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Why pray the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows of Mary?

The Seven Sorrows of Mary Chaplet (also called The Seven Dolors of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is a rosary devotion that has been in use within the Catholic church since the 14th century when it was revealed (by the Virgin Mary herself) to Saint Bridget of Sweden.  It regained popularity following the Church-approved Marian apparitions in Kibeho, Rwanda in the 1980s to Marie-Claire Mukangango. In the apparitions, Our Lady of Kibeho recommended that people pray the Rosary and the Seven Sorrows Chaplet to obtain the favor of repentance.  The young visionary made it her life mission to honor this request and was successful. Unfortunately, Marie-Claire lost her life in the Rwanda genocide of 1994.

Our Lady’s messages to Marie-Claire focused on the need for prayer and conversion: “Repent, repent, repent! Convert to God. Convert while there is still time!”  In these apparitions, Our Lady asked that we meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary, recite it daily, and pray the Seven Sorrows Chaplet every Tuesday and Friday (and on September 15, the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows).  She asked us to obey the Church, to love God in truth, and to love our neighbor in humility and simplicity.  And she reminded us that no one enters heaven without suffering.

The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows reminds us that Mary plays a key role in our Redemption and that she suffered along with her Son Jesus to save us.  The Chaplet is prayed using a special rosary comprised of seven "decades" containing seven beads each.

Here is a summary of how the Chaplet of Seven Sorrows is prayed.

Start by making the sign of the cross.  An optional introductory prayer may be used, followed by an Act of Contrition, and three Hail Marys.  Then each group of seven decades begins with an Our Father, followed by seven Hail Marys.  Like a regular rosary, you may elect to mediate on each of the Seven Sorrows of Mary.  At the conclusion of each decade, you pray: “Most Merciful Mother, remind us always about the Sorrows of your Son, Jesus.”

The First Sorrow - The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35).
The Second Sorrow - The flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15). 
The Third Sorrow - The Child Jesus Lost in the Temple (Luke 2: 41-50.)
The Fourth Sorrow - Mary meets Jesus carrying the cross (Luke 23: 27-29).
The Fifth Sorrow - Mary at the foot of the cross (John 19: 25-30).
The Sixth Sorrow - Mary receives the body of Jesus (Psalm 130).
The Seventh Sorrow - Mary witnesses the burial of Jesus (Luke 23: 50-56).

After the seventh decade, the Chaplet concludes with an optional prayer, followed by this Marian response recited three times: “Mary, who was conceived without sin and who suffered for us, pray for us.”  And as with all prayer, we end by making the sign of the cross.

There are a handful of minor variations in praying the Chaplet.  The differences pertain to selecting the introductory and concluding prayers.  However, the overall prayer formula and Marian responses remain the same.  (Google “Seven Sorrows of Mary” to find your go-to chaplet or pray along with the Hallo App.)

The Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows is a beautiful tradition in the Church and allows a soul to walk the via matris (The Way of the Mother), following Mary who kept all of these sorrows in her heart.



Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn