by Sr. Sheila Devane, MMM                                              Ireland                                            08.11.2025

Recently I was a patient in hospital. The evening of my operation I was lying in bed grogged with the anaesthetic, some great opiate drugs and with every possible contraption attached to me. Thankfully, I still knew my name and in case I did forget it I had a label on both wrists!
Monica introduced herself as a night carer; checking my name-band she exclaimed: “oh a sister.” Seeing the rosary beads on my table she continued: ….“so you say the rosary.” I boastfully answered in a cloud of euphoria: “I said three rosaries today before my surgery Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious.” She then asked loudly: “and the Luminous mysteries?” to which I replied: “I never managed to remember them so I just continue to pray with the first three mysteries.” Monica was shocked saying: “but you must know the Luminous mysteries as a sister, they were created by a pope saint.” Well, Sister or not I didn’t know the Luminous mysteries. I was now in the eye of a spiritual storm and while only vaguely recalling the rest of the dialogue I thought I heard her saying: “I will send a referral to Pastoral Care for the Luminous mysteries.” I fell asleep.

Two nights later a nurse appeared telling me that Gemma from Pastoral Care was coming to pray the rosary with me. Surprised I saw a large dog arrive at the door and a lady entered with a white stick – she was blind. She was a senior nurse in this hospital before a sudden, serious eye condition left her with little vision; a few times a week her husband drives herself and Brandy, her guard dog, to the hospital to pray the rosary with patients. She brought a leaflet for me on all the mysteries and rosary beads for anyone needing them. We had barely started with the Baptism of the Lord when a Gárda (Irish police officer) appeared asking if he and the prisoner, Johnny, and to whom he was chained, could sit outside and join in. Warmly welcomed, rosary beads in hands we continued. Ciara passed by on her walk – I had met her earlier in the day- a young woman who had complex urological surgery; she stopped, took a seat, and prayed. Gemma invited us to pray individually and there was no problem with someone taking the lead for each decade. Johnny actually knew the Luminous mysteries while Ciara and the Garda admitted to never having heard of them though knowing the rosary well.

Two nights later Gemma returned; Brandy sat outside guarding us and with a different, but eager, young Gárda and Johnny quickly joining us. Ciara arrived too and our newest addition was Joanne a doctor who was at a computer, heard the rosary turned her swivel chair around and came on board. Nurse Jenny said she was opening the door to the main ward as the patients heard the rosary and wanted to be included. Fortunately, Gemma had what seemed like a ton of rosary beads so once they were distributed, we all prayed together. The night nurses told me later that the whole ward was answering the rosary and many were blessing themselves.

I have been at several retreats and have had the opportunity to pray in many different circumstances, but none can compare with that inspiring impromptu experience of praying the Luminous mysteries with a guard dog, a blind woman, a Gárda, a prisoner, hospital staff, and patients on a hospital ward. May they all be blessed as I surely know they are!