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

Day 228: Lifted Up With Mary

August 16th, 2025  |  10 mins 28 secs

ascension, assumption, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, coronation, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, imaginative prayer, intentions, mary, meditating, meditative prayer, mother, poco a poco, prayer, queen, queen of heaven, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, two decades

We entrust our intentions, someone else’s need or a situation outside of ourselves, to Our Lady. Fr. Mark-Mary guides us to imagine her with us at home, in your car, or wherever you are, receiving your intention with maternal tenderness. We pray our decades of the Rosary focused on sharing the needs of our heart and those we’re interceding for with Mary. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Assumption and the Coronation of Mary, and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 218: Walking With Mary

August 6th, 2025  |  11 mins 56 secs

ascension, assumption, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, coronation, decades, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, imaginative prayer, intercession, intercessory prayer, mary, meditating, meditative prayer, mother, our lady, poco a poco, prayer, queen, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, two decades

In this final episode of our series on relational prayer with the Rosary, we turn our hearts toward Our Lady, inviting her not only into our imagination but into the very moments of our day, whether in prayer, work, or rest. Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to be with Mary wherever we are: beside us in the chapel, in the car, at the kitchen sink, or on a prayer walk. Let her love you, shelter you, and intercede for you. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Assumption and the Coronation of Mary, and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 213: Advocate, Queen, and Mother

August 1st, 2025  |  13 mins 49 secs

ascension, building, building up the decades, catholic church, catholic faith, contemplative prayer, decades, eucharist, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, imaginative prayer, institution of the eucharist, love, luminous, luminous mysteries, luminous mystery, mary, meditating, meditative prayer, mother, poco a poco, prayer, queen, relational prayer, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, transfiguration, two decades

Fr. Mark-Mary encourages us to build a personal, relational prayer life by connecting intimately with the Blessed Virgin Mary. He invites us to imagine ourselves stepping into St. John’s home, sitting at a simple table with Mary, and resting in a space filled with love, comfort, and open conversation. Mary is not a distant or silent figure, but a present and responsive mother who offers encouragement, guidance, and compassion through God's grace. Today’s focus is the mysteries of the Transfiguration and Institution of the Eucharist and we will be praying two decades of the Rosary.

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

Day 208: Mary is With Us

July 27th, 2025  |  13 mins 12 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, coronation, defender, father mark mary, father mark-mary, finding focus, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, independent meditation, intercessor, luminous, luminous mysteries, meditation, mother, practice, prayer, protector, queen, queen of angels, queen of heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, trinity

In the mystery of Mary’s coronation, we dive into the depths of Mary’s role as queen and mother. Fr. Mark-Mary reviews some of the many layers of this mystery: Mary’s role as an intercessor, her love for us as a protector and defender, and God’s profound love represented in the gifts he has given Mary. We ask for Mary’s intercession as we seek God’s grace through prayer. 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 188: Gifts for Mary

July 7th, 2025  |  15 mins 36 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, coronation, coronation of mary, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, fresco, gifts, giuseppe rollini, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, mary help of christians, queen, queen of heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, saints, visio divina

In our final visio divina episode, we meditate on a fresco entitled Mary, Help of Christians, by Giuseppe Rollini. Mary is surrounded by rows and rows of saints, from all backgrounds and professions, and yet there is still more space in Jesus’ house. With Fr. Mark-Mary, we bring the gift of our prayer and present it to Mary, our Queen. 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 in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 168: Our Shared Inheritance

June 17th, 2025  |  15 mins 47 secs

and st. john the baptist, art, art meditations, ascension, beatitudes, catholic church, catholic faith, coronation, coronation of mary, crown, crowning, earth, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, giuseppe mattia borgnis, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, inheritance, queen, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, st. anne, st. joseph, visio divina

The Coronation of Mary is portrayed in Giuseppe Mattia Borgnis’s fresco, where the Trinity crowns her Queen of Heaven as saints, angels, and loved ones gaze on with joy. The presence of St. Joseph, St. Anne, and St. John the Baptist emphasizes that those who suffer with Christ also share in His glory. We are reminded that while the road of discipleship includes pain, it ultimately leads to the fulfillment of God’s promises of eternal victory and our shared inheritance in Christ. 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 in the Ascension App. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.

Day 167: Glory Awaits the Faithful

June 16th, 2025  |  13 mins 37 secs

art, art meditations, ascension, assumption, catholic church, catholic faith, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, heaven, mariani, mary, queen, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, sacred art, st bonaventure, victorious, victory, visio divina

Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on the Assumption of Mary through Cesare Mariani’s 1863 fresco, which depicts Our Lady rising in glory, surrounded by angels, saints, and the faithful. This meditation reminds us that in Christ, the victory is already won—and all who remain faithful will share in that eternal triumph with Him and Our Lady. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Assumption 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 128: Queen of Angels

May 8th, 2025  |  12 mins 11 secs

angels, army, ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, coronation, coronation of mary, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, queen, queen of angels, queen of heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. john henry neumann

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, 2025  |  12 mins 10 secs

ascension, catholic church, catholic faith, coronation, coronation of mary, father mark mary, father mark-mary, fiat, fr. mark mary, fr. mark-mary, glorious, glorious mysteries, holiness, mary, mother, queen, queen of earth, queen of heaven, riy, rosary, rosary in a year, rosary-in-a-year, saint, saint reflections, st. john,  st. john damascene

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 68: Fancy Friends

March 9th, 2025  |  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.