October is the Month of the Rosary

Dear parishioners,

This week we will enter the month of October which is the month of the rosary. Many saints and holy people have spoken of the power of praying the rosary. For example:

“The Rosary is the ‘weapon’ for these times.” Padre Pio “Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.” -Pope Blessed Pius IX “No one can live continually in sin and continue to say the Rosary: either they will give up sin or they will give up the Rosary” – Bishop Hugh Doyle “Even if you are on the brink of damnation, even if you have one foot in hell…and even if you are a heretic as obstinate as a devil, sooner or later you will be converted and will amend your life and will save your soul, if—and mark well what I say—if you say the Holy Rosary devoutly every day until death for the purpose of knowing the truth and obtaining contrition and pardon for your sins.” -St. Louis de Montfort

In praying the rosary, a person prayerfully meditates on the mysteries of the life of Christ. ‘Mystery’ in Catholic terminology doesn’t mean a case that needs to be cracked or something that we just don’t understand. The term ‘mystery’ refers to a divine truth or event that we can understand in part, but that we will never be able to fully grasp or understand. This is because our limited human minds cannot possibly grasp the infinite mind of God. God’s wisdom and power are infinite, and for that reason we can forever ponder the truths of our faith and the events of the life of Christ without ever being able to finish.

One reason the rosary is a powerful weapon is because by praying the rosary, we engage in a living relationship with Christ and his Mother as we ponder the events of their lives. We make ourselves available to God in a powerful way as we receive divine instruction in our faith. I have experienced this truth in my own life. I have been praying the rosary daily for quite a few years now, and it’s amazing how even though I keep reflecting on the same mysteries over and over again, there’s either a new insight given each time I pray, or an insight I’ve previously pondered keeps taking on new depth and meaning. I frequently assign the rosary (or a least a decade or two) as a penance in the sacrament of confession. I’ve even many times given the penance of praying a rosary novena—praying the rosary once each day for nine consecutive days for a specific intention. My own conviction of the power of the rosary has been reaffirmed as I hear penitents come back and tell me about the spiritual fruitfulness or graces they received as a result of praying the rosary on a regular basis. When we stop trying to do everything ourselves and turn instead to prayer with faith and confidence that all things are possible for God, Mary pours out an abundance of God’s blessings in our lives.

Some people struggle with the rosary. They say “I’ve tried praying the rosary, but I get so distracted and feel like I’m doing it just to get it done.” In this case, my recommendation is to pick one specific detail of each mystery, and to very intentionally focus on that one detail as you pray the decade.

For example, when praying the third sorrowful mystery which is the crowning with thorns, visualize a thorn from the crown piercing the flesh of Jesus as it’s pushed onto his head. Watch a drop of deep-red blood well up and eventually roll down his face. Watch the drop soak into his beard by a cluster of hairs that are stuck together in a spot of already dried blood. When you pray this way with each mystery, it gives our minds something to focus on and leads us into a space of prayerful contemplation. Some people still struggle with this a bit, and so another pro tip is to go on Youtube and search “rosary sacred art”. There are a number of videos that pray through the rosary showing a different image of sacred art for each bead. I’ve done this many times, and I’ve found it to be a fruitful and prayerful experience.

If you already pray the rosary regularly, keep on praying! And pray for the grace to do so with greater fervor and devotion. If you aren’t in the habit of praying the rosary, October is a great month to start! Please pray for our parish family that we would all seek to grow in holiness and become the saints God is calling us to be! Heaven is the goal, and prayer lights up the path. May Our Lady lead you closer to the Eucharistic heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ as you pray the most holy rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In prayer,

Fr. Patrick