For priests
The white rose
Montfort asks priests to live the prayer they teach. Personal devotion gives substance to their encouragement of others.
A thought to carry
Let a prayer you share become a prayer you practise.
The reading room
The Secret of the Rosary
TAN Books, 1993 paperback · translated by Mary Barbour · ISBN 9780895550569
An illustrated reading companion
A garden of prayer.
Four opening invitations. Fifty short chapters called “roses”. One recurring invitation: let the Rosary lead you towards Christ.
For sinners
The red rose
The crimson rose recalls Christ’s blood. Montfort invites sinners to repentance and a renewed life of prayer.
A thought to carry
You can bring an imperfect day into prayer.
For devout readers
The growing rose tree
The tree pictures devotion growing through prayer and good works. Its leaves, thorns and flowers evoke joy, sorrow and glory.
A thought to carry
Choose one small act of love to accompany your prayer.
For children
The rosebud
Montfort addresses children through a small bud: a loving, attentive prayer can grow into a lasting devotion.
A thought to carry
Begin with one Hail Mary, slowly and with care.
Original site summary and reflections. The white and red roses come from Montfort’s imagery; the pink and cream botanical details are illustrative choices. Rose illustrations created with AI for this reading companion.
The book at a glance
Five parts. A path into prayer.
Montfort gathers his fifty “roses” into five groups of ten, which he calls decades.
Roses 1–10
Discover the devotion
The Rosary’s name, beginnings and value, told through teaching and devotional tradition.
Roses 11–20
Listen to the words
The meaning of its familiar prayers, especially the Our Father and Hail Mary.
Roses 21–30
Contemplate Christ
The mysteries turn repeated words toward Jesus’ life, suffering and glory.
Roses 31–40
Read the stories thoughtfully
Accounts of conversion and help express devotional convictions; they are not all independently verified events.
Roses 41–50
Put prayer into practice
Practical guidance on attention, intention and perseverance in praying the Rosary.
Based on the opening dedications in the Montfort Missionaries’ text and the five-part structure in the TAN publisher preview. These are original paraphrases, not quotations. Montfort wrote about the traditional fifteen mysteries, before the Luminous Mysteries were introduced in 2002.
A little listening. A deeper prayer.
Listen to The Secret of the Rosary.
A recording shared by Catholic Campfire, presented by the uploader as a full audiobook.
The Secret of the Rosary
St. Louis de Montfort
The player connects to YouTube only when you load it. Playback starts when you press Play. YouTube’s privacy practices and any advertising apply.
The translation and recording edition have not been confirmed. This video is listed separately from the TAN edition and publisher audiobook below.
A concise introduction
Montfort presents the Rosary through short chapters he calls “roses”: teaching, exhortation, and devotional stories. His concern is the disposition of the person praying, not merely the completion of a set of words. The book invites attentive, persevering prayer and love of Christ with Mary.
Original summary by PrayingTheRosary.org, based on the verified edition information and publisher description. It is not a reproduction of the book.
Key themes
- Attention and perseverance
- The meaning of the Rosary’s prayers
- Marian devotion centred on Christ
Who might find it helpful?
Readers who enjoy traditional spiritual writing, and experienced practitioners seeking renewed attention.
Before you choose an edition
Written before the Luminous Mysteries were introduced in 2002. Miraculous stories and accounts about the Rosary’s origins are devotional narratives; they are not all independently documented history. The modern English translation has its own copyright.
Find this work
Buy the bookPaid · TAN paperback / ebookRead a previewFree · publisher’s excerpt, not the full bookListen to the audiobookPaid purchase or subscription · TAN DigitalOnly verified options are shown. Prices, availability, and library access may change. Links checked 4 October 2026.