To the editor:
October is the month of the Rosary. On October 7, 1571, Catholic forces defeated the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto. Thousands of Catholics prayed the Rosary and invoked Mary’s intercession and helped to achieve this important victory. In gratitude, Pope Pius V established the feast which became the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which we celebrate on October 7.
The original Rosary had 15 decades based on the 150 psalms. When we meditate on its mysteries, we journey through the great events in the life of Jesus and salvation history in the company of Mary and see these events through her eyes. We join our life’s moments of joy, light, sorrow, and glory to the mystery of Jesus Christ.
The Rosary can be prayed by Catholics of all ages. It helps us to overcome temptations in our lives and evils of our time.
According to The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, the gentle recitation of the Rosary helps us to enter the silence of our hearts where Christ’s spirit dwells. As we pray the Rosary, Mary prays with us as she prayed with the Church at Pentecost. Praying Rosaries helps us to imitate Mary and do God’s will.
Fr. Don Lange, Hazel Green