Rosary is Catholics' Favorite Prayer

October is here and the month of the Rosary has begun.  As we come to the end of the year of the Family (themed: Jesus: The Heart of The Family), let us never forget that family life is a privilege that requires the service of prayer and sacrifice. The Rosary is a prayer of healing and of deliverance from crisis in marriage and family life. It is a weapon of prayer because it contains the Gospel mysteries.

A woman was once asked why she prayed the Rosary every day. “All I can tell you is if I say a Rosary, the day works; and if I don’t, nothing works.” This is true not because of magic or superstition but because of Mary’s maternal intercession and the power of the mysteries of the life of Christ. Each mystery of the Rosary is a wondrous opportunity to become more present to Christ.

During the last two centuries, people have witnessed more Church-approved Marian apparitions than during all other centuries combined. Why such an increase? Because of the difficulties of modern times. Mary has been coming to earth and appearing to people in our day to give warning about bad things that will happen if people don’t repent and pray the Rosary.

    

Our Blessed Mother loves her children and doesn’t want us to suffer calamities, so she encourages us to pray the Rosary. She wants us to experience peace in our families, societies, and nations … she desires that sinners be converted and people experience the abundant life in Christ, … so she tells us to pray the Rosary. 

The Rosary isn’t just an instrument for world peace. Pope St. John Paul II, the great modern saint, had said at the start of his pontificate that the Rosary was his favorite prayer and he strongly encouraged the world to pray it. He insisted that we pray the Rosary for the sake of the family which is under attack (widely by the irresponsible use of modern technology) and the crisis in marriage.

In his book, “Praying the Rosary with Pope Francis”, our Holy Father reminds us that praying the Rosary prepares our hearts to receive God’s grace and teaches us to place ourselves in the hands of God, allowing Him to guide our steps along the path of our faith journey.  Praying the Rosary allows us to make room for God, to glorify His name, and to make Him truly present in our lives.

Mary, Mother of the Church, and the “Mother of the Church of the Home” guard, protect and enlighten our families.