Summary3 min read

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

Episode: Day 229: The Annunciation and the Visitation
Date: August 17, 2025
Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR (and team)
Produced by: Ascension

Episode Overview

This episode guides listeners through a meditative prayer with the first two Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary: The Annunciation and The Visitation. Fr. Mark-Mary introduces a 10-episode focus on contemplating the mysteries using Scripture, visio divina (sacred art), and prayerful meditation, encouraging listeners to deepen their habit and love for the Rosary.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting Intentions for Prayer (00:46 – 01:55)

Fr. Mark-Mary introduces a new phase: a 10-episode meditative series, each focusing deeply on two Rosary mysteries at a time.
He emphasizes the importance of revisiting past reflections and using journaling tools for deeper engagement.

“...I am going to invite you to very prayerfully focus on, meditate with and contemplate the mysteries and the Scriptures associated with the mysteries themselves.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary (00:58)

2. The Annunciation – First Joyful Mystery (01:57 – 03:01)

Fr. Mark-Mary reflects on Gabriel’s visit to Mary, recounting the angelic greeting, “Hail, full of grace,” and Gabriel’s encouragement to Mary.
The scriptural theme: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)
Mary’s response, her fiat (let it be done), is highlighted as a model of loving, free, and total surrender to God’s will.

“And then Mary’s fiat, her loving, free, total yes to God’s will in her life.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary (02:26)
Listeners are encouraged to let Mary’s example shape their own openness to God.

3. The Visitation – Second Joyful Mystery (03:01 – 03:01)

The meditation recalls Mary’s journey “in haste” to visit Elizabeth.
Emphasis on the shared joy at Mary’s arrival, Elizabeth’s Spirit-filled greeting (“Blessed are you among women”), and the interplay between the unborn John the Baptist and Jesus.

“And the joyful greeting in which Elizabeth shouts, ‘Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb’ and the interplay between the two unborn children...”
— Fr. Mark-Mary (02:40–03:01)

Prayer and Meditation Segments

First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation (03:11 – 07:18)
- Includes recital of the Our Father, ten Hail Marys, Glory Be, and the Fatima prayer.
Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation (07:18 – 11:16)
- Follows the same prayer structure, allowing listeners to meditate on the joy and faith of Mary and Elizabeth.

The scriptural recitation and group prayer provide a slow, meditative pace for listeners to enter into the Mysteries.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Revisiting Past Prayer:

“I'm certainly incorporating that into my own kind of prayer life at this point—you can revisit the Rosary New Year Prayer Guide or any journaling, note-taking that you may have personally done along the way.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary (01:32)
On God’s Power:

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary (02:15)
On Mary’s Example:

“Her loving, free, total yes to God’s will in her life.”
— Fr. Mark-Mary (02:29)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:46–01:55: Explanation of the new 10-episode meditation series
01:57–03:01: Reflections on the Annunciation and the Visitation
03:11–07:18: First Joyful Mystery—Group prayer (The Annunciation)
07:18–11:16: Second Joyful Mystery—Group prayer (The Visitation)
11:17–End: Blessing and closing remarks

Tone and Language

The episode maintains a gentle, encouraging, and prayerful tone throughout. Fr. Mark-Mary is pastoral, warm, and inviting, modeling reverence and openness to divine grace. His use of Scriptural language and traditional prayers draws listeners into a contemplative atmosphere.

Final Notes

Fr. Mark-Mary emphasizes the importance of consistency in prayer and building a habit by focusing on the Mysteries daily.
The episode closes with encouragement to “continue this journey” and a brief communal blessing.

“Friends, God bless y’all.” — Fr. Mark-Mary (11:23)

For more resources or to follow the Rosary prayer plan, visit ascensionpress.com/riy.

This summary captures the spiritual intention, prayerful structure, and key insights of the episode, offering listeners both context and reflection prompts for their own Rosary practice.

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Transcript118 lines

[00:00]
Fr. Mark Mary
Foreign Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and this is the Rosary in Here podcast where through prayer and meditation, the Rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes.
[00:14]
Podcast Host
A source of grace for the whole world.
[00:15]
Fr. Mark Mary
The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension.
[00:18]
Podcast Host
This is day 229.
[00:21]
Fr. Mark Mary
To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.com rosary in a year or text R I Y to 33 777. You'll get an outline of how we're going to pray each month and it's a great way to track your progress. The best place to listen the Podcast in the Ascension app. There are special features built just for this podcast and also recordings of the full Rosary with myself and other friars. No matter what app you're listening in, remember to tap, follow or subscribe for your daily notifications.
[00:47]
Podcast Host
Today we'll be praying with the first and second Joyful Mysteries, the Annunciation and the Visitation. So up to this point in our Phase five here building up the decades, I've offered you a variety of different ways to focus your prayer sort of parallel to your praying with the decades or in place of focusing on the decades, the Mysteries of the Decades Today we're going to begin a 10 episode series in which we are going to go through all of the Mysteries of the Rosary again two Mysteries at a time. And I am going to invite you to very prayerfully focus on, meditate with and contemplate the Mysteries and the Scriptures associated with the Mysteries themselves.
[01:33]
Fr. Mark Mary
Just a reminder that to help kind of support this prayer in your meditation, you can always go back and re listen to some previous episodes. I'm certainly incorporating that into my own kind of prayer life. At this point you can revisit the Rosary New Year Prayer Guide or any journaling note taking that you may have personally done along the way.
[01:56]
Podcast Host
So today as we pray with the.
[01:57]
Fr. Mark Mary
Annunciation, we call to mind God's messenger, the angel Gabriel being sent to Mary.
[02:03]
Prayer Leader
Greeting her hail full of grace.
[02:08]
Fr. Mark Mary
Their dialogue, the angel's response, encouragement that she will be overshadowed with the Holy Spirit for nothing will be impossible with God. And then Mary's fiat, her loving, free, total yes to God's will in her life.
[02:29]
Podcast Host
As we pray with the Visitation, we.
[02:31]
Fr. Mark Mary
Call to mind Mary arising and going in haste the long journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who's also with child, and the joyful greeting in which Elizabeth shouts, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb and the interplay between the two unborn children, the Prophet John the Baptist and the Messiah, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
[03:02]
Congregation/Group
All right.
[03:02]
Podcast Host
So with that particular focus, let us pray. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[03:10]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[03:12]
Podcast Host
The first joyful mystery is the Annunciation. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
[03:37]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[03:39]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord.
[03:42]
Fr. Mark Mary
Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[03:57]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[03:59]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
[04:04]
Fr. Mark Mary
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[04:17]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[04:19]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[04:21]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the blessed art.
[04:24]
Fr. Mark Mary
Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[04:37]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[04:39]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[04:41]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the blessed art.
[04:44]
Fr. Mark Mary
Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[04:57]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[04:59]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord.
[05:02]
Fr. Mark Mary
Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[05:16]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[05:18]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
[05:22]
Fr. Mark Mary
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[05:35]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[05:37]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[05:39]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the blessed art.
[05:42]
Fr. Mark Mary
Thou among women, and blessed is the.
[05:45]
Prayer Assistant
Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[05:48]
Fr. Mark Mary
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[05:54]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[05:56]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[05:59]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the blessed art.
[06:02]
Fr. Mark Mary
Thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[06:14]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[06:17]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord.
[06:20]
Fr. Mark Mary
Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[06:34]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[06:36]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord.
[06:39]
Fr. Mark Mary
Is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[06:54]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[06:56]
Fr. Mark Mary
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
[07:06]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[07:07]
Fr. Mark Mary
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.
[07:19]
Podcast Host
The second joyful mystery is the visitation. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but but deliver us from evil.
[07:45]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[07:46]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[07:48]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the.
[07:53]
Prayer Assistant
Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[07:56]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[08:03]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[08:04]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[08:06]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the.
[08:11]
Prayer Assistant
Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[08:14]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[08:20]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[08:22]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
[08:26]
Podcast Host
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.
[08:29]
Prayer Assistant
Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[08:32]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[08:39]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[08:41]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[08:43]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the.
[08:48]
Prayer Assistant
Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[08:50]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[08:57]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[08:59]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
[09:03]
Podcast Host
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.
[09:06]
Prayer Assistant
Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[09:09]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[09:16]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[09:17]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[09:19]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the.
[09:25]
Prayer Assistant
Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[09:28]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[09:34]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[09:36]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[09:38]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the.
[09:43]
Prayer Assistant
Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[09:46]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[09:53]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[09:54]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[09:56]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the.
[10:01]
Prayer Assistant
Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[10:04]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now. And at the hour of our death.
[10:11]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[10:13]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[10:15]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.
[10:20]
Prayer Assistant
Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[10:24]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
[10:30]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[10:32]
Prayer Leader
Hail Mary, full of grace.
[10:34]
Podcast Host
The Lord is with the. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed.
[10:39]
Prayer Assistant
Is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
[10:42]
Podcast Host
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
[10:49]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[10:50]
Podcast Host
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end.
[11:00]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[11:02]
Podcast Host
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[11:16]
Congregation/Group
Amen.
[11:17]
Podcast Host
All right, everybody, thanks so much for joining me and praying with me today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow.
[11:23]
Congregation/Group
Poco.
[11:23]
Podcast Host
Poco.
[11:24]
Fr. Mark Mary
Friends, God bless y'.
[11:26]
Congregation/Group
All.