In his description of “a short way to perfection” – the simple everyday ways to advance in holiness – Blessed John Henry Newman mentions: “Say the Angelus devoutly.” If you don’t already, this is an excellent week to start: on Monday, we mark the feast of the Annunciation, the event from which the Angelus derives. “The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,” the prayer begins, and the response comes back: “And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.” Three more short responses follow, interspersed with Hail Marys, and then a final prayer.