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| The Silver Rose, which is traveling throughout the United States. |
Prayer service held at St. Joseph Church, Madison
MADISON — On June 20, Knights of Columbus District 47 hosted a Silver Rose Prayer Service at St. Joseph Church.
In 1960, the Columbian Squires (the official youth organization of the Knights of Columbus) started a project to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, by running a silver rose from Montreal, Canada, to Monterrey, Mexico.
There are now six roses that crisscross the country and end up in different locations. The one exhibited at the Madison service will end up at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.
Grand knight participants in the service represented Councils 531 (Good Shepherd Parish and Blessed Sacrament Parish), 4527 (St. Maria Goretti Parish and Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish), 4586 (St. Dennis Parish and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish), and 9082 (St. Bernard Parish, Madison). Members of the Bishop William P. O’Connor Assembly 1200 Honor Guard also attended to honor Our Lady.
The Wanish family from Blessed Sacrament Parish did an outstanding job leading the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, and Council 531’s newest member, Chris Mehrer from Good Shepherd Parish, read from the Gospel of St. Luke.
This is an annual event and the second year that District 47 of the Wisconsin Knights of Columbus has conducted a Silver Rose Prayer Service at St. Joseph Church.
The service is open to all who wish to attend, not only those affiliated with the Knights of Columbus. It is a very inspirational service that brings together many parishes in one location to pray.
Prayer service held at Verona church
VERONA — On June 22, Knights of Columbus Council 11155 hosted a Silver Rose Prayer Service at St. Andrew Church.
Knights of Columbus Honor Guard, Madison Assembly 1200, which included State Deputy Ronald Faust, escorted the Silver Rose.
Fr. William Vernon, pastor of St. Christopher Parish, Verona, led the service with five St. Andrew Council 11155 Knights each leading a decade of the Rosary.
St. Andrew Council 11155 is one of 23 councils in Wisconsin to host a Silver Rose Prayer Service with one of six silver roses traveling from Canada throughout the United States to Mexico.
Knights and parishioners gathered after the service to discuss the relationship of the silver rose to Our Lady of Guadalupe, defenders of the unborn, and the mystery of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
One of the most celebrated days in the Mexican calendar is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which commemorates the appearances of our Blessed Mother to Native American peasant Juan Diego in 1531.
The six roses will arrive in Mexico for the celebration of the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12.
The Silver Rose Program is intended to encourage the world to pray that the sanctity of life, from the moment of conception until natural death, will reign in human hearts and enjoy the full protection of the law.
To accomplish this we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas.
Michael Schultz is grand knight of Knights of Columbus Council 531, Madison. Brad Stiner, Verona, is a Knights of Columbus historian.