Amen to that! Not being able to properly honor the Holy Mother was something I kept missing all my life as a Lutheran - as you know, in Finland most of the people are Lutheran, but even worse, many Lutherans aren't even that properly, the culture is through and through secularized. I was kind of an odd bird among my friends at school - because I went to church on Sundays! But I started to ask questions - as a small kid at elementary school - about Mary, and the Eucharist, and such. I asked why noone talks about the Mother of God: "After all", said I, "she did give birth to Jesus! Shouldn't we honor her too? Jesus must have both parents, now we just talk about the Father!" Kids know instinctively, don't they! And I said about the Eucharist to a Priest (Lutheran) that came to visit us, that "Jesus says in the Bible, the bread IS his body, and the wine IS his blood. Now why do you say it isn't?" I am just SO HAPPY, now that I'm FINALLY going to be OFFICIALLY Catholic, and I can openly show my devotion to the Holy Mother! I have a statue of Our Lady Of Fatima in our living room, with the crucifix and pictures of Saints, and it makes me so happy, to be able to light a candle in front of the Holy Mother every day, to say Hail Mary, and to pray the Rosary. The Rosary calms you down, and helps you to meditate on your life, it is such a beautiful gift from Our Lady, I feel I can't show Her well enough, how grateful I am, to be abale to go to her with my sorrows and thoughts. The people who refuse to let the Holy Mother into their hearts, they just don't know, what they are missing - already in this life, let alone in the eternal life!! We should pray the Rosary, and ask God to lead the people who have gone astray, back to the Church! Our Holy Father Benedict XVI is wonderful, but he needs all the prayers possible, to reach as many people as possible, and win them back to the Church!

You couldn't have said it any better, Gregory! I too think this is a beautiful picture - but then again, how would it not be! I think it is so sad, that young girls adore all kinds of beauty-queens and rock stars that appear half naked in public, but no-one tells to these girls about the real, never-fading beauty of Our Lady! Where else do we find the greatest possible inner beauty - endless faith in God's grace - more obviously shining through, than on the face of The Holy Mother! The world has gone lost, and if we don't teach our children about the rightiousness and beauty of Our Lady, who will?!
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for the world!

In Finish:Ruusukon Rukoileminen / Ruusukko Helmet / How to Pray the Rosary Beads in Finish

Ruusukko Helmet
How to pray the Rosary Beads
1. Isän ja Pojan ja Pyhän Hengen nimeen. Aamen. (The Sign of the Cross / Signum Crucis)
2. Minä uskon Jumalaan / Apostolinen Uskontunnustus (The Apostles' Creed / Credo)
3. Isä meidän (Our Father / Pater Noster)
4. 3 Terve Maria (Hail Mary / Ave Maria)
5. Kunnia Isälle (Glory Be to the Father / Gloria Patri)
6. Announce Salaisuudet 1
7. Isä meidän
8. 10 Terve Maria
9. Kunnia Isälle / Fatiman Rukous / Herra Jeesus (Oh, My Jesus)
10. Announce Salaisuudet 2
11. Isä meidän
12. 10 Terve Maria
13. Kunnia Isälle / Fatiman Rukous / Herra Jeesus
14. Announce Salaisuudet 3
15. Isä meidän
16. 10 Terve Maria
17. Kunnia Isälle / Fatiman Rukous / Herra Jeesus
18. Announce Salaisuudet 4
19. Isä meidän
20. 10 Terve Maria
21. Kunnia Isälle / Fatiman Rukous / Herra Jeesus
22. Announce Salaisuudet 5
23. Isä meidän
24. 10 Terve Maria
26. Kunnia Isälle / Fatiman Rukous / Herra Jeesus
26. Terve, Kuningatar (Hail, Holy Queen / Salve Regina)
For the Intentions and protection of our Holy Father:
27. Isä meidän (Our Father / Pater Noster)
Terve Maria (Hail Mary / Ave Maria)
Kunnia Isälle (Glory Be to the Father / Gloria Patri)
28. Isän ja Pojan ja Pyhän Hengen nimeen. Aamen. (The Sign of the Cross / Signum Crucis)
marysrosaries.com/collaboration/index.php