A Rosary Reading List For The Month of October

by Very Reverend Jared Rodrigue, V.E.

October is the month of the Rosary. In addition to committing (or re-committing) ourselves to praying the Rosary, we can grow our love and understanding of this great spiritual weapon by reading a book about it. Consider the list below. Some of these are short and easy to pick up a little at a time. Others are richer and will take some real sitting-with. But every one of them will do the same thing – deepen your prayer and show you why Mary always points us to her Son.

The Secret of the Rosary by Saint Louis de Montfort
If you want to fall in love with the Rosary, start here. Saint Louis de Montfort gives you 50 short reflections – he calls them "roses" – on the history, beauty and power of the Rosary. You can read one a day, and each one will deepen the way you pray it.

True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis de Montfort
This book isn't about Marian devotion as an end in itself. It's about belonging completely to Jesus through her. This was a favorite book of Saint John Paul II. If you've ever wondered why Catholics love Mary so much, this is the book that shows you it always leads back to Christ.

The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori

St. Alphonsus Liguori is a Doctor of the Church, and it shows. He writes on Mary as our Mother and Queen, and on how powerful her intercession is for her children. This one is a bit meatier – theology, stories, reflections – so give yourself time with it. It's worth the effort.

Champions of the Rosary by Father Donald H. Calloway, MIC
If you love a good story, this is your book. Father Calloway traces the whole history of the Rosary – the saints, the popes, the battles, the conversions – everywhere it shows up in the life of the Church. It's a big book. It's also a page-turner, and you'll never look at the Rosary the same way again.

Pocket Guide to the Rosary by Matt Fradd
Short, practical and to the point. Matt Fradd helps you stop just "getting through" the Rosary and actually pray it. If your mind wanders during the Rosary, or you're not sure what to meditate on while you're praying, this little book will fix that.

Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary by Dr. Brant Pitre
Why do we believe what we believe about Mary? Dr. Pitre goes back to Scripture and the Jewish world Jesus lived in to answer that. He shows how titles like the New Eve, the New Ark and the Queen Mother aren't add-ons – they're Mary's place in God's whole plan of salvation. If you love Scripture, this one will reveal Mary to you in a new way.

You don't need to read all of these. Just pick one – whichever sounds most like where you are right now –and start. Mary will take it from there.