Dear Parishioners:
Fr. Patrick Peyton leads a Rosary Rally.
In December 2017, Pope Francis promulgated the decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Father Patrick Peyton, a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, thus recognizing him as Venerable by the Roman Catholic Church. It is the beginning of the cause for sainthood for Father Peyton.
Older Catholics may remember Father Peyton, often known as the Rosary Priest, from the Rosary Rallies he organized beginning in the late 1940s. These Rallies were held across the globe, and hundreds of thousands of Catholics gathered together to pray the Rosary. These rallies were the Catholic version of the Billy Graham Crusades. Father Peyton often said, "The family that prays together stays together," and "A world at prayer is a world at peace."
The need for families to pray together and for peace in our world is as urgent today as they were fifty years ago. Prayer in our life is essential for Catholics. The Rosary is one of the most excellent ways to pray for ourselves, our families, and our world. The great saints and popes all attest to his fact. The Venerable Pope Pius XII said: "We put great confidence in the Holy Rosary for the healing of evils of our times."
This is true today as the world needs this spiritual weapon to combat violence, war, racism, hatred, fear, anxiety, persecution, illness, and hardship. Much of the power of the Rosary comes from the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, said: "I take refuge, then, in prayer, and turn to Mary, and our Lord always triumphs."
People often ask others to pray for them. Still, so much more can be gained by asking Mary to pray for us since she is close to God and can bring our intentions directly to Him. It is said that the Rosary is a chain that links heaven and earth, with one end in our hands and the other in the hands of Our Holy Mother. Through Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan de Rupe, the Blessed Virgin revealed fifteen specific promises for those who pray the Rosary, including receiving special graces and protection. She even stated, "You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary."
With such incredible promises and encouragement to pray the Rosary directly from Our Lady, one would think that devotion to the Rosary would be much more widespread, especially among Catholics. However, many still view the Rosary as a repetitive, monotonous, and outdated form of prayer instead of the efficacious tool it is for us.
Please take some time this month to pray the Rosary. You can easily do so while driving to work or before bed at night. Come to May Devotions on Monday nights at 7:00 pm as we gather together as a parish family to pray the Rosary. As St. Padre Pio said: "Pray the Rosary frequently. It costs so little, and it's worth so much!"
You may see the children of our First Communion Class practicing in Church this week for their big day. The great celebration of faith for these children, their families, and our entire parish family is next Saturday. Please keep them in your prayers and offer a Rosary for them as they prepare to receive the Eucharistic Lord truly present in Holy Communion for the first time.
I have received word from the Superior of the Franciscan Apostolic, Mother Aida. She wrote to inform me that Sister Soledad is moving to a new assignment in Peoria, Illinois, beginning this July. Sister is returning home to the Philippines at the end of this month to visit with her family and community for several weeks before taking up her new assignment. Please keep her in your prayers. We thank her for her ministry and presence with us at OLM over these last three years.
Happily for us, Sister Lourdes and Sister Emma will remain at OLM! While we are sad to see Sister Soledad leave our parish, we are grateful to Mother Aida for the good news that Sister Lourdes and Sister Emma are staying at OLM. However, at this time, no other Sister is available to be assigned to OLM. We are so blessed to have such holy, joyful, and humble sisters serve our parish and school! Please pray for more vocations to the consecrated life!
Pick up your Rosary beads this month! Come to Devotions on Monday in May! Be well. Do good. God Bless. Go Sox! Go Bruins! Go Celtics!!!