magnificat, describing how Elizabeth’s words of joy turn into song in Mary. Similarily, God enters the narratives of our lives, turning our prose into poetry and song, making our lives into something beautiful. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Visitation and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.

Day 49: How Can This Be?

February 18th, 2025  |  11 mins 17 secs

catholic, catholic church, catholicism, faith, homily, joy, joyful, joyful mysteries, mary, meditation annunciation, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trust, trust in god, understanding

How do we move forward when we can’t see God’s plan ahead of us? Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in a meditation on the mystery of the Annunciation, explaining how Mary can show us the way. She may not have had perfect understanding, but she had perfect faith, and can teach us this faith through the Rosary. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Annunciation and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be.