FIAT History: Rosary

FIAT SPIRITUALITY

Historical
Background

   Founding Group

   Incorporation

   The FIAT Rosary

   The FIAT Prayer

   Celebration of the
   Nativity of Mary

   John Paul II's
   Support of FIAT

Images © FIAT Association, NPA, Graveplein, 9, B-9940 Ertvelde, Belgium

Historical Background: The FIAT Rosary

Origin

The FIAT Rosary found its way to the F.I.A.T. Association in 1984. As Cardinal Suenens reported in The Hidden Hand of God, the biography of Veronica O'Brien, "_during the night between September 7 and 8 - the feast of the Nativity of Mary - Veronica had an extraordinary spiritual experience. She described it to me, the following day, in these words:

"During the night before the Nativity of Mary, I was saddened by the thought that although Mother's Day is becoming more and more popular, 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.'" . . . " . . .Veronica decided to submit this vision to the ecclesial authorities_ at once. In the following words, written on December 8 1984, Cardinal Danneels encouraged the spreading of the FIAT Rosary: "May this little rosary find its way into many homes, so that they may become cenacles of apostles, gathered around the Virgin Mary to receive the Spirit of Pentecost."" (2a. p. 285-7) Description

The FIAT Rosary is a shortened version of the traditional Rosary.

It begins with a medal representing on one side the Holy Spirit as a dove overshadowing Mary as a diamond. (2a, p. 287-8) On the other side, 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.

Follows a bead on which the Our Father is recited.

Three Joyful Mysteries are introduced by a large blue bead representing Mary's FIAT. A large red bead, Jesus' FIAT, introduces three Sorrowful Mysteries followed by a large yellow bead, [our FIAT], introducing three Glorious Mysteries. For each mystery, the Hail Mary is recited on the three small beads followed by a Glory to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Joyful Mysteries, i.e., the Nativity of Mary, the Annunciation and the Nativity of Jesus, represent God the Father at work: the grain of wheat must be sown.

The Sorrowful Mysteries, i.e., the Agony of Jesus, the Carrying of the Cross and the Crucifixion of Jesus, show God the Son at work: the grain of wheat must die.

The Glorious Mysteries, i.e., the Resurrection, the Pentecost and the Assumption of Mary, manifest God the Spirit at work: the grain of wheat must bear fruit.

The last Glorious Mystery is followed by a large amber bead on which the final invocations are recited.

If you do not 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.

Characteristics

1) A family rosary

Its natural place is in the family, which is the first cell of the Church. It unites and supports the intentions of each member and it presents, in brief, a simple catechesis that brings to life again the principal mysteries of our faith.

2) An ecclesial rosary

The FIAT rosary, which shows us how to live in union with the Heart of Mary, likewise helps us to live sincerely in union with the Church and to look upon her with the eyes of faith.

3) An ecumenical rosary

To pray for the Church is also to pray that one day the unity of the Church will again be seen. It is to be hoped that the FIAT Rosary will be an instrument of reconciliation between Christians, in spite of their divergences on the ecumenical level.

4) An evangelical rosary

It challenges us to 'put our prayer into action', that is, to put it in word and deed, and never to forget that a Christian is always on call for mission and service. The FIAT rosary expresses a profound apostolic spirituality. It is a question of allowing ourselves to be rooted in God so that we may be sent by God to be His witnesses in the world.