“Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.”   – Blessed Pope Pius IX

The mysteries of the rosary are what good mysteries should be – a story or event which builds interest and encourages further investigation or consideration. As with many of the events in the life of Jesus Christ, deeper reflection is necessary to experience the dimensions of what is happening to uncover deeper meaning and understanding. A priest once told me when I was much younger that it is one thing to ponder what Christ is saying, but we must also consider what he is doing.

The stories and events we reflect and mediate on while praying the rosary are known and beloved by many Christian faiths, the application of the meditative mind on these stories as a means of a deeper understanding is central to our Catholic faith.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, meditation “engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart and strengthen our will to follow Christ.”

“I take refuge, then, in prayer, and turn to Mary, and our Lord always triumphs.”   – St. Therese of Lisieux

The paintings that result from this project must promote that meditative thought and the examination of these mysteries inseparable to our own existence. More than images, they must be a point from which the viewer can depart deeply into the lives of Mary and Jesus Christ.

“One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, Our Lady will save the world.”    – Saint Dominic