• Prolonged intercession: for whatever sort of need, the rosary lends itself to uninterrupted, long-term prayer, whether of an individual or of a family / group.
• Prayer based on life experiences: to seek the light of faith upon difficult or disconcerting experiences, or again, to celebrate especially felicitous moments, it is helpful to seek a similar Gospel passage and then meditate upon it in the form of a mystery of the rosary.
• As a form of biblical meditation: the rosary can be used with any narrative Gospel text in order to meditate it “at a certain distance”, i.e. as distinct from a direct study of the text. Both forms are complementary, and praying a Gospel passage as a mystery of the rosary may give insights which do not come through study.
• With the sick or dying: the rosary is a pacifying prayer but its very gentle repetition and constancy, which is often highly appreciated by the sick as a prayer form which well ‘accompanies’ them. The same may be said of praying with the bereaved at funerals.
• While travelling or on pilgrimages, in processions: the rosary seems especially adapted for prayer while moving (be it on foot, in a matatu, bus, plane…), perhaps because of its rhythmic character. Many people pray it especially in these circumstances, and find it more difficult to pray in a stationary situation.
• As an evangelizing tool: the rosary is a simple and appealing way to announce and meditate upon the central mysteries of our faith in union with the Mother of God.