The Rosary in a Year (with Fr. Mark-Mary Ames)
Ascension
In Ascension’s Rosary in a Year podcast, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR, guides listeners in a step-by-step journey that will change the way you pray – no matter where you are in your spiritual life.
By starting small and adding on over time, listeners will find themselves falling more in love with this powerful Marian devotion, becoming a source of grace for the whole world.
Listen to discover….
How to build a daily habit of prayer
How to form a relationship with Jesus and Mary
The Biblical foundations of the Rosary
How to meditate with sacred art (visio divina), saint writings, and scripture (lectio divina)
The power of Mary’s influence in your life
…and more.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
By starting small and adding on over time, listeners will find themselves falling more in love with this powerful Marian devotion, becoming a source of grace for the whole world.
Listen to discover….
How to build a daily habit of prayer
How to form a relationship with Jesus and Mary
The Biblical foundations of the Rosary
How to meditate with sacred art (visio divina), saint writings, and scripture (lectio divina)
The power of Mary’s influence in your life
…and more.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 17, 2026 • 13min
Day 76: The Shepherd is Shepherding
The mystery of the Proclamation of the Kingdom and the Call to Conversion reveals to us that the time is now. God is here, and he desires to shepherd you. As we pray lectio divina, Fr. Mark-Mary asks us, are we ready to allow Jesus to shepherd us? Are we ready to allow God to shape our lives? Today’s focus is the mystery of the Proclamation of the Kingdom and Call to Conversion and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Mar 16, 2026 • 16min
Day 75: Jesus and Mary See You
At the Wedding Feast at Cana, Mary notices first that the wine has run out. Fr. Mark-Mary explains that this means Mary and Jesus are invested in us. They are looking for our areas of need, so that Jesus can give us the new wine. We pray lectio divina, meditating on the truth that we are not alone. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Wedding Feast at Cana and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Mar 15, 2026 • 15min
Day 74: Beloved of the Father
A meditation on Jesus as the Father's beloved and how baptism makes us beloved too. A guided lectio divina that listens for the Father's voice and invites a deeper identity in God's love. Prayerful reflections on becoming pleasing to the Father and a contemplative decade of the Rosary focused on the Baptism in the Jordan.
Mar 14, 2026 • 15min
Day 73: Seek Him
How are we seeking Jesus? Are we aware that as we seek Jesus, he too is seeking us? Fr. Mark-Mary asks us the words Jesus asks Mary when she finds him in the Temple, “how is it that you sought me,” as we pray lectio divina, inspiring us to consider how we look for Jesus. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Finding in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Mar 13, 2026 • 15min
Day 72: You Don’t Wait in Vain
Simeon and Anna spent their entire lives waiting in the Temple for the savior. We might feel like Simeon and Anna, waiting for God and his promises in our own lives. Fr. Mark-Mary tells us that the Presentation is a sign of hope for all of us: just as Simeon and Anna saw salvation, we too do not wait in vain. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Presentation in the Temple and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Mar 12, 2026 • 16min
Day 71: Behold God
A guided lectio divina on the Nativity invites listeners to join the shepherds at Bethlehem. Historical context highlights God's rule over events. Imaginative prompts flesh out the manger scene and sensory details. Quiet contemplation focuses on the infant's humility and the call to draw near without fear. Prayerful petitions ask for trust, healing, and rejoicing in God's gentle revelation.
Mar 11, 2026 • 15min
Day 70: The Faith of Mary
In the Visitation, God is revealing that he keeps his promises. Fr. Mark-Mary leads us in lectio divina, meditating on finding blessedness in our faith in God, like Mary who believed in God’s promises. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Visitation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Mar 10, 2026 • 19min
Day 69: Nothing is Impossible
Congratulations! You have made it to Phase 3 of the Rosary in a Year: Meditating on the Mysteries. We begin lectio divina with Fr. Mark-Mary, meditating on Mary’s yes to a person, not a plan. We’re reminded that even if we don’t understand God’s plan, we can fully trust in his goodness. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Annunciation and we will be praying one decade of the Rosary.
For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
Mar 9, 2026 • 30min
Bonus: Introduction to Phase Three: “Meditating with the Mysteries”
Fr. Gregory Pine, a Dominican friar and teacher of Dominican spirituality and the rosary, joins to explore meditative approaches to the mysteries. They trace Dominican roots and structure of the rosary. They contrast Dominican and Franciscan charisms. They outline practical ways to deepen meditation using lectio, saints, and sacred art. They also tackle distraction, guardian angels, and why the rosary still matters today.
Mar 9, 2026 • 11min
Day 68: Fancy Friends
Reflection on having 'fancy' friends and how special access can help in life. A reading from Revelation about the woman clothed with the sun and the dragon. A look at Mary as Queen who lavishes graces and welcomes petitions with maternal care. Short prayers including the Our Father, three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be.
