Catholic All Week

October is known as the Month of the Holy Rosary because the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary falls on Oct. 7. Pope Leo started the month by praying the rosary with hundreds of children and their families at the Lourdes grotto in the Vatican Gardens. During his Angelus address in Lourdes a few days earlier, Pope Leo shared a prayer request: “I invite all the faithful and all Christian communities to pray the holy rosary throughout the coming month of October, with the particular intention that wars may cease and that peace may be established among peoples in conflict,” he said.

A month of history

The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, also celebrated as Our Lady of Victory or Victories, was established by Pope St. Pius V in 1571 to celebrate the miraculous victory of the Christian forces over the Ottoman Empire in the Battle of Lepanto on Oct. 7. Previous to the decisive naval battle, St. Pius V had requested all western Christians to pray the rosary; thus he attributed the victory to the power of the Marian prayer rather than the power of ships and cannons.

Scriptural roots

The rosary is a Scripture-based prayer. It begins with the Apostles’ Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith. The Our Father, which introduces each mystery, is from the Gospels. The first part of the Hail Mary is the angel’s words announcing Christ’s birth and Elizabeth’s greeting to Mary. The mysteries of the rosary center on the events of Christ’s life. There are four sets of mysteries: joyful, sorrowful, glorious and the luminous, which were added by St. John Paul II in 2002. Look online for details about each and a breakdown of how to pray the rosary.

Variations on a theme

Did you know there are other rosaries? Since the early days of the Church, religious orders have built on and modified this beautiful prayer to emphasize different devotions. Among them are the World Mission Rosary created by Blessed Fulton Sheen to encourage Catholics to pray for the mission work of the Church around the world. Other variations that use different prayers or numbers of prayers include the Seven Sorrows rosary, which honors the Blessed Mother’s sorrows, the Seraphic rosary, which honors her seven joys, and the Brigittine Crown, which adds a sixth mystery honoring Our Lady as Queen of the Carmelite Order.

What made St. Francis abandon wealth for a life centered on the Eucharist

Catholic All Week

Every October, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month, and the first Sunday of the month (Oct. 4 this year) is designated as Respect Life Sunday. This year’s theme is “Mary, Mother of Life” and is centered on Mary’s role as mother of all the living. Her life can teach us to respect the gift of life in all its stages – even when it is unexpected or requires us to make sacrifices. Here are three things that people can do during Respect Life month to embrace that calling.

Reflect on the theme

Look for opportunities to incorporate Marian devotions, catechesis and reflections on human dignity in your prayer life to help reinforce the message that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and deserves love, protection and care.

Support moms in need

Start a project at your parish to accompany mothers who are in need of assistance or who may need encouragement as they choose life and then begin the work of parenting their children. If such a project already exists at your parish – through Walking with Moms in Need or other groups – become an active part of it. Here's St. Matthew and St. Mark. 

Pray and act for change

This month is filled with concrete ways to make a difference. Participate in your local 40 Days for Life, join a Life Chain in your area this weekend, organize or be a part of a prayer service or Mass for Life, take action to protect women and babies from the dangers of abortion pills, and pray for a change of hearts and minds on the sanctity of life.

 

 

Catholic All Week

More than 13,000 people turned out to renew their spirit and walk with Christ at the Diocese of Charlotte’s Eucharistic Congress last weekend, trekking through the streets of Uptown Charlotte in one of the largest Eucharistic processions in the nation. While participants were energized by Bishop Michael Martin and other dynamic Catholic voices, the weekend was much more than a one-time event.

The Eucharistic Congress is meant to be one step on a lifetime journey of renewal and a call to share the message of hope with a world longing for it. Here are some ways you can relive those moments (or live them for the first time) and deepen your experience.

Spend time in adoration

Eucharistic Adoration is at the heart of the Congress, and there are many opportunities to take that experience further. Many of our churches offer regular Eucharistic Adoration, and some offer Perpetual Adoration chapels that are open 24/7. Visit the diocese’s website, www.charlottediocese.org, and click on “Eucharistic Adoration” under “Faith Life.”

Take god out into the world

In the Eucharistic Congress’ closing video, five priests from across the diocese offered suggestions for how to build on what participants started over the weekend. Ranging from attending Mass and receiving the sacraments to volunteering in faith formation, campus ministry or by doing works of charity, the suggestions focused on getting out of our comfort zones and into a world in need of hope.