In 1892, this Chaplet of the Holy Ghost was composed by an unknown Franciscan Capuchin missionary to give Christians a method for honouring the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Blessed Trinity.

The chaplet was blessed by Pope Leo XIII in 1902. The mysteries relate to specific Scriptural occasions of the Holy Spirit’s work on earth. They number five, in honour of the five wounds of Jesus our Saviour, which are the fountains of grace which the Holy Spirit bestows on us.

PRAYERS:

Beginning with the three prayer beads below the centre, make the sign of the cross. Pray an act of contrition such as:

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Saviour Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.

Sing or recite the hymn “Come Holy Ghost”:

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And in our hearts take up Thy rest;
Come with Thy grace and heav’nly aid,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

O Comforter, to Thee we cry,
Thou heav’nly gift of God most high,
Thou Fount of life, and Fire of love,
And sweet anointing from above.

O Finger of the hand divine,
The sevenfold gifts of grace are thine;
True promise of the Father thou,
Who dost the tongue with power endow.

Thy light to every sense impart,
And shed thy love in every heart;
Thine own unfailing might supply
To strengthen our infirmity.

Drive far away our ghostly foe,
And thine abiding peace bestow;
If thou be our preventing Guide,
No evil can our steps betide.

Praise we the Father and the Son
And Holy Spirit with them One;
And may the son on us bestow
The gifts that from the Spirit flow.

Pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary on the two large divider beads (or the medal – whichever your chaplet has). Then, while meditating upon a mystery of the Holy Spirit, pray the Glory Be on the seven small prayer beads.

Repeat the pattern – an Our Father and a Hail Mary, then seven Glory Be prayers – a total of five times. The suggested reflections are as follows:

The First Mystery:

Jesus conceived by the Holy Ghost of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Meditation: (Luke 1:35).

The Second Mystery:

The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jesus.

The Meditation: (Matthew 3:16).

The Practice: Hold in the highest esteem the priceless gift of sanctifying grace, in fused into your soul by the Holy Ghost in Baptism. Keep the promises to which you then pledged yourself. Increase, by constant practice, faith, hope and charity. Ever live as becomes children of God and members of God’s true Church, so as to obtain, hereafter, the inheritance of heaven.

The Third Mystery:

The Spirit leads Jesus into the desert.

The Meditation: (Luke 4:1-2).

The Practice: Be ever grateful for the sevenfold gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed upon you in Confirmation, for the spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, and of the fear of the Lord. Faithfully yield to His Divine guidance, so that, in all the trials and temptations of life, you may act virtuously, as becomes a perfect Christian and valiant soldier of Jesus Christ.

The Fourth Mystery:

The Holy Ghost in the Church.

The Meditation: (Acts 2:2,4,11).

The Practice: Thank God for having made you a child of His Church which is ever animated and directed by the Divine Spirit, sent into this world for that purpose on the day of Pentecost. Hear and obey the Holy See, the infallible mouthpiece of the Holy Ghost, and the Church, the pillar and ground of truth. Uphold her doctrines, seek her interests, defend her rights.

The Fifth Mystery:

The Holy Ghost in the soul of the just man.

The Meditation: (1 Cor. 6:19); (1 Thess. 5:19); (Eph. 4:30).

The Practice: Be ever mindful of the Holy Ghost Who is within you, and carefully cultivate purity of soul and body. Faithfully obey His divine inspirations so that you may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit; charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long-suffering, mildness, faith, modesty, self-control, and chastity.

Concluding Prayers:

At the remaining two divider beads, (or medal), say the Apostles’ Creed. Then pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be for the intentions of the Holy Father.