The Rosary
Like everyone else, your congenial editor receives unsolicited emails (currently, they have accumulated to more than 14,000). On October 24, 2025, one came from Sean Tobin, PsyD, titled, “When People Say the Rosary Is Sorcery.” He launches into a defense of its use. His original post was about the rosary’s beauty, biblical rhythm, and “the way it forms the soul like breathing Scripture in motion.” An appropriate response would not be to say it is sorcery, but to ask the question, “Where did Jesus or His apostles authorize it?” The word rosary is not in the New Testament. According to Google: “The modern rosary was popularized in the 13th century by St. Dominic, who is said to have received the rosary from a vision of the Virgin Mary and used it to combat heresy.” Admittedly, then, it lacks Bible authority. (What is Biblical rhythm?)
Tobin insists that Catholics do not worship Mary; they just honor her. They call her “the mother of God,” say that she was immaculately conceived, was a perpetual virgin, ascended into heaven, claim that “none obtains salvation except through” her (Pope Leo XIII), and offer prayers to her, but they don’t worship her? What, then, would it take to do so?
The first part of the “Hail Mary” begins with these words: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.” Most of those words can be found in the Bible, spoken by the angel Gabriel or Elizabeth (Luke 1:28, 42). The phrase, full of grace, however appears only once in the New Testament, and they describe Jesus. To use this phrase of Mary implies she is Deity. At no time would we ever wish to denigrate Mary—as a faithful follower of God—but one should note an event recorded in Luke. A certain woman spoke over the noise of the crowd: “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!” Undoubtedly, this statement is true, but note Jesus’ response: “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:27-28). No one denies Mary the honor she is due, but the Catholic Church goes much further than any humble soul deserves.
The second part of the “Hail Mary” is definitely opposed to the Scriptures. It states: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen." Mary is not the mother of God; she is the mother of Jesus who was God in the flesh. God has no mother, being eternal. This is a prayer addressed to Mary; how is that possible? Where did God grant Mary or any other human being the ability to answer prayers? Jesus taught people to pray to “Our Father” (Matt. 6:9). We pray to the Father in Jesus’ name (John 16:23). Tobin says that saying 53 Hail Marys is not vain repetition. He argues that the Scripture repeats things, such as holy, holy, holy. Fifty-three times though? He is deluding himself.