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The Mission of This Apostolate

The aim of the Living Rosary is to ask God, through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, for the conservation of the Faith in Catholic countries, the conversion of sinners, the strengthening of the just, and the exaltation of the Holy Church.

The people who join together for this pious exercise, divide among themselves the recitation of the prayers of the entire Rosary, and divide into groups of 15, in honor of the 15 principal mysteries of our redemption. Their intention is to form, by the union of their hearts, as so many living rosaries which unceasingly recall to the Celestial Father the sign of salvation manifested to St. Dominic by the Mother of Mercies.

The Living Rosary Association was Pauline’s inspired plan to save the Church in France and encourage everyone to learn their faith through Catholic books.

The association began its devotion of distributing fifteen decades of the Rosary to fifteen persons in several parishes on Dec. 8, 1826. The association was formally approved by Pope Gregory XVI and accorded canonical status on Jan. 27, 1832.

On Dec. 8, 1986, Richard and Patricia Joann Melvin, married more than 30 years, began a revival of Pauline Jaricot’s Living Rosary lay apostolate in an effort to honor Our Blessed Mother and St. Philomena. What originated with less than 30 people dedicated to praying a daily decade of the Rosary has grown to more than 11 million devoted Christians around the world, all praying their dedicated decades of the Rosary each day of every year.

- Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot

After Our Lady of the Rosary, the Association recognizes and honors as its mediatrix before God, the illustrious Virgin and Martyr, St. Philomena, named by the Sovereign Pontiff, protectress of the Living Rosary.

– Pauline Jaricot

Pauline, a young and very pious French girl, dedicated herself to the heart and love of Jesus and gave the Church one of the greatest works when she founded the Society for the Propagation of the Faith missionary work and the Association of the Living Rosary. Her immense desire to love and her thirst to possess God inspired her to act for His Glory. Jesus died for all men! Why weaken our hearts with less noble desires?

– Romans 8:28

Everything that happens occurs for a reason. It was no accident that God chose the soul of the Venerable Pauline Marie Jaricot to form the Universal Living Rosary Association for the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and in honor of Saint Philomena. Each of us is called to serve God and it is no accident that you are being called to help further this sacred mission. We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Today, over 12 million souls, faithful servants, are joined worldwide through the Living Rosary and united with Mary in prayer one decade at a time to hasten the triumph of Her Immaculate Heart and to bring about the Reign of Jesus Christ the King.