The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)

Episode: Bonus: Introduction to Phase Six: “Praying Together”
Date: December 2, 2025
Guests: Jackie and Bobby Angel

Episode Overview

This special bonus episode marks the beginning of Phase Six, “Praying Together,” of the "Rosary in a Year" podcast. Fr. Mark-Mary Ames is joined by husband-and-wife duo Jackie and Bobby Angel to discuss the journey of praying together, the transformative power of communal prayer (especially the rosary), and the deeply personal and practical ways the Rosary has shaped their lives, marriage, and family. The conversation weaves together personal testimony, encouragement for those struggling in prayer, practical advice, and a moving witness to the intercessory power of Mary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Rosary Testimonies and the Power of the 54-Day Novena

[00:39–06:20]

Jackie’s Testimony:
- Jackie recounts the pivotal role the 54-day Rosary Novena played in her spiritual life, relationships, and ultimately her marriage to Bobby. Initially praying for a boyfriend to attend daily Mass, Jackie experienced miraculous timing in responses and sees Mary’s guidance throughout her journey.
- Memorable Story: On the final day of petition, her then-boyfriend started going to Mass; later, on the 27th day of another novena, he broke up with her, which led Jackie to prayerfully seek her future spouse. When she completed a rosary novena leading up to August 15 (the Assumption), she and Bobby reconnected—and Bobby unknowingly bought her engagement ring on that very day.
“Literally the day after my petition phase was over, he called me and said he was going to daily Mass... I just start laughing, you know, and I'm like, because I do.” – Jackie [01:25]
“Our lady has really been a huge part of our story. Come to find out we both had consecrated ourselves to Our lady through the St. Louis de Montfort consecration the same year.” – Jackie [03:40]
Bobby’s Reflection:
- Bobby notes Mary’s subtle but omnipresent influence in their journey (and in his own faith, inspired by Pope John Paul II’s Marian devotion). He highlights “Totus Tuus Maria” as a daily, sometimes overlooked, reminder of belonging to Mary.
“Mary, I think, is also happy to be behind the scenes interceding for us... It’s not about her. It's about going through her to Christ.” – Bobby [04:42]
Annual Family Consecrations:
- Jackie emphasizes the tradition of family consecration to Mary, especially during pregnancy and major transitions.
“Every year we reconsecrate ourselves... And every time in those years that I was pregnant, we would consecrate each of our children to Our Lady.” – Jackie [06:20]

2. Explaining the 54-Day Novena and Marian Intercession

[07:20–09:22]

The Structure of the Novena:
- Fr. Mark-Mary and Jackie clarify how the 54-day novena consists of three novenas of petition and three of thanksgiving, totaling 54 days.
- The spiritual challenge: Persevering in prayer, even when it’s hard or miraculous results aren’t immediate.
“It's like the persevering, the knocking widow. You're just knocking if you have this petition. It takes a lot to really do 54 days in a row and. And not miss.” – Jackie [08:24]
The Power and Efficacy of Mary’s Prayers:
- Testimonies of conversions and answered petitions abound; Jackie points to James: "The prayers of a righteous person is powerful, and Our lady is the most righteous person who ever walked the earth."

3. Navigating Disappointment and Trusting Gods’s Goodness

[09:22–16:15]

Dealing with “Unanswered” Prayers:
- Jackie reflects on trusting God amidst disappointment, insisting that God "always has something good" even when “things don’t go my way.”
“No matter what the answer is to any of my prayers, that God always has something good. He's not holding out on me.” – Jackie [09:42]
Encouragement for the Discouraged:
- Bobby sets straight the image of God, reminding listeners:
“God is not this mean coach who’s trying to cut you from the team. He's not a puppeteer that delights in our pain... suffering produces endurance, which produces character, which produces hope.” – Bobby [12:44]
- They note the importance of hope, referencing Romans and catechism on heaven as the fulfillment of all desire.
- Jackie affirms the unique comfort found in Christ, even within vocation and marriage:
“Only Jesus can do that. So falling in love with him is always the answer in our pain and brokenness.” – Jackie [16:13]

4. The Necessity and Beauty of Praying Together

[18:10–36:12]

Fr. Mark-Mary on Community:
- Encourages that no one has to “trust Jesus by yourself” and inviting help is itself a prayer.
“You don't have to trust Jesus by yourself. You don't have to surrender to Jesus by yourself... the first step really is always to go to the Lord and ask for his help and his support.” – Fr. Mark-Mary [18:10]
Motherhood, Marian Reflection, and Parental Love:
- Jackie describes how motherhood opened her eyes to Mary’s love for us and God’s love as Father, mirroring the parent-child bond, with meditation practices to help those who struggle to experience that affirmation.
“Our mother in heaven, Mary, delights in us as her children and looks at us with that kind of gaze of love.” – Jackie [21:20]
- Bobby and Jackie together illustrate how both the sacrifices and joys of parenthood shed light on Christ’s self-gift and the resurrection (“for the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross” – Hebrews).
“It’s beautiful to watch your spouse become a parent, to go through that metamorphosis... and God loves us infinitely more than this.” – Bobby [22:35]

5. Facing the Messiness (and Grace!) of Family & Communal Prayer

[25:27–35:12]

The Communion and Challenge of Imperfect Prayer:
- Communal prayer (at home or in religious life) often means surrendering personal preferences and enduring distraction or imperfection.
“Part of the offering of our prayer isn't just me being as focused and as really locked in... it's actually part of the offering and part of the sacrifice and something beautiful and pleasing to God.” – Fr. Mark-Mary [28:54]
- Jackie and Bobby share candid stories on how chaotic their family rosaries can be, and why perseverance matters.
“Even during the rosary, when we pray it as a family, oh, it’s chaos, you guys... It’s like literally throwing around their rosary, hitting each other. I mean, it's nuts, but. But it's worth it. It is worth it.” – Jackie [32:24]
Practical Approaches:
- The importance of mutual understanding in marriage (“having the conversation” about how and when to pray together).
- Accepting different temperaments, children’s ages, and stages mean prayer will evolve over time.
“Every family in different stages can discern these kinds of things. It doesn’t all have to look like us... it just needs to be talked about.” – Jackie [34:32]

6. Encouragement for Perseverance in Prayer

[35:15–39:33]

It’s Working, Even When You Don’t Feel It:
- Bobby likens prayer discipline to exercise: initial progress is visible, but most growth is invisible and incremental.
“It’s working. Is what I would give to anyone who might be hitting a plateau, hitting a point of struggle or distraction or should I keep this up? ... It's doing something.” – Bobby [36:12]
Know Thyself:
- Jackie humorously notes how temperament can affect prayer habits (perfectionists vs. procrastinators, steady-workers vs. sprinters) and offers practical tips to find what works best for your personality.

7. The Intercessory Effects and Grace for the Whole Church

[39:33–43:38]

Prayer’s Ripple Effect:
- Fr. Mark-Mary shares how the prayers of many (including Marian movements) shaped his own conversion and vocation—reminding us that our prayers win grace for the entire Church.
“When we are praying and we're praying the rosary, it is on behalf of like the whole church and for all the people of God and we're winning grace for everybody.” – Fr. Mark-Mary [39:33]
Visual Prayer and Rosary Imagery:
- Jackie shares her imaginative prayer, viewing each Hail Mary as a rose offered to Mary, forming crowns of grace.
“Every Hail Mary is a rose to Our Lady. And in the novena it's like you're like making a crown of roses for her.” – Jackie [41:14]
Praying for the World:
- Bobby urges listeners to remember those who cannot pray for themselves, that even “dry” prayers are efficacious for the whole Body of Christ.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On God’s Goodness in Disappointment:
“I know God can say yes, he can say maybe, but not now. And he can say, no, I really believe, my God, you are a good father. And if it's not this guy, it's going to be someone better because you don't hold out on me.”
— Jackie [09:42]
On Prayer’s Perseverance:
“It's working. It's doing something.”
— Bobby [36:12]
On Community in Prayer:
“You don't have to trust Jesus by yourself. You don't have to surrender to Jesus by yourself... The first step really is always to go to the Lord and ask for his help and his support.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary [18:10]
On the Rosary as a Sacrifice:
“The annoying things happening actually are part of the offering and part of the sacrifice and something really, like, beautiful and pleasing to God.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary [28:54]
On Marian Visual Prayer:
“Every Hail Mary is a rose to Our Lady... I just imagine she's taking the petals and they're pouring like grace into the heart of either me or the person I'm praying for.”
— Jackie [41:14]

Timestamps for Major Segments

[00:39] Jackie’s 54-day novena testimony and journey to marriage
[04:42] Bobby on Totus Tuus Maria, Mary’s hidden presence
[07:20] Explaining the 54-day Rosary Novena
[09:22] Navigating disappointment and trusting God’s providence
[12:44] Encouragement for the discouraged and suffering
[18:10] Why community and praying together matter
[21:20] Motherhood and understanding Mary’s love for us
[28:54] The beauty and sacrifice of communal/family prayer
[34:32] How prayer habits evolve through family and life stages
[36:12] Perseverance in prayer—why “it’s working”
[39:33] Prayer as a source of grace for the whole Church
[41:14] Imaginative prayer: each Hail Mary as a rose

Final Encouragement

Fr. Mark-Mary, Jackie, and Bobby close with deep assurance: prayer—especially the rosary—matters, even when it’s messy or feels unrewarding. Our Lady’s intercession is real, powerful, and personal; prayer together brings transformation and union, and even the smallest, most distracted offering can become a crown of grace for the world.

“Poco a poco—little by little… It’s working.”
— Jackie & Fr. Mark-Mary [43:52]

Recommended next step:
Begin (or continue) praying the rosary together—messy, distracted, imperfect, but together—in confidence that “it’s working.”

The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)

Episode: Bonus: Introduction to Phase Six: “Praying Together”
Date: December 2, 2025
Guests: Jackie and Bobby Angel

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Rosary Testimonies and the Power of the 54-Day Novena

[00:39–06:20]

Jackie’s Testimony:
- Jackie recounts the pivotal role the 54-day Rosary Novena played in her spiritual life, relationships, and ultimately her marriage to Bobby. Initially praying for a boyfriend to attend daily Mass, Jackie experienced miraculous timing in responses and sees Mary’s guidance throughout her journey.
- Memorable Story: On the final day of petition, her then-boyfriend started going to Mass; later, on the 27th day of another novena, he broke up with her, which led Jackie to prayerfully seek her future spouse. When she completed a rosary novena leading up to August 15 (the Assumption), she and Bobby reconnected—and Bobby unknowingly bought her engagement ring on that very day.
“Literally the day after my petition phase was over, he called me and said he was going to daily Mass... I just start laughing, you know, and I'm like, because I do.” – Jackie [01:25]
“Our lady has really been a huge part of our story. Come to find out we both had consecrated ourselves to Our lady through the St. Louis de Montfort consecration the same year.” – Jackie [03:40]
Bobby’s Reflection:
- Bobby notes Mary’s subtle but omnipresent influence in their journey (and in his own faith, inspired by Pope John Paul II’s Marian devotion). He highlights “Totus Tuus Maria” as a daily, sometimes overlooked, reminder of belonging to Mary.
“Mary, I think, is also happy to be behind the scenes interceding for us... It’s not about her. It's about going through her to Christ.” – Bobby [04:42]
Annual Family Consecrations:
- Jackie emphasizes the tradition of family consecration to Mary, especially during pregnancy and major transitions.
“Every year we reconsecrate ourselves... And every time in those years that I was pregnant, we would consecrate each of our children to Our Lady.” – Jackie [06:20]

2. Explaining the 54-Day Novena and Marian Intercession

[07:20–09:22]

The Structure of the Novena:
- Fr. Mark-Mary and Jackie clarify how the 54-day novena consists of three novenas of petition and three of thanksgiving, totaling 54 days.
- The spiritual challenge: Persevering in prayer, even when it’s hard or miraculous results aren’t immediate.
“It's like the persevering, the knocking widow. You're just knocking if you have this petition. It takes a lot to really do 54 days in a row and. And not miss.” – Jackie [08:24]
The Power and Efficacy of Mary’s Prayers:
- Testimonies of conversions and answered petitions abound; Jackie points to James: "The prayers of a righteous person is powerful, and Our lady is the most righteous person who ever walked the earth."

3. Navigating Disappointment and Trusting Gods’s Goodness

[09:22–16:15]

Dealing with “Unanswered” Prayers:
- Jackie reflects on trusting God amidst disappointment, insisting that God "always has something good" even when “things don’t go my way.”
“No matter what the answer is to any of my prayers, that God always has something good. He's not holding out on me.” – Jackie [09:42]
Encouragement for the Discouraged:
- Bobby sets straight the image of God, reminding listeners:
“God is not this mean coach who’s trying to cut you from the team. He's not a puppeteer that delights in our pain... suffering produces endurance, which produces character, which produces hope.” – Bobby [12:44]
- They note the importance of hope, referencing Romans and catechism on heaven as the fulfillment of all desire.
- Jackie affirms the unique comfort found in Christ, even within vocation and marriage:
“Only Jesus can do that. So falling in love with him is always the answer in our pain and brokenness.” – Jackie [16:13]

4. The Necessity and Beauty of Praying Together

[18:10–36:12]

Fr. Mark-Mary on Community:
- Encourages that no one has to “trust Jesus by yourself” and inviting help is itself a prayer.
“You don't have to trust Jesus by yourself. You don't have to surrender to Jesus by yourself... the first step really is always to go to the Lord and ask for his help and his support.” – Fr. Mark-Mary [18:10]
Motherhood, Marian Reflection, and Parental Love:
- Jackie describes how motherhood opened her eyes to Mary’s love for us and God’s love as Father, mirroring the parent-child bond, with meditation practices to help those who struggle to experience that affirmation.
“Our mother in heaven, Mary, delights in us as her children and looks at us with that kind of gaze of love.” – Jackie [21:20]
- Bobby and Jackie together illustrate how both the sacrifices and joys of parenthood shed light on Christ’s self-gift and the resurrection (“for the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross” – Hebrews).
“It’s beautiful to watch your spouse become a parent, to go through that metamorphosis... and God loves us infinitely more than this.” – Bobby [22:35]

5. Facing the Messiness (and Grace!) of Family & Communal Prayer

[25:27–35:12]

The Communion and Challenge of Imperfect Prayer:
- Communal prayer (at home or in religious life) often means surrendering personal preferences and enduring distraction or imperfection.
“Part of the offering of our prayer isn't just me being as focused and as really locked in... it's actually part of the offering and part of the sacrifice and something beautiful and pleasing to God.” – Fr. Mark-Mary [28:54]
- Jackie and Bobby share candid stories on how chaotic their family rosaries can be, and why perseverance matters.
“Even during the rosary, when we pray it as a family, oh, it’s chaos, you guys... It’s like literally throwing around their rosary, hitting each other. I mean, it's nuts, but. But it's worth it. It is worth it.” – Jackie [32:24]
Practical Approaches:
- The importance of mutual understanding in marriage (“having the conversation” about how and when to pray together).
- Accepting different temperaments, children’s ages, and stages mean prayer will evolve over time.
“Every family in different stages can discern these kinds of things. It doesn’t all have to look like us... it just needs to be talked about.” – Jackie [34:32]

6. Encouragement for Perseverance in Prayer

[35:15–39:33]

It’s Working, Even When You Don’t Feel It:
- Bobby likens prayer discipline to exercise: initial progress is visible, but most growth is invisible and incremental.
“It’s working. Is what I would give to anyone who might be hitting a plateau, hitting a point of struggle or distraction or should I keep this up? ... It's doing something.” – Bobby [36:12]
Know Thyself:
- Jackie humorously notes how temperament can affect prayer habits (perfectionists vs. procrastinators, steady-workers vs. sprinters) and offers practical tips to find what works best for your personality.

7. The Intercessory Effects and Grace for the Whole Church

[39:33–43:38]

Prayer’s Ripple Effect:
- Fr. Mark-Mary shares how the prayers of many (including Marian movements) shaped his own conversion and vocation—reminding us that our prayers win grace for the entire Church.
“When we are praying and we're praying the rosary, it is on behalf of like the whole church and for all the people of God and we're winning grace for everybody.” – Fr. Mark-Mary [39:33]
Visual Prayer and Rosary Imagery:
- Jackie shares her imaginative prayer, viewing each Hail Mary as a rose offered to Mary, forming crowns of grace.
“Every Hail Mary is a rose to Our Lady. And in the novena it's like you're like making a crown of roses for her.” – Jackie [41:14]
Praying for the World:
- Bobby urges listeners to remember those who cannot pray for themselves, that even “dry” prayers are efficacious for the whole Body of Christ.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On God’s Goodness in Disappointment:
“I know God can say yes, he can say maybe, but not now. And he can say, no, I really believe, my God, you are a good father. And if it's not this guy, it's going to be someone better because you don't hold out on me.”
— Jackie [09:42]
On Prayer’s Perseverance:
“It's working. It's doing something.”
— Bobby [36:12]
On Community in Prayer:
“You don't have to trust Jesus by yourself. You don't have to surrender to Jesus by yourself... The first step really is always to go to the Lord and ask for his help and his support.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary [18:10]
On the Rosary as a Sacrifice:
“The annoying things happening actually are part of the offering and part of the sacrifice and something really, like, beautiful and pleasing to God.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary [28:54]
On Marian Visual Prayer:
“Every Hail Mary is a rose to Our Lady... I just imagine she's taking the petals and they're pouring like grace into the heart of either me or the person I'm praying for.”
— Jackie [41:14]

Timestamps for Major Segments

[00:39] Jackie’s 54-day novena testimony and journey to marriage
[04:42] Bobby on Totus Tuus Maria, Mary’s hidden presence
[07:20] Explaining the 54-day Rosary Novena
[09:22] Navigating disappointment and trusting God’s providence
[12:44] Encouragement for the discouraged and suffering
[18:10] Why community and praying together matter
[21:20] Motherhood and understanding Mary’s love for us
[28:54] The beauty and sacrifice of communal/family prayer
[34:32] How prayer habits evolve through family and life stages
[36:12] Perseverance in prayer—why “it’s working”
[39:33] Prayer as a source of grace for the whole Church
[41:14] Imaginative prayer: each Hail Mary as a rose

Final Encouragement

“Poco a poco—little by little… It’s working.”
— Jackie & Fr. Mark-Mary [43:52]

Recommended next step:
Begin (or continue) praying the rosary together—messy, distracted, imperfect, but together—in confidence that “it’s working.”

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Bonus: Introduction to Phase Six: “Praying Together”

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Summary

The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Rosary Testimonies and the Power of the 54-Day Novena

2. Explaining the 54-Day Novena and Marian Intercession

3. Navigating Disappointment and Trusting Gods’s Goodness

4. The Necessity and Beauty of Praying Together

5. Facing the Messiness (and Grace!) of Family & Communal Prayer

6. Encouragement for Perseverance in Prayer

7. The Intercessory Effects and Grace for the Whole Church

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Major Segments

Final Encouragement

Summary

The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Rosary Testimonies and the Power of the 54-Day Novena

2. Explaining the 54-Day Novena and Marian Intercession

3. Navigating Disappointment and Trusting Gods’s Goodness

4. The Necessity and Beauty of Praying Together

5. Facing the Messiness (and Grace!) of Family & Communal Prayer

6. Encouragement for Perseverance in Prayer

7. The Intercessory Effects and Grace for the Whole Church

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Major Segments

Final Encouragement