The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies. - Promises of Our Lady
If you really seek miracles and graces - turn to Our Lady, Mediatrix of all Graces, with the prayers of the Rosary. The littlest of children know how to pray the Rosary, and can do so perseveringly - I know because I recited the Rosary since first or second grade. In fifth grade I discovered the Miraculous 54 Day Novena of Rosaries to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii - and I prayed it for special intentions.
I mention the 54 Day Novena today since it would be a great day to start it - the conclusion of the novena would take place on October 6, the 'vigil' of the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. (If you begin tomorrow, the feast of the Assumption, you will complete the novena on October 7, the feast of the Holy Rosary. It is such an unique way to honor the Blessed Virgin in the Year of Mercy, as well as in preparation for the centenary of the apparitions of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima.
I've noted several people have called for participation in the 54 Day Novena for the same dates. It would be especially efficacious for one to join their personal intentions to this growing 'army' of Our Lady.
Fr. Richard Heilman has a good history of the devotion on his site, Roman Catholic Man.
Whoever desires to obtain favors from Me should make three novenas of the prayers of the Rosary, and three novenas in thanksgiving.”
– Promise of Our Lady of the Most Holy RosaryOn March 3, 1884 (in the same year Pope Leo XIII wrote the prayer to St. Michael, and exactly 33 years before the Fatima apparitions), a young girl named Fortuna Agrelli was graced with an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and given this special devotion which she passed onto others.
At the time, young Fortuna was ill with 3 separate incurable diseases and her doctors had given up on her case saying it was hopeless. In desperation, the young girl and her family began a novena of Rosaries.
Our Lady appeared to the girl, sitting upon a high throne, surrounded by luminous figures, holding the Divine Child on Her lap, and in Her hand a Rosary.
The sick girl greeted the Blessed Virgin with the following words: “Queen of the Holy Rosary, be gracious to me, restore me to health! I have already prayed to Thee in a novena, O Mary, but have not yet experienced Thy aid. I am so anxious to be cured!”
“Child,” responded the Blessed Virgin, “you have invoked Me by various titles and have always obtained favors from Me. Now, since you have called Me by that title so pleasing to Me, ‘Queen of the Most Holy Rosary’, I can no longer refuse the favor you petition; for this name is most precious and dear to Me. Make three novenas, and you shall obtain all.”
Once more, the Queen of the Holy Rosary appeared to the young girl and said, “Whoever desires to obtain favors from Me should make three novenas of the prayers of the Rosary, and three novenas in thanksgiving.”
Obeying Our Lady’s instructions, the young girl was healed and restored to perfect health. - Finish reading here.
No matter who you are, where you are - that is, what state of soul you are in - pray the Rosary, and make an effort to pray this novena. Our Lady will not refuse you her help and she will obtain even more than we can ask or imagine if we will only take up our rosaries and pray. If you forget to start, or miss a day, just begin again on the next day - like it says on medication labels - if you miss a dose, resume your regular schedule - or something like that. The difference here is you could pray an extra rosary another day. More importantly, if you unite your prayer to others praying the rosary or the same novena - we never pray alone, we help each other - we carry one another's burdens.
Whatever the case, I'm convinced one may have great confidence in the Blessed Mother, because she understands our efforts and most especially our weakness. Latecomers need to remember the Gospel about the laborers who were hired towards the end of the day - they received the same wages as those who were hired at the beginning of the day. Our Lady is sure to be even more generous.
That said, Fr. Heilman is promoting the 54 Day Novena for our Nation - which begins on August 15, the feast of Our Lady's Assumption. The details below:
The nation-wide prayer campaign – Novena for Our Nation – begins this Monday, August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, and goes until October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Please join us, if you are able, for a Rosary Rally will be held in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC on October 7.
The “Novena for Our Nation” website is here (You can sign-up to receive daily emails at the website. Also, you can find the daily 54 Day Novena reflections at the website): NovenaForOurNation.com
If you feel really generous and have the time, pray two rosaries a day - even three, or four. Personally, I would like to see the Novena said for the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the conversion of sinners, and the defeat of ISIS and radical Islamists as well as for our nation.
No matter, pray the Rosary. Every day. Pray, pray, pray the Rosary every day. Even just a decade to start...
It (the Rosary) will cause good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal Things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. - Promises of Our Lady
I must admit that I usually look on praying the rosary as a burden rather than a privilege. I'm praying to have a softer heart; to see this as a gift.
ReplyDeletewell I do as well, Donald, it Is hard: the only time/place I can pray the rosary and really, really pray it and focus is while driving. I keep trying...
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