Dear Parishioners:
On Tuesday we celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Known for several centuries by the alternate title of “Our Lady of Victory,” the feast day takes place in honor of a 16th century naval victory which secured Europe against Turkish invasion. Pope St. Pius V attributed the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was invoked on the day of the battle through a campaign to pray the Rosary throughout Europe. Pope Leo XIII was devoted to Our Lady of the Rosary, producing 11 encyclicals on the subject of this feast and its importance in the course of his long pontificate. In the first of them he wrote: “It has always been the habit of Catholics in danger and in troublous times to fly for refuge to Mary.”
The month of October is dedicated to Mary and her Holy Rosary. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Dominic in 1206 after he had been praying and doing severe penances because of his lack of
success in combating the Albigensian heresy. Mary praised him for his valiant fight against the heretics and then gave him the Rosary as a mighty weapon, explained its uses and efficacy, and told him to preach it to others. Since the prayers of the Rosary come from such excellent sources — from Our Lord Himself, from inspired Scripture, and from the Church — it is not surprising that the Rosary is so dear to our Blessed Mother and so powerful with heaven. If we consider the power of the Rosary as seen in its effects, we find a great abundance of proofs of its tremendous value.
We are blessed in our parish to have many faithful parishioners dedicated to praying the Rosary on a daily basis. Many pray it by themselves and many others gather immediately following Daily Mass to do so as a group. These parishioners know well the power of praying the Rosary. We also gather as a parish every Monday night at 7:00PM for October Devotions to pray the Rosary before the Eucharistic Lord. As Father Connors noted in his homily last weekend Our Lady of Mercy is also truly blessed to have a dedicated group of Rosary makers who meet to pray and make rosaries to be distributed across the globe and here in East Greenwich. Since 2003, this dedicated band of Rosary makers led by OLM Parishioner Theresa Lee have made and distributed over 21,000 rosaries for use around the world. They have been especially generous in supplying many of these Rosaries to the missions in Africa and South America. This year they expect to distribute over 1,700 Rosaries. In your name, I think them for all they do to spread the Rosary here at OLM and to the four corners of 
the earth! When is the last time you prayed the Rosary? Not sure how to? Don’t remember all the prayers? Don’t worry as there are “How to Pray the Rosary” Guidebooks and Rosaries for you to take at every door of our Church. Pick up your beads and join us every Monday during October!
I would like to bring to the attention of all our young families a great opportunity here at OLM. Ron and Kate Jelinek are generously serving as leaders of our newly formed Young Adult and Young Family group. The group meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30pm in the OLM School Gym. There is a dinner and some social time, with baby-sitting provided, and a short talk on some aspect of Catholic life. Fr. Connors gave the presentation at the first meeting on how to integrate prayer into our daily lives. I am to speak at November’s meeting on Catholic Faith and Political Life. If you are interested in learning more , please contact Kate Jelinek by email at (kate_jelinek@hotmail.com).
My thanks to all who so generously donated baby items for our “Baby Shower.” As a result of your generous support we received hundreds of much needed items. A great job by Nancy McDevitt and her band of volunteer pro-lifers who helped to make it a great success. October is for Mary! Pray the Rosary! Come to Devotions! Keep the faith! Happy Columbus Day! God Bless. Go Pats Go!!!