From Father Steven - October 9, 2022

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Dear Brothers and Sisters, 
 
This week we celebrated Our Lady of the Rosary (Friday, October 7th) and I would like to reflect with you about such an important part of our lives and one of the greatest devotions in our faith. The Virgin Mary entrusted to St. Dominic the rosary to fight against Albigensian, a heresy mainly denies the incarnation. Therefore the mysteries of the rosary contemplate the very incarnation of Christ who became man out of love for each of us. The devotion of the rosary did not become widely popular until the famous battle of Lepanto in 1571. Upon the threat of the imminent Muslin invasion, Pope Pius V instructed all the faithful to pray to Our Lady of Victories to help Europe to be defended. In the most extraordinary way, on October 7, 1571, the Muslins were defeated and the feast in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted in remembrance of that day.
 
Although praying the Rosary may seem to the younger generation “boring” or tedious, it is nonetheless one of the most powerful prayers that we have. In the contemplation of the different mysteries, we call to mind everything that God has done to save us! It also carries many graces that may be unknown to us. It may seem that praying the rosary does not change our lives, or our problems, but there are very special graces given to those who pray the rosary. These are the 15 promises:
 
1. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. 
2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 
3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. The Rosary will cause virtue and 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. 
5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 
7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church. 
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise. 
9. I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10.The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
11.You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 
12.All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. 
13.I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. 
14.All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ. 
15.Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.
 
Therefore, I invite you to pick up the rosary again to pray it daily. In this month when we pray for life, let’s offer our Rosaries for those who need our prayers, the unborn, the sick, the elderly, and pray for one another. It’s worth noting that when we pray for others, we are the first beneficiaries!!! Finally, I also invite you to come to the 24Hr Adoration that we will have starting this Sunday 6pm through Monday 6pm. Come let us pray!
 
God Bless,
Fr. Steven