The Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary
The Rosary Confraternity is a pious association of the Catholic Church, under the care of the Dominican Order. Its members strive to pray the complete Rosary (15 decades) once a week.
They form a union of the Faithful throughout the world who, along with their own intentions, pray for the intentions and needs of all the Confraternity’s members, living and dead. St John Vianney said, “If anyone has the happiness of being in the Confraternity of the Rosary, he has in all corners of the world brothers and sisters who pray for him.”
Who Can Join
To join the Confraternity, one must be a baptised Catholic and voluntarily undertake the obligations of membership in a spirit of genuine devotion. The dead may not be enrolled.
Since 1867, the Confraternity within Great Britain has been established in the church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Haverstock Hill, London, NW5 4LB, under the care of the Dominican friars. Registration (below) in this Sodality of the Confraternity is ordinarily for residents of Great Britain. If you live elsewhere, please contact your local Dominicans in the first instance, or email: rosarium@curia.op.org for help and more information.
Benefits of membership
- The special protection of the Most Holy Mother of God;
- A share during life, and even after death, in all the good works and prayers of the members of the Confraternity;
- A share in the prayers, Masses, and apostolic works of the entire Dominican Order;
- The intercession of the entire heavenly court;
- An immense treasure of indulgences, applicable to oneself or to the souls in purgatory.
Obligations
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Members undertake to pray the complete Rosary every week
The weekly Rosary to be prayed by members comprises the 15 mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious), piously believed to have been given by Our Lady to St Dominic. Failure to complete this obligation does not constitute a sin.
(The Luminous Mysteries, proposed and recommended by Saint John Paul II, are neither obligatory nor an essential requirement to reap the spiritual benefits of the Confraternity.) -
Members must be officially enrolled in the Confraternity
by having their names inscribed in the Confraternity’s register.
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Members are required to pray for the intentions of their fellow members, both living and dead
This last obligation may be fulfilled by praying the Confraternity Prayer.
Indulgences
The Rosary is the ‘Queen of indulgenced devotions,’ and the Confraternity is the most indulgenced pious association of the Faithful. St Alphonsus Liguori said, “After Holy Mass the best means of relieving the souls in Purgatory is to join the Confraternity.”
For an explanation of indulgences, please see here.
Plenary indulgences are granted to members, under to the usual conditions, on
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The day of enrolment
On the day itself only, not on subsequent anniversaries.
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The following feast days every year:
- Presentation of Our Lord (Candlemas) – 2 February
- Annunciation – 25 March
- Easter Sunday
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – 15 August 15
- Our Lady of the Rosary – 7 October
- Immaculate Conception – 8 December
- Christmas – 25 December
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A plenary indulgence is granted whenever the Rosary is prayed:
- in a church or public oratory
- as a family
- in a religious community
- in any gathering of the faithful (two or more) for some honest purpose
- with the Pope, when his recitation is broadcast live by radio or television (and presumably, internet).
To gain a plenary indulgence we must perform the indulgenced act (here, the ordinary obligations of the Confraternity), and satisfy the following usual conditions:
- Sacramental Confession, within roughly 3 weeks before or after the day the indulgence is granted;
- Holy Communion, received on the day itself;
- Prayer for the Pope’s intentions.
- In addition, we must be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin.
- If any of the above conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence conceded will be partial.
Confraternity prayer
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary and mother of us all, we come to you for help in our sorrows, trials, and necessities. Sin leaves us weak and helpless, but divine grace heals and strengthens.
We ask for the grace to love Jesus as you loved Him, to believe as you believed, to hope as you hoped, we ask to share your purity of mind and heart.
Give us true sorrow for sin and make us love people as you and Jesus loved them. Obtain for us the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we may be wise with your wisdom, understand with your understanding, know with your knowledge, be prudent with your prudence, patient with your patience, courageous with your fortitude and desire justice ardently for everyone with the all-consuming desire of the Sacred Heart of Jesus your Son.
Open our minds that as we pray the Rosary we will understand the teachings of the Gospel contained in its mysteries.
We pray especially for the members of the Rosary Confraternity, whom we love. Help them wherever they may be; guide them, watch over them and make them strong in their trials and suffering. We are drawn together by a common bond of great charity for you and for each other; keep us faithful to your Son and to your Rosary till death.
Intercede for the souls in purgatory, especially for the members of the Rosary Confraternity who have died. May they rest in peace.
Finally we ask for the grace of final perseverance for ourselves and for our loved ones that we may all be reunited in heaven forever. Amen.
Saint Dominic, you who received so much grace and strength from the Rosary, pray for us.
Registration with the confraternity of the most Holy Rosary
This electronic form is intended for Catholics resident in England, Scotland, or Wales. If you live elsewhere, please contact your local Dominicans first.
If you fill in the above registration, you will be automatically enrolled on the following Saturday – your name will be added to our registers. We regret that we don’t currently have the administrative capacity to send certificates or letters of confirmation regarding your enrollment.
