Australia's Coast to Coast Rosary: For Protection, the Future and its Youth

Observatory Point and Lookout in Esperance, Western Australia. Photo: Australia's Guide/Observatory Point and Lookout

With May being the "Month of Mary," it seemed only fitting to publish today's post on another national Rosary prayer event: the Coast to Coast Rosary for Australia's Protection, Future and the Youth, given the official title, Oz Rosary #53.

In only a few days time on Sunday, May 13, faithful Catholics throughout Australia will be gathering at the coasts for group recitation of the Rosary, surrounding Australia in prayer to draw upon God's Divine Intervention and Mercy through the intercession of Mary. Those that cannot make it to the coasts will be praying the Rosary within churches, at parks, lookouts and farms. There is even one group from Canberra praying at Black Mountain National Park in Queensland.

This national prayer event is drawing participation from many clergy, religious and laity including: the Legion of Mary in Perth; the Sisters of Mount Schoenstadt in Mulgoa; the Missionary Sisters of Charity in Fortitude Valley; the Sisters of Mercy in Alma and Camperdown; St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta; Cardinal Gilroy Retirement Village Merrylands; schools and pilgrimage centers; and a long list of parishes that continues to grow each day as Sunday draws near.

One cannot help but sense that we are witnessing the beginnings of a global Rosary movement. What started out in Poland as a national Rosary prayer event in the Fall 2017, was followed by similar national events in Italy, Ireland, and the British Isles. Soon it will be Australia's turn and there is also an American national Rosary event set for October 7, 2018.

Jane Chifley, who heads the Australian effort, has acknowledged the special significance of the origins of this "global movement": Poland, the homeland of St. John Paul II, whose love for Mary permeated his entire life and pontificate and who admitted, scarcely two weeks after his election to the See of Peter, that "The Rosary is my favourite prayer."

As for the selected date of May 13, Mother's Day in Australia—also the first day of the Marian apparitions to the children of Fatima in 1917—Chifley explained that it seemed appropriate since Mary is our Mother. With this national prayer event falling on a Sunday, it fits well into the schedules of many parishes who have planned group recitation of the Rosary and a Consecration Prayer to Mary either before or after Mass.

Part of this national initiative's online effort began a few months ago on November 3, 2017, with the initial Facebook post, which reads, "On Sunday May 13th, 2018 (Fatima Feast Day) let's pray the rosary across Australia for our nation, in 53 locations across the nation for the protection and consecration of our nation to Mary." 

The number "fifty-three" represents the Hail Marys of the Rosary and as of the publishing of this post, there are 211 confirmed locations participating in this national event. Although the vast majority of participants will be praying at the east and west coasts there are many other locations that deserve to be mentioned: Gantheaume Point in the north-west of Western Australia; Lee Point Beach, the northernmost group of participants in the Northern Territory; Sacred Heart Church on Thursday Island, the northernmost point in Queensland; Good Shepherd Parish in Mount Isa, Queensland; and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

Aerial photo of Thursday Island, in the Torres Strait, Queensland. Photo: Island Girl Discovery/More About Me

Also worthy of mention are nine locations in Tasmania: Lulworth Boat Ramp and Weymouth on the northern coast; St. Anne's Catholic Church in Lilydale; Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church and Lagoon Beach in George Town; St. Brigid's Catholic Church in Wynyard; St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Riverside; St. Therese of Lisieux in Moonah; and St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral in Hobart.

The fact that Chifley has chosen to follow in the footsteps of other national Rosary prayer events speaks volumes about her faith in God and trust in Our Lady's intercession, as well as to her understanding that the battle for Australia's protection, future and the youth is primarily a spiritual battle that must be fought with spiritual weapons. And the most effective way to fight the good fight is by group recitation of the Rosary.

Saint Louis De Montfort in his book, The Secret of the Rosary, at the Forty-Sixth Rose: Group Recitation, wrote that not only is the group recitation of the Rosary the method of prayer that the Evil One fears the most, but "...[I]t is far more formidable to the devil than one said privately, because in this public prayer it is an army that is attacking him." (98)

Utilizing the Rosary as a spiritual weapon in times of great need has been a long-held tradition in the Church since its origin when Saint Dominic (Founder of the Order of Preachers) received the Rosary from the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1214, as an efficacious method and powerful means to convert the Albigensians and other sinners.

That long-held tradition was given much attention by Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical Supremi Apostolatus Officio—the first of many documents issued on the importance of the Rosary—on devotion to the Rosary as an efficacious remedy for the many evils afflicting society. In that encyclical's first page Pope Leo XIII wrote, "It has always been the habit of Catholics in danger and in troublous times to fly for refuge to Mary, and to seek for peace in her maternal goodness; showing that the Catholic Church has always, and with justice, put all her hope and trust in the Mother of God." (2) Written in 1883, Pope Leo XIII's encyclical not only encouraged devotion to the Rosary, but spotlighted how important it has been in the history of the Catholic Church when faced with several threats; namely, the violence of heresy, intolerable moral corruption, and aggressive Islamic attacks by the Ottoman Turks.

Gantheaume Point Lighthouse, Western Australia. Photo: Trip Advisor Australia/Gantheaume Point Lighthouse

Saint John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, also noted the particular efficacy of the Rosary in most difficult times when Christianity itself was threatened:

The Church has always attributed particular efficacy to this prayer, entrusting to the Rosary, to its choral recitation and to its constant practice, the most difficult problems. At times when Christianity itself seemed under threat, its deliverance was attributed to the power of this prayer, and Our Lady of the Rosary was acclaimed as the one whose intercession brought salvation. (39)

The Rosary is much more than a protective prayer; as a compendium of the Gospel it is a genuine path of contemplation on the life of Jesus and Mary, and the Gospel lessons contained within each mystery. As St. John Paul II put it in the aforementioned apostolic letter the Rosary is, "...[A] prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness." (1) A little further on he wrote, "With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer." (1)

The Rosary is important for our salvation: the primary goal in life! The Rosary is an opportunity to draw closer to Jesus and Mary; an invitation from Our Mother who loves Her children and wants them to be sanctified and saved. Saint Louis De Montfort in the same aforementioned book lists, in chapter Twenty Seventh Rose: Benefits, how this can be accomplished by those who pray the Rosary: it gradually brings us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ; it purifies our souls from sin; it gives us victory over all our enemies; it makes the practice of virtue easy; it sets us on fire with the love of our Lord; it enriches us with graces and merits; it supplies us with what is needed to pay all our debts to God and to our fellowmen; and finally, it obtains all kinds of graces from God. (65)

St. Mary's Cathedral, Hobart, Tasmania. Photo: Martin Pot (Martybugs at en.wikipedia) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons

As part of the spiritual preparation and protection for this coming Sunday's national prayer event, organizers have encouraged participants to daily recite the St. Michael the Archangel Prayer.

Organizers are also hoping that participants will recite the dedicated Act of Consecration, at the end of their Rosary recitations on Sunday, in an effort to consecrate Australia to Mary! Here is that very prayer to the Patroness of Australia, Our Lady of Help of Christians:

O Mary Help of Christians, Patroness of Australia, Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to your Immaculate Heart.

To you we consecrate our country, our families, our hearts, and souls and all that we have.

And in order that this consecration may be truly effective and lasting, we renew today the promises of our Baptism and Confirmation; and we undertake to live as good Christians - faithful to God, the Church and the Holy Father. We desire to pray the Rosary, partake in the Holy Eucharist, attach special importance to the first Saturday of the month and to work for the conversion of sinners.

Furthermore we promise, O most holy Virgin, that we will zealously spread devotion to you, so that through our consecration to your Immaculate Heart and through your own intercession the coming of the Kingdom of Christ in the world may be hastened.

Amen

Participants have also been encouraged to pray to the three patrons of "Oz Rosary #53": St. John Paul II; St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), who recited several Rosaries each day; and to St. Mary MacKillop, the Australian nun who co-founded Australia's first religious order in 1866, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. 

Chifley has informed me that participants are also praying to Eileen O'Connor, co-founder of Our Lady's Nurses for the Poor; a saint in waiting whose incorrupt body is in chapel near Coogee Beach, New South Wales, where Chifley will be reciting her Rosary on Sunday.

No spiritual preparation would be complete without fasting; the other "spiritual weapon" that perfectly combines with prayer in the fight against the Evil One and his demons, which Our Lady Queen of Peace in Medjugorje has been encouraging since the early 80's; just one of Her "little stones."

Facebook post encouraging participants to fast in preparation for this national event. Image: Facebook/OZ Rosary #53

Organizers are keenly aware of the importance of fasting and have expressed their hope that participants will fast to fight the good fight. When we fast, we pray better and our fight becomes more efficacious as some demons only respond to fasting! (Mark 9:29)

The organizing effort and spiritual preparations put forth for this national prayer event are certainly in keeping with Australia's Catholic heritage: a nation that was discovered in 1606, by a devout Catholic and Portuguese navigator, Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, who declared Australia as "the Southern Land of the Holy Spirit." In fact, Australia is Latin meaning "the nation in the south" or "the southern land." 

In one of the manuscript records Pedro Fernandes de Queirós' proclamation reads, "In the name of the Most Holy Trinity, the Catholic Church, the Order of St Francis and the Order of Blessed John of God and of the Holy Spirit and of His Majesty ... I take possession of these lands and all the parts thereof, in the name of John of God and all the professed brothers of his Order." Another manuscript record further reveals Pedro Fernandes de Queirós' faith and devotion:

Let the heavens, the earth, the waters with all their creatures and all those here present witness that I, Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, in these hitherto unknown parts, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the Eternal Father and of the Virgin Mary, God and true man, hoist this emblem of the Holy Cross on which His person was crucified and whereon He gave His life for the ransom and remedy of all the human race, being present as witnesses all the land and sea-going officers; on this Day of Pentecost, 14th May 1606.

Oz Rosary #53 has the support of many clergy, including the Bishop Emeritus David Cremin, the Irish-born retired bishop of Sydney, who has officially endorsed this national prayer event.

As Sunday, May 13, is rapidly approaching, may Catholics around the world show their support by uniting their Rosary prayers to those faithful Catholics in Australia.





 

Laetitiae Sanctae: Pope Leo XIII's Encyclical Commending Devotion To The Rosary

Pope Leo XIII

With October being the Month of the Rosary, I thought it fitting to close out the month with a second post on devotion to the Most Holy Rosary and in the process, share one of the documents that I read in an effort to further my own understanding. That document is Pope Leo XIII's encyclical Laetitiae Sanctae, issued on September 8, 1893.

Although written over a century ago it remains relevant for the Church today as a much needed reminder of the importance of the Rosary Devotion. This encyclical focusses on the many advantages obtained from its devout recitation, its healing power and remedy for societal evils. Laetitiae Sanctae was the result of inspiration from the Blessed Virgin Mary, that prompted Pope Leo XIII to write and issue this document commending devotion the Rosary.

Arising from this inspiration was a joy that Pope Leo XIII expressed in the form of his gratitude to the Blessed Virgin Mary, acknowledging Her intercession at work in the life of the Church, "At the same time We love to offer Our thanks for this signal benefit to the august Mother of God, whose powerful intercession We feel to have been exercised in Our behalf...For us it is once more a joy as well as a duty to respond to her inspirations." (2) What ensued from Pope Leo XIII's exhortations was, an "awakening" that made itself felt in the increased number of confraternities instituted for the purpose of the Rosary Devotion, voluminous literature written on the subject and artistic tributes.

The thrust of this encyclical was not to add further recommendations to a method of prayer so praiseworthy in itself, nor to press upon the faithful the necessity of practising it more fervently, but rather to point out how  "...[W]e may draw from this devotion certain advantages which are essentially valuable and needful in this present day." (2) The remainder of Laetitiae Sanctae and my post today, elaborates on these advantages.

Pope Leo XIII identified the three main influences (evils) of his time that had caused a "downgrade movement" in society: first, the distaste for a simple and laborious life; second, the repugnance to suffering of any kind; and third, the forgetfulness of the future life. The answer to these influences was the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries respectively. Pope Leo XIII dedicated three sections addressing each influence: Dislike of Poverty - The Joyful Mysteries, Repugnance to Suffering - The Sorrowful Mysteries, Forgetfulness of The Future - The Glorious Mysteries. 

Dislike of Poverty - The Joyful Mysteries

Beginning at the fourth paragraph, Pope Leo XIII elaborated on what he meant by the "distaste for a simple and laborious life." He noted how there was a growing contempt for homely duties and virtues, which are considered to be the beauty of a humble life. The contempt manifested itself in the form of children withdrawing themselves from the natural obligation to the parents; workmen deserting their trade to shrink from toil, discontented with their lot, fixing their gaze upon things well above them; and the eagerness of those in rural areas to exchange their lives for pleasures of life in towns. The result was the destruction of society's equilibrium amongst the classes of the community, whereby, "...[M]en's minds become a prey to jealousy and heart-burnings, rights are openly trampled under foot, and, finally, the people, betrayed in their expectations, attack public order, and place themselves in conflict with those who are charged to maintain it." (5)

The Joyful Mysteries, when prayed devoutly, are a meditation on life of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary; the remedy for the "distaste for a simple and laborious life." Pope Leo XIII wrote that the Joyful Mysteries serve as lessons of the virtuous life to be drawn from the House of Nazareth. From the Holy Family's example we can learn how sweetly attractive and abundant are the lessons from an honest life. Referring to House of Nazareth as the "perfect model of domestic society," Pope Leo XIII wrote:

Here we behold simplicity and purity of conduct, perfect agreement and unbroken harmony, mutual respect and love - not of the false and fleeting kind - but that which finds both its life and its charm in devotedness of service. Here is the patient industry which provides what is required for food and raiment; which does so "in the sweat of the brow," which is contented with little, and which seeks rather to diminish the number of its wants than to multiply the sources of its wealth. Better than all, we find there that supreme peace of mind and gladness of soul which never fail to accompany the possession of a tranquil conscience. These are precious examples of goodness, of modesty, of humility, of hard-working endurance, of kindness to others, of diligence in the small duties of daily life, and of other virtues, and once they have made their influence felt they gradually take root in the soul, and in course of time fail not to bring about a happy change of mind and conduct. (6)

What should follow from the example of the Holy Family is a transformation of attitude and conduct that will no longer consider work as lowly and irksome, but grateful and lightsome. As a direct result of this transformation, prevailing in society will be gentler manners; home-life will be loved and esteemed; relations between man and a woman will be esteemed; and amongst gentlemen there will be a larger infusion of respect and charity. Pope Leo XIII concluded this section by stating that if this betterment would go forth from individuals to families to communities, then society at large would be lifted up to this standard.

Repugnance to Suffering - The Sorrowful Mysteries

The remedy for the "repugnance to suffering," is the Sorrowful Mysteries. Pope Leo XII referred to this evil as especially pernicious, "...[O]wing to the increasing mischief which it works among souls." (7) The repugnance of suffering is an eagerness to escape whatever is hard or painful to endure, which robbed many of the peace and freedom of mind. This was made worse by the dream for a chimeric civilization; that is, a civilization that is hoped or wished for, but in fact, is impossible or illusory to achieve. What resulted was an increased desire for the removal of all things unpleasant and for all things pleasant to be supplied. Pope Leo XIII noted, "By this passionate and unbridled desire of living a life of pleasure, the minds of men are weakened, and if they do not entirely succumb, they become demoralized and miserably cower and sink under the hardships of the battle of life." (7)

Recitation of the Sorrowful Mysteries is a powerful means of renewing courage. It is during the meditations of these mysteries that we learn from Christ's example, how to bear our burden of labour and sorrow. In addition to Christ's sufferings, we also contemplate the sorrow of the Blessed Virgin Mary and learn from Her witness as well. Pope Leo XIII noted, "Witnessing these examples of fortitude, not with sight but by faith, who is there who will not feel his heart grow warm with the desire of imitating them?" (8)

Pope Leo XIII also pointed out that there is no earthly scenario that can fall upon an individual or community, over which we shall not triumph by the patience of suffering. Putting a fine point on this, he stated, "For this reason it has been truly said that 'it belongs to the Christian to do and to endure great things,' for he who deserves to be called a Christian must not shrink from following in the footsteps of Christ." (9) 

Forgetfulness of The Future - The Glorious Mysteries

The remedy for the "forgetfulness of the future," is the Glorious Mysteries. Pope Leo XIII referred to this third evil as, "chiefly characteristic of the times." He noted that men of his day, although they had the advantage of Christian instruction, pursued false goods of this world and in the process discarded the thought of eternal salvation to the point that it had been banished from their memory.

Pope Leo XIII noted that those who devoutly pray the Glorious Mysteries are happily rescued from such forgetfulness. For the meditation of the Glorious Mysteries brings to the forefront of man's conscience, by the light of faith, that death is not "...[A]n annihilation which ends all things, but merely a migration and passage from life to life." (14)

As to the causes of forgetfulness, he first identified the false notion that any thought and attention placed on eternal salvation would somehow diminish the love of country and potentially negatively impact the prosperity of the commonwealth. He referred to such thinking as illusory and foolish.

In response to this illusion, Pope Leo XIII stressed that striving for eternal salvation does not demand a dismissal of the interests and needs of our earthly pilgrimage:

Christ commands us, it is true, to seek the Kingdom of God, and in the first place, but not in such a manner as to neglect all things else. For, the use of the goods of the present life, and the righteous enjoyment which they furnish, may serve both to strengthen virtue and to reward it. The splendour and beauty of our earthly habitation, by which human society is ennobled, may mirror the splendour and beauty of our dwelling which is above. Therein we see nothing that is not worthy of the reason of man and of the wisdom of God. For the same God who is the Author of Nature is the Author of Grace, and He willed not that one should collide or conflict with the other, but that they should act in friendly alliance, so that under the leadership of both we may the more easily arrive at that immortal happiness for which we mortal men were created. (12)

Emphasizing the seriousness of the forgetfulness of the future life, Pope Leo XIII gave the following admonition, "We may doubt if God could inflict upon man a more terrible punishment than to allow him to waste his whole life in the pursuit of earthly pleasures, and in forgetfulness of the happiness which alone lasts for ever." (13)

Confraternity Of The Rosary

In an effort to further spotlight the importance of the Rosary Devotion and how to better obtain the many advantages from its devout recitation, Pope Leo XIII dedicated a section on the Confraternity of the Rosary. In it, he affirmed the confraternity's efficacy when he stated how the many advantages of reciting the Rosary are "...[S]ecured in a higher and fuller measure by those who band themselves together in the sacred Confraternity of the Rosary, and who are thus more than others united by a special and brotherly bond of devotion to the Most Holy Virgin." (16) Members of the confraternity are, so to speak, "...[T]he battalions who fight the battle of Christ, armed with His Sacred Mysteries, and under the banner and guidance of the Heavenly queen." (16) So efficacious is the confraternity that Pope Leo XIII attributed the victory at the Battle of Lepanto, to their prayers for securing the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, granting Christians forces a complete victory over the Ottoman Turks.

Pope Leo XIII made an appeal to both the clergy and laity, for a renewed zeal to continue the growth of the confraternities:

It is, therefore, to be desired that renewed zeal should be called forth in the founding, enlarging, and directing of these confraternities, and that not only by the sons of St. Dominic, to whom by virtue of their Order a leading part in this Apostolate belongs, but by all who are charged with the care of souls, and notable in those places in which the Confraternity has not yet been canonically established. We have it especially at heart that those who are engaged in the sacred field of the missions, whether in carrying the Gospel to barbarous nations abroad, or in spreading it amongst the Christian nations at home, should look upon this work as especially their own. If they will make it the subject of their preaching, We cannot doubt that there will be large numbers of the faithful of Christ who will readily enrol themselves in the Confraternity, and who will earnestly endeavour to avail themselves of those spiritual advantages of which We have spoken, and in which consist the very meaning and motive of the Rosary. From the Confraternities, the rest of the faithful will receive the example of greater esteem and reverence for the practice of the Rosary, and they will be thus encouraged to reap from it, as We heartily desire that they may, the same abundant fruits for their souls' salvation. (17)

The Rosary Devotion and its growth, in particular through the Confraternity of The Holy Rosary, was the hope Pope Leo XIII; the answer to the evils of society. It was at the Conclusion of this encyclical that he invoked the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the authoress and teacher of the Rosary, for the fulfilment of this hope. 

Pope Leo XIII wrote several documents on the Rosary, available at the Vatican's web site. For those who are not familiar with Pope Leo XIII, you may know of the prayer attributed to him, a prayer that he received in a vision during Mass at the Vatican, the Prayer To Saint Michael The Archangel. He is also known for the composition of the Minor Exorcism Prayer.

If you are new to the Rosary Devotion, I would like to recommend a previously published post, The Rosary - An Introduction that will help you to discover the beauty of this devotion given to us by Our Lady through the life of Saint Dominic.

For those who are just discovering the Rosary, there is one thing that I would like to spotlight regarding Laetitiae Sanctae's publication; the fact that it does not include the Luminous Mysteries. At the time of its publication, there were only three sets of Rosary mysteries: the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries. The Luminous Mysteries were added to the Rosary in 2002, when Saint Pope John Paul II wrote and published an Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Although Pope Leo's encyclical predates the Luminous Mysteries, there is no reason why you should not recite them as well, in your effort to help remedy the evils of society.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary guide you to a daily and devout recitation of the entire Rosary, helping you to complete the Marathon of Grace.

The Confraternity Of The Most Holy Rosary

St. Dominic receiving the Rosary from Our Lady

If you are Catholic and pray the Rosary, you no doubt have made some effort to improve upon your Rosary Devotion during this month of October being the Month of The Rosary. This may have resulted in the reading of books or documents on the Rosary; the setting of new goals to pray the Rosary with greater frequency and renewed zeal; or striving to pray all four mysteries everyday and complete the Marathon of Grace. One of the things you may have not considered is joining the Confraternity of The Most Holy Rosary, an international association of faithful Catholics committed to reciting the entire Rosary, who pray for themselves and the needs and intentions of each member.

The many fruitful advantages derived by those who practice the Rosary Devotion is, as Pope Leo XIII stated in his encyclical Laetitiae Sanctae, "...[S]ecured in a higher and fuller measure by those who band themselves together in the sacred Confraternity of the Rosary, and who are thus more than others united by a special and brotherly bond of devotion to the Most Holy Virgin." (16) Pope Leo XIII went on to further state that members of the confraternity are, "...[S]o to speak, the battalions who fight the battle of Christ, armed with His Sacred Mysteries, and under the banner and guidance of the Heavenly queen." (16)

If Pope Leo XIII's statements were not enough, perhaps you will be further encouraged by considering the following benefits that each member receives:

1. The special protection of the mother of God.
2. A share in the prayer of countless thousands of members the world over, and this even after death. (Each member includes deceased fellow members as well; and thus he/she knows that in turn he/she will be included in the prayers of hundreds of thousands both now and hereafter)
3. A share in the prayers, Masses and apostolic works of the entire Dominican Order.
4. The intercession of the entire heavenly court.
5. Various plenary and partial indulgences.
6. Six times a year Novenas of Masses are offered at the Rosary Center for members of the confraternity. A notice of these Novenas is sent to members, along with the publication The Rosary, Light and Life to those members who have requested it. Its purpose is to provide sound doctrine and spiritual guidance for readers everywhere.

If you are a Catholic and do not pray the Rosary, nor understand its significance, I would like to share a previously published post, The Rosary - Its Importance For Your Salvation. Consider the Fifteen Promises given by the Blessed Virgin Mary to those who faithfully pray the Rosary. In particular, the Thirteenth Promise that is specific to today's post, "I have obtained from my Son that all the members of the Rosary Confraternity (and all advocates of the Rosary) shall have as their intercessors, in life and in death, the entire celestial court."

As for the obligations once becoming a member, it really is an extension of what you are hopefully already doing; praying the Rosary consistently. Here are the specific obligations: each member strives to pray fifteen mysteries (if prior to joining the confraternity, you already pray the required fifteen mysteries, that is, the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries, you do not have to add another fifteen after you become a member) of the Rosary at least once a week (this does not bind under sin), and must have his/her name inscribed in the register of the confraternity. There are no meetings, no dues. It couldn't be more easier to join!

There is one aspect of the obligations that does require some clarification. In 2002, Saint Pope John Paul II wrote and published an Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae that served the dual purpose of ushering into the Church, the Year of The Rosary (October'2002 to October'2003) and introducing a fourth set of mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. Although the confraternity has yet to receive an official notification regarding the recitation of the Luminous Mysteries as part of the fulfillment for the reception of member benefits, this should in no way deter anyone from including them, simply as a matter of personal devotion to Our Lady. 

A few additional points to consider regarding the Luminous Mysteries. The fact that these mysteries were introduced by Saint Pope John Paul II, should alone suffice for inclusion in your Rosary Devotion. As a general encouragement, here is what Saint Pope John Paul II stated in Rosarium Virginis Mariae, that in praying the Rosary, "...[T]he faithful receive an abundance of grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer." (1) He also noted that when we endeavour to pray the Rosary each day more effectively, we as Christians sit at the "School of Mary" allowing Our Lady to lead us to contemplate the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. He emphasized the importance of the Rosary when he stated the Rosary is "...[A] prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness." (1) Keeping all this in mind, it would not be wise to omit the Luminous Mysteries simply because an official notification has yet to be given to the confraternity.

Further encouragement to join the confraternity comes to us from another great advocate of the Rosary Devotion, Pope Leo XIII, who wrote an encyclical, Augustissimae Virginis Mariae, on the Confraternity of The Holy Rosary. It was issued on September 12, 1897, the twentieth year of his pontificate and continues to be relevant and necessary in furthering one's understanding of the spiritual warfare we are all engaged in while on our earthly pilgrimage. The document is five pages printed and is certain to instil in the reader the importance and significance of the Rosary Devotion and membership in the confraternity. With today's post, I am going to focus on two paragraphs in particular: paragraph seven, The Rosary Sodality: Its Excellence and paragraph eight, Special Efficacy of Public Prayer.

The encyclical begins with a beautiful praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, "Whoever considers the height of dignity and glory to which God has raised the Most August Virgin Mary, will easily perceive how important it is, both for public and for private benefit, that devotion to her should be assiduously practised, and daily promoted more and more." (1)

Paragraph seven, The Rosary Sodality: Its Excellence, is one that is sure to impress upon the reader the significance of the confraternity, also referred to in his encyclical as the Rosary Sodality. Pope Leo XIII first begins by properly attributing its origin to St. Dominic, who founded the confraternity and described it as "distinguished by its antiquity." Taking it to a higher level, he described the association as one whose very soul is the "Rosary of Our Lady." Further to this he stated, "...[T]he virtue and efficacy of the Rosary appear all the greater when considered as the special office of the Sodality which bears its name." He explained that, "[P]rayers acquire their greatest efficacy in obtaining God's assistance when offered publicly, by large numbers, constantly, and unanimously, so as to form as it were a single chorus of supplication." He went on to state that the Rosary Sodality pray in such a manner and by doing so, "...[N]ever fail to obtain certain fruit." To further spotlight the efficacy of the confraternity, Pope Leo XIII made an excellent comparison between the recitation of the Divine Office and the Rosary, "Just as by the recitation of the Divine Office, priests offer a public, constant, and most efficacious supplication; so the supplication offered by the members of this Sodality in the recitation of the Rosary, or "Psalter of Our Lady," as it has been styled by some of the Popes, is also in a way public, constant, and universal."

Paragraph eight, Special Efficacy of Public Prayer, continues from the previous paragraph by not only further elaborating on the efficacy of the confraternity's prayer, but provides real life examples from the history of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIII began by stating that public prayers are much more excellent and more efficacious that private ones, describing the Rosary Sodality as, "...[T]he army of prayer, enrolled by St. Dominic, under the banner of the Mother of God, of her, whom sacred literature and the history of the Church salute as the conqueror of the Evil One and of all errors." Further on he noted that the "...[R]osary unites together all who join the Sodality in a common bond of paternal or military comradeship, so that a mighty host is thereby formed, duly marshalled and arrayed, to repel the assaults of the enemy, both from within and without." Pope Leo XIII quoted St. Cyprian to emphasize the efficacy of group and public recitation of the Rosary, "Our prayer is public and in common; and when we pray, we pray not for one, but for the whole people, for we, the entire people, are one." Citing examples from history, he noted how the victories at the naval Battle of Lepanto, at Temesvar in Hungary and the island of Corfu, bear testimony to the power and efficacy of this form of prayer.

Pope Leo XIII's Concluding Exhortation (paragraph twelve) is an especially important inclusion in today's post because he encouraged both the laity and the clergy, to promote membership to the confraternity, serving to unite everyone in the Church, and to better empower them with a most efficacious weapon against mankind's enemy:

We also, Venerable Brethren, moved by the example of Our predecessors, earnestly exhort and conjure you, as We have so often done, to devote special care to this sacred warfare, so that by your efforts fresh forces may be daily enrolled on every side. Through you and those of your clergy who have care of souls, let the people know and duly appreciate the efficacy of this Sodality and its usefulness for man's salvation...We have gladly blessed this devotion, and We earnestly desire that you would sedulously and strenuously encourage its growth. (12)

I hope that today's post has encouraged you to join the Confraternity Of The Most Holy Rosary. In the words of St. Jean Marie Vianney, "If anyone has the happiness of being in the Confraternity of the Rosary, he has in all corners of the world brothers and sisters who pray for him." 

If after reading this post, you are seriously considering joining the confraternity, you can do so on line at the followings links:

• American residents - http://www.rosary-center.org/conformenrm.htm
• Those outside the United States - http://www.rosary-center.org/conformenre.htm

Our Lady of The Rosary, pray for us.

The Rosary: A Genuine Path Of Contemplation

Today's post continues with the theme of October Is The Month of The Rosary and specifically focuses on the contemplative aspects of the Rosary based on the writing of Saint John Paul II's Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae.

With the recent passing of the new feast day for Saint John Paul II of October 22—which has been aptly selected to annually commemorate his inauguration as Pope on October 22, 1978—today's post also serves as part of my own personal tribute to a man whose life example has been a great source of hope, understanding and encouragement for my faith journey.

If you are unfamiliar with Saint John Paul II, I hope you will be encouraged by this reading to discover his life and the enormous contributions of his pontificate.

Saint John Paul II's inauguration Mass October 22nd, 1978

Based on my own faith experience, many of my fellow Catholics seek contemplation in their prayer life. Sadly a significant amount of Catholics, in trying to fill the spiritual void in their lives, have turned to New Age practices, such as Yoga, Tai-Chi and Reiki and Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. In addition, many of today's Catholics have become secularized and simply do not know about the Rosary as one of the few contemplative prayers available from the Catholic faith. The need to discover the truth about the Rosary's contemplative aspect was noted by Saint John Paul II in Rosarium Virginis Mariae's Introduction: 

But the most important reason for strongly encouraging the practice of the Rosary is that it represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery which I have proposed in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte as a genuine “training in holiness.” Inasmuch as contemporary culture, even amid so many indications to the contrary, has witnessed the flowering of a new call for spirituality, due also to the influence of other religions, it is more urgent than ever that our Christian communities should become “genuine schools of prayer” (5)

In the Catholic tradition, the Rosary is a genuine form of contemplative prayer that is fundamentally Christocentric. Saint John Paul II noted in Rosarium Virginis Mariae that, "With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer." (1) It is through the guidance of Our Lady that we are led to Jesus in the most surest and quickest manner.

Saint John Paul II has spot lighted the importance of contemplating Christ with Mary by dedicating the entire first chapter to it entitled, Contemplating Christ With Mary. Citing the example of the transfiguration of Jesus in which the Apostles Peter, James and John were entranced by the beauty of the Redeemer and referring to it as "an icon of Christian contemplation," Saint John Paul II further expands on the gaze of the Apostles at Christ's face as the task of each one of us:

To look upon the face of Christ, to recognize its mystery amid the daily events and the sufferings of his human life, and then to grasp the divine splendour definitively revealed in the Risen Lord, seated in glory at the right hand of the Father: this is the task of every follower of Christ and therefore the task of each one of us. In contemplating Christ's face we become open to receiving the mystery of Trinitarian life, experiencing ever anew the love of the Father and delighting in the joy of the Holy Spirit. (9)

When we recite the Rosary we have Mary guiding us through the various mysteries of Christ's life. Mary's role is not only as our guide, but our incomparable model in the contemplation of Christ. Saint John Paul II noted that, "No one has ever devoted himself to the contemplation of the face of Christ as faithfully as Mary." (10)

Mary's contemplation began through the eyes of her heart, when she turned to Jesus at the Annunciation. It continued in a tenderly way during the birth of Jesus and throughout his life, always filled with wonder and would never leave him. As Saint John Paul II also noted that Mary's gaze would, "...[A]lways be a penetrating gaze, one capable of deeply understanding Jesus, even to the point of perceiving his hidden feelings and anticipating his decisions, as at Cana .(10)

St. John Paul II praying the Rosary on Elk Island, Alberta (Canada) 1984

In reciting the Rosary and contemplating on the life of Jesus, we enter into contact with the memories of Mary. As Saint John Paul II notes, Mary had, "...[H]er eyes fixed on Christ, treasuring his every word: 'She kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.' " (11) Mary's memories of Christ's life prompted her to reflect upon them at her Son's side. These memories that she reflected upon uninterruptedly during her earthly life, became Her lived Rosary. (11)

In Chapter 1 Contemplating Christ With Mary, Saint John Paul II reinforces the special contemplative aspect of the Rosary by quoting from Marialis Cultus, the Apostolic Exhortation from his predecessor, Pope Paul VI:

Without contemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the risk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas, in violation of the admonition of Christ: 'In praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think they will be heard for their many words' (Mt 6:7). By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed. (12)

Saint John Paul II encourages the reader to pause and consider the above quote, and to recognize in the process that the Rosary is fundamentally a Christocentric contemplation.

Today's post captured but a glimpse of the spiritual treasure contained within Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Reading this document again for this month of October proved to a very beneficial read. I hope that my experience has been a shared one with many others who have done likewise.

This apostolic letter is but one of the many gifts given to the Church and the world through the life and pontificate of Saint John Paul II. If you have yet to discover this great saint in the Church, I hope that will soon change. Thank God for Saint John Paul II.


Our Lady of The Rosary, pray for us.

Medjugorje's Luminous Mysteries Mosaics

In keeping with October's theme of the Month of the Rosary, today's post seeks to not only encourage my fellow Catholics to honour Our Lady with a new or renewed Rosary Devotion, but also shares some of my personal experiences during my pilgrimage this summer in Medjugorje at the Luminous Mysteries mosaics.

I thought it fitting to share this post today, in part, as a continuation of the spirit with which Saint Pope John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries in 2002, with his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae.

The interlocking stone walking path at the back altar area of St. James Church where to
the left in this photo are the Luminous Mysteries mosaics.

Medjugorje is a place of many ideal prayer locations and the Luminous Mysteries mosaics is one such location. I can tell you from my own personal experience that praying at the Luminous Mysteries mosaics is truly a time of Divine Intimacy.

If you are currently in Medjugorje as part of a group pilgrimage and have not been informed about these mosaics in your orientation or become aware of them as part of your personal discovery, I hope that by reading this post, you will take the opportunity to pray at these mosaics during your remaining days in Medjugorje.

If you are reading this post as part of an on line research effort for your pilgrimage to Medjugorje, I hope it will help you to better understand the spiritual treasure that awaits you in Medjugorje. 

The Luminous Mysteries mosaics are located at the area adjacent to the back altar of St. James Church and flanked by the interlocking stone walking path leading to the Risen Christ statue. The top photo published with this post will give you a visual of where to find them should you be in Medjugorje.

Each mosaic is at least seven to eight feet in height and is approximately the same dimensions in width. The skill with which they were created is beyond professional and truly the result of gifted workmanship. One would be hard pressed to view these mosaics without coming to the conclusion that God sent many graces, inspiration and guidance to the artist(s) who worked in putting them together. They really are magnificent to look at and easily achieve their job of bringing pilgrims into the spirit of prayer, inviting each pilgrim to contemplate on the various individual mysteries presented in the imagery of each mosaic.

Luminous Mystery Mosaic, the Wedding at Cana

This summer I had the privilege of staying in Medjugorje for several weeks. It was a time that afforded me the opportunity to meet many people and establish new friendships, experience wonderful sharing and connect with people from all over the world. It also allowed me to better acquaint myself with the people of Medjugorje, the culture of Herzegovina, the natural landscape, as well as to determine when would be the most optimal time to visit the various prayer locations, including the Luminous Mysteries mosaics.

I visited the Luminous Mysteries mosaics at different times of the day and night as part of my discovery and simply as a matter of obeying the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. It was an extension of what I experienced each day. Arising with thoughts of how each day would unfold, I concluded each evening with a special prayer of gratitude to God for the wonderful and spiritually beneficial days I experienced that were well beyond my expectations. Everyday in Medjugorje was amazing including my time at the Luminous Mysteries mosaics.

I had originally arrived in Medjugorje with fellow pilgrims as part of a pilgrim group. The pilgrim group's stay in Medjugorje was for one week. The pilgrimage schedule was full with a well developed daily agenda that took us to the many prayer locations and other places of interest. It was during that first week that I discovered the Luminous Mysteries mosaics and immediately felt very drawn to them. I did not visit them as much as I would have liked, in part due to the group pilgrimage setting I was in. It was something that I made a mental note about and set out to change during my second week and for the remainder of my stay in Medjugorje.

Luminous Mystery Mosaic, The Transfiguration

During my second week I began to make daily visits to the Luminous Mysteries mosaics, as part of my daily recitation of all fours sets of the mysteries of the Rosary.

Since the Evening Prayer Program included the group recitation of the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries, I typically set out to recite the Luminous Mysteries at the mosaics prior to my participation at the Evening Prayer Program. I hope you will be encouraged to do likewise; it is time well spent.

If you have yet to discover and include the Luminous Mysteries in your recitation of the Rosary, I would like to recommend the reading of Saint Pope John Paul II's aforementioned Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Saint Pope John Paul II was well known for his Marian Devotion, one that animated his pontificate and is clearly evident in the writing of this document. It is a devotion that is spotlighted by his personal declaration that he soon made after his election to the papacy in October'1978, that the "...Rosary is my favourite prayer." (2) 

May the Blessed Virgin Mary inspire you to include the Luminous Mysteries in your Rosary Devotion.