When October arrives, the Church invites us to take the rosary into our hands once again. Perhaps some of us learned to pray it from our mother or grandmother. Perhaps we keep a rosary near our bed, but it has been a long time since we last prayed it. This month can be a beautiful opportunity to rediscover this simple and precious prayer.
The rosary has accompanied the prayer of Christians for centuries. The tradition of the Church connects its development in a special way with St. Dominic and the preaching of the Dominicans. Over time, it became a beloved prayer in countless homes and families. Every October 7, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and for this reason, the month of October has become especially associated with this beautiful devotion.
Sometimes we may think that praying the rosary is simply a matter of repeating Hail Marys. But while our lips are praying, our hearts are invited to contemplate the life of Jesus with Mary: His birth, His ministry, His sacrifice for us, and the joy of His Resurrection. Mary never keeps us focused on herself. Like a loving Mother, she always leads us to her Son.
When we pray the rosary with faith, we can draw closer to Jesus, grow in trust, find comfort in difficult moments, and ask for Mary’s intercession for our needs. The rosary does not magically make our problems disappear. Rather, it helps us place them in God’s hands and continue walking with Him, one day at a time.
Padre Pio had a deep love for the Blessed Mother and encouraged his spiritual children to pray the rosary “always and well.” He knew how much this prayer can sustain us, especially when we cannot find the right words, when we are tired, or when we carry a worry or sorrow in our hearts.
For this reason, I would like to invite all of us to make one simple commitment during this month of October: let us pray the Holy Rosary each day. Let us pray it personally and, whenever possible, let us gather as a family or community to pray together. For a few moments, let us turn off the noise around us, place our joys and concerns before the Lord, and allow Mary to accompany us, and if it has been a long time since we prayed the rosary, we can simply begin again today, without worrying about doing everything perfectly. What matters is to begin.
I would also like to invite you, in a special way, to pray the rosary during this month for Archbishop Shelton and for his intentions.
We have heard him, time and again, in his homilies, messages, and encounters with us, assure us of his prayers. Perhaps this month of the rosary can be a beautiful opportunity to thank him for the prayer of the one who serves us as our father and shepherd by offering our own prayers for him.
He accompanies us through his prayer, his presence, and his service. Let us accompany him with ours. May he know that his sons and daughters in faith walk beside him and entrust him, his ministry, and his intentions to the loving heart of Mary.
May October not pass without making a little room for the rosary in our homes and communities. May Mary take our families by the hand, help us to remain united, and lead us always closer to Jesus.
Father Jean González Romero
Vicar for Hispanic Ministry
