This is the Mormon feminist version of the Rosary that I wrote back in 2019, after struggling for several years to come up with a version that worked. It was only after studying the Temple, with its three progressive degrees of glory, that it occurred to me that Heavenly Mother’s sacred character corresponds to that of the Temple. The Rosary beads too lead in progression from the base of the beads, towards the inner sanctum, and circling back around…“one eternal round.”
I haven’t spoken much about this – much less written about it – but in a sacred experience I had a couple years ago, I was told to “pray the Rosary.” While this is common to many Marian-type apparitions (this was not the Virgin Mary speaking, but it wasn’t Heavenly Mother, either!), I tried to make it clear that I was not Catholic, but Mormon. But She would not take “no” for an answer. This is why I tried to make it work. And you will notice this Rosary prayer is different from most, in terms of its emphasis on the Sacred Feminine in Her various manifestations. It does incorporate some divine masculine references because Jesus prayed to the Father, and I have long since realized that gender balance is necessary when it comes to the Sacred Presence.
So here is my version of the Rosary. If it helps, that’s wonderful! If it’s not for you, I understand completely. But it’s past time for me to create a post on this. Also feel free to adapt as your personal spirituality sees fit. There are no “rules” here. In fact, I will add that my Rosary does not have a cross/crucifix on it, so even that is not required.
First bead – Begin with the “Our Father” (end with “but deliver us from evil”….you will finish this prayer later)
Next three beads– “Holy, Holy, Holy…. (in progression; reflecting the three degrees of glory in the Temple)
Next Bead: Lord God Almighty. The earth is full of his glory. The course of the Lord is one eternal round (I Nephi 10:19).
*Imagine you are entering the Temple, with its three degrees of glory. Entering the Outer Courtyard of the Temple.
First Set– Hail Mary, Full of Grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of the Son of God after the manner of the flesh (I Nephi 11:18), we ask for your intercession on our behalf, Heavenly Gevirah.
Next Bead: “The course of the Lord is one eternal round.” Entering the Holy Place
Second Set– Mary Magdalene, Tower of the Flock, you are Goddess With Us. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is thy sacred union with Christ Jesus. Holy Mary, Daughter of Zion, make yourself known to us in this dispensation.
Next Bead: “The course of the Lord is one eternal round.” Entering the Holy of Holies
Third Set– – Heavenly Mother of Jerusalem/Zion, blessed are You among goddesses, Goddess Most High, and blessed is Thy sacred union with Heavenly Father. Heavenly Mother of all our spirits, keep us safe under the Shadow of Your Wings.
Next Bead: “The course of the Lord is one eternal round” (return to the Holy Place)
Fourth Set: Revisit the prayers to Mary Magdalene.
Next Bead: “The course of the Lord is one eternal round.” (return to outer courtyard)
Fifth set: Revisit the prayers to the Virgin Mary
Conclude with “…For Thine is the Kingdom the power and the Glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Next three beads– “Holy, Holy, Holy….
Last Bead: “For we know the course of the Lord is one eternal round” (I Nephi 10:19).
Written by Michelle Wiener, 2019
Photo Credit: Robert Wiener
Michelle Wiener
Dr. Michelle Wiener holds a Master of Arts in Theology from Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky and a Master of Ecumenical Studies from the University of Geneva in Switzerland where she studied for a year with the World Council of Churches. A convert from the Bible Belt, she loves genealogy and serves as Temple & Family History Consultant. A devotee of Heavenly Mother, she also runs the Finding Heavenly Mother Project. Michelle just completed her PhD in comparative theology through Euclid University.
All posts by Michelle Wiener
This is beautiful.
Do you believe that Virgin Mary, is also Our Heavenly Mother?
No, I do not believe the Virgin Mary is also Heavenly Mother. Instead, I believe she is the earthly representation of our Heavenly Mother, the “mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh” (I Nephi 11:18). Heavenly Mother is the Mother of all our spirits.
Bravo Michelle you are after my own heart. I too have had the same feeling you have regarding they heavenly mother and I have been having the same struggle with how to write a rosary that others in the mormon faith would find attractive and willing to try it out. Your work is superb I am grateful to know you and Meet you. Hope we may connect very soon.
The part about Mother made me tear up in a good way. Beautifully written!
By the way, I’ve never heard of the term Gevirah before.
In Old Testament times, the Gevirah was the mother of the king, and she had a lot of power and influence. This is the role of the Virgin Mary, who intercedes on our behalf.
I just pray the regular rosary because I used to be Catholic. I say the articles of faith on the cross. I also say the chaplet of Divine Mercy. This type of prayer (The Rosary) seems to be helpful especially while meditating on the episodes of Christ’s life mentioned as the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries. the Chaplet of divine mercy is mostly a prayer to Heavenly Father that you can use to intercede for people who need special forgiveness and healing help. You can inset their names in the prayer, “For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on (us/or insert the person’s name____) and on the whole world. You can also meditate on Christ’s suffering or the sorrowful mysteries during this chaplet.
There is NO such thing as a “Mormon Rosary”.
I know it’s close to a year down the track, but I feel I must address this.
The denial that Mary had God in her womb is a heresy known as Nestorianism (which claims that Jesus was two persons, one divine and one human), which has been condemned since the early 400s and which the Reformers and Protestant Bible scholars have always rejected.
I have been a Mormon….but it wasn’t long before I knew my mistake and turned back to the church that Christ (God Himself….only ONE God) instituted. I then studied FACTS…and grew deeper in Catholicism.
Satan will ALWAYS take from where people are not strong and his disguise will always make a person “feel” good about that other lie, the Book of Mormon…unless the person is very capable of discernment (supernaturally gifted) and not vulnerable to spiritual deception. Some fit in both categories. I did. And I have witnessed too many people give their testimony….while Satan simply laughs at them all.
Satan has tried to destroy Christ’s ACTUAL Church from the moment if its inception. Even now, we have a heretic (so-called progressive) Pope…not to mention the Pretendadent of the USA, Biden…he is not genuinely Catholic…not at all.
The gates of hell have NOT prevailed over Christ’s church, the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church…throughout the centuries we have survived and NO…Constantine did not invent the Catholic Church. Mormons have been lied to. You should also be very concerned regarding the Masonic practices in the temples. It’s no laughing matter…
What you have done here is a desecration and a complete misuse of the Holy Rosary. You were asked (you have described) to pray the Rosary….I strongly suggest that you do, but in the correct manner.
Otherwise, you are simply reducing The Virgin Mary to Satan’s version of how he prefers you to define Mary, who IS the Mother of God. Satan also successfully reduces Christ throughout Mormonism. The LDS Cult is one of Satan’s greatest deceptions, and time and time again it has been proven to be false with COPIOUS evidence.
But LDS leaders have ALWAYS found ways to pacify and convince Mormons that even any doubt or asking questions is frowned upon as the Adversary trying to make them lose faith.
When I read what you wrote, I cried inside…to a devout Catholic, it is very disturbing.
As for the Mormon temple in Rome…very interesting they are using a cross…just more confusion for those searching for truth and it happens to be in Rome…lure the unsuspecting in….then let them discover the practices that are NOT ordained by God!
http://lifeafter.org/a-cross-on-a-mormon-temple/
Why do Catholics pray the Holy Rosary?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x_evwLTu9Y0
What the Early Church Believed: Mary is the Mother of God
https://www.catholic.com/tract/mary-mother-of-god
A few links FYI:
These are just a tiny few…ask them about the TRUE history of Catholicism…warts and all…they are also converts to Catholicism.
David L Gray
https://www.davidlgray.info/aboutme/
Scott Hahn
http://www.scotthahn.com
Trent Horn
https://www.trenthorn.com
We don’t deny that the virgin Mary had the Son of God in her womb. We believe that Jesus is both God and Man, conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the same thing that Catholics believe. We believe that Heavenly Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all God, because they are one in purpose, and their purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. If you have read the Book of Mormon, you know that it doesn’t contradict anything that is in the Bible. There was a reason that you joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. God loves you no matter what church you belong to, as long as you are sincerely trying to follow Christ according to your understanding, the way of salvation is open to you. In fact, the gift of salvation is there for the “Heathen Nations” as long as they are true to the truth as they understand it. When they know the complete truth they will embrace it. Christ does not want His sacrifice to be wasted for any soul. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has the same job as Joseph in Egypt. We have food and finances to help the world through the end times and we have the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to soothe, heal, and bless the nations with peace.