Praying the Rosary with St. Paul

Author(s): 
Paul Thigpen
Number of pages: 
95 pages
Copyright: 
2008
ISBN: 
0159276553
Publisher: 
Our Sunday Visitor
Binding: 
Softcover
Subject(s): 
Grade / Age level: 
Review: 
I am happy to review this little book as the prayer of the Rosary is my constant life companion. The book consists of clever selections drawn from the biblical writings of Saint Paul, to illustrate a theme related to the fruit of each of the twenty mysteries of the Holy Rosary. The preface explains how the apparent conflict between Saint Paul--a saint who never payed the Rosary--and the Rosary is just a superficial one. As both are engulfed in Scripture and the life of Our Lord, both are actually highly compatible. The author also discusses here how Saint Paul would have become acquainted with the Blessed Mother's life. The bulk of the book is each mystery of the Rosary in order, starting with the Joyful mysteries, followed by a Pauline scripture passage related to the spiritual fruit of the mystery, and a reflection by the author. Thus, the First Joyful Mystery, the Annunciation, is followed by a passage from Hebrews on Faith, which is the mystery's spiritual fruit. The beauty of this book, in my opinion, is that it is able to serve well both an audience who say daily or weekly Rosaries--in ways of enriching their prayer--and also the one who have yet to enter the delights of the daily recitation of one of the most beautiful of all prayers of the Church. For the latter, what better way to begin a new form of prayer than by careful, set-by-step refection on the spiritual fruits of each of the 20 mysteries, by way of the scriptural words of the great Apostle?
Additional notes: 

On a personal note, the author's dedication--"For my students at Southern Catholic College, as they soar upward to truth on the wings of faith and reason"--touched the chords of my heart. A professor should, in a perfect world, have this sort of love for his students. How beautful. I went to the college's website, and all I can say is, I'd like to go to college all over again if it looked like that, and in such a warm climate too.

Reviewed by: 
First reviewed: 
6-10-2009