Our Lady of the Rosary

Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. On this day in 1571 the combined Christian fleets under Don John of Austria achieved a significant naval victory over the Turks in the Straits of Lepanto. The victory was attributed to Our Lady. Pope St. Pius V had a rosary procession offered on that day in St. Peter's Square in Rome for the success of the mission of the Holy League to hold back Muslim forces from overrunning Western Europe. Sortly after the victory Pope St. Pius V declared this day the feast of Our Lady of Victory top commemorate the victory as well as why. In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the title of this feast-day to "Feast of the Holy Rosary". In 1969, Pope Paul VI changed the name of the feast to "Our Lady of the Rosary".

As I have said time after time, prayer is the most important weapon in our battle against the "culture of death". & 1 of the most important weapons we have in that prayer arsenal is the Rosary. This reason behind this feast is a prime example of why I make that claim.

That having been said, I am putting this post up to encourage you to start praying the Rosary, if you don't & to start praying it for an end to abortion on a regular basis. & not only that, for all the related issues, like euthenasia, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, etc.

As an aide for those who want to pray the Rosary for Pro-Life issues, several groups have materials to help you in that effort. Over at Priests for Life they have Pro-life Rosary Meditations for all 4 sets of mysteries. The USCCB also has a set of Rosary Meditations at their webiste.

The Saint Michael the Archangel Organization coordinates a World-Wide Rosary for Unborn Babies to be held this year on 16-18 October 2009.

I repeat what I said many a time, whatever else we do to work to build the "Culture of Life", it must start, end & be undergirded with prayer. & the Rosary is a key weapon in that prayer battle. In Genesis 3 we read where God told Adam & Eve that through the woman (Mary) He would crush Satan. The primary way in which He did that was through Mary being the Θεοτόκης (Theotokis). In Revelation 12 we read more about the woman. while that does refer in part to the Catholic Church, over the centuries it has been seen by the Catholic Church as a reference to Mary & the ongoing battle she wages against Satan in Heaven as an intercessor. You will also note that St. Michael the Archangel plays a huge role in that battle as well. As do all of us. Each of us has our role to play. & praying the Rosary is a part of that role.

Asking all the Holy Men & Women in Heaven to join with us:

Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompei - Pray for Us

Our Lady of Guadalupe

St. Joseph

St. Michael the Archangel

St. Raphael the Archangel

St. Gabriel the Archangel

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Clare of Assisi

St. Dominic

St. Louis de Montfort

Blessed Alan de la Roche

Blessed Margaret of Castello

St. Jude

Venerable Samuel Mazzuchelli

Servant of God Fulton J. Sheen

Blessed Damian de Veuster

St. Gianna Beretta Molla

St. Padre Pio

Venerable Edel Mary Quinn

Servant of God Frank Duff

St John Bosco

St. Gerard Majella

St. John the Baptist

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

St. Katharine Drexel

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Venerable Elena Aiello

Blessed Bartolo Longo

St. John Neumann

Blessed Junipero Serra

Servant of God Fr. Vincent Robert Capodanno

Venerable Fr. Solanus Casey

Venerable Fr. Michael McGivney

Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton

Venerable Pierre Toussaint

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Blessed André (Alfred) Bessette

Veneral Cardinal John Newman

(add your own)

We ask you to join in our prayer for the end to the holocaust that is abortion & the evil that is the "culture of death". Ask God to bless our efforts as we do the battle He has called us to. Grant us a swift victory so that all life will be valued, from the 1st moment of life to the very last breath.

We ask this in Jesus' name!

Art work: Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii