Fiat Rosary

While reading up on Mary's Fiat for a recent post, I came across information about the Fiat Rosary. Ever hear of this devotion?

Well this is the first I'm learning of the Fiat Rosary. The devotion was started around 1984 and stems from Cardinal Leon Suenen's F.I.A.T. Spirituality Movement, which encourages total openness to God in imitation of Mary.

*NOTE: FIAT's website states that Pope John Paul II supported the movement, which is a voluntary association with a spiritual program that links the Holy Spirit and Mary.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

According to the FIAT Spirituality USA Website:

This rosary originated from a spiritual experience by Veronica O'Brien during the night between 7 and 8 September, the feast of the Nativity of Mary, in 1984. Here is the account she herself gave the following day to Cardinal Suenens :

During the Nativity of Mary, I was saddened by the thought that although Mother's Day is becoming more and more popular and that the birthday of Mary, the Mother of all mothers, would not be celebrated in Christian homes.

In my prayers, I said to the Lord :"Jesus, tomorrow is the feast of the Nativity of your Mother. Every child in the world gives his mother a present for her birthday. What will you give your Mother, Jesus?'

And suddenly, as a spiritual flash of light, I saw in my mind an image of a small, reduced rosary, and I thought I heard the Lord say to me: 'Here is my birthday present to my Mother; it will help her to make me known to the very ends of the earth. Make it known all over the world.' "

If you're interested in the historical background of the F.I.A.T. Group visit F.I.A.T.'s website.

HOW TO PRAY THE FIAT ROSARY

The Beads

The FIAT Rosary is an abbreviated form of the standard five-decade rosary to honor our Blessed Mother and her FIAT to God. As you can see from the photos above, the rosary beads used to pray this devotion are a little different than what we are familiar with.

The medal on the Fiat rosary has a dove (representing the Holy Spirit) overshadowing Mary as a diamond. On the back, a visual representation of Veronica's trinitarian approach, three rings with the letters 'P', 'F' and 'S' identifying the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit with the word FIAT intertwined in the three rings. Below, a cross and the letter 'M' surrounded by 12 stars representing the Apostles.

The Prayer

As I mentioned before, the Fiat Rosary is shorter than the classical or Dominican rosary (It takes around eight minutes to get through it). It includes only parts of the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries, and comprises fewer Hail Marys.

The rosary starts with the Fiat Prayer, which introduces the recitation of the rosary. It brings together for our meditation the Holy Spirit and Mary. It sums up marvelously the contemplative and apostolic life to which each Christian is called.

Fiat Prayer

*said on the Fiat Medal

In the name of the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Holy Spirit

Help us to relive, in union with Mary,

the joyful, luminous, sorrowful

and glorious mysteries of Jesus. Amen.

Grant that we may be

inspired by the faith of our Baptism,

nourished by the Eucharist,

renewed in the grace of Pentecost.

So as to live

in word and deed,

always and everywhere,

as faithful witnesses of Christ and

the love of His Divine Heart. Amen.

We pray for: the Church …, the World…, intentions …

Now continue with the rosary...

Our Father

*said on bead following the medal

Joyful Mysteries - represent God the Father at work: the grain of wheat must be sown.

*said on a large blue bead, for Mary's fiat

Annunciation (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Visitation (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Nativity (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Sorrowful Mysteries - show God the Son at work: the grain of wheat must die.

*said on a large red bead, for Jesus' fiat

Agony (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Carrying of the Cross (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Crucifixion (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Glorious Mysteries - manifest God the Spirit at work: the grain of wheat must bear fruit.

*said on a large white or yellow bead, for our fiat

Resurrection (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Descent of the Holy Spirit (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Assumption of Mary (three Hail Marys and Glory Be)

Final invocations

*said on large amber bead

St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family,

Protect us.

St. Michael the Archangel, from the Powers of Evil,

Defend us.

All the Angels and Saints,

Pray for us. Amen.

O Mary teach us to say YES to the Lord,

O Mary, every moment of our lives.

O Mary, teach us to say THANKS to the Lord,

O Mary, every moment of our lives.

NOTE: Don't fret if you don't have a FIAT Rosary. You can pray with the ordinary Rosary using only the first three decades. The first ten Hail Marys would be on the Joyful Mysteries, the second decade would be on the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the third, on the Glorious Mysteries. During each decade, you may focus on any one of the mysteries, e.g. the Nativity, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection respectively.

So there you have it...the original Fiat Rosary. An updated version complete with diagram, and including the mysteries of light is available at FIAT Spirituality USA's website.