Why pray the Rosary every day for a year?


Each time the Blessed Virgin has appeared-- whether it be to Saint Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes; to Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco at Fatima; or to Mariette Beco at Banneux-- she has asserted the importance, saving grace, and power of praying the Holy Rosary on a daily basis. Based upon her words, the Rosary is penance and conversion for sinners, a pathway to peace, an end to war, and a powerful act of faith in Jesus Christ. Pope Paul VI presented the Rosary as a powerful means to reach Christ "not merely with Mary but indeed, insofar as this is possible to us, in the same way as Mary, who is certainly the one who thought about Him more than anyone else has ever done."

To show us how this is done, perhaps no one has been more eloquent than the great Cardinal Newman, who wrote: "The great power of the Rosary consists in the fact that it translates the Creed into Prayer. Of course, the Creed is already in a certain sense a prayer and a great act of homage towards God, but the Rosary brings us to meditate again on the great truth of His life and death, and brings this truth close to our hearts. Even Christians, although they know God, usually fear rather than love Him. The strength of the Rosary lies in the particular manner in which it considers these mysteries, since all our thinking about Christ is intertwined with the thought of His Mother, in the relations between Mother and Son; the Holy Family is presented to us, the home in which God lived His infinite love."

As Mary said at Fatima, "Jesus wants to use you to make Me known and loved. He wishes to establish the devotion to My Immaculate Heart throughout the world. I promise salvation to whoever embraces it; these souls will be dear to God, like flowers put by Me to adorn his throne."



January 6

Posted by Jacob


André Bessette began his life as the eight child of 12, born to a poor family in Montreal, Canada. Described as a sick and frail child, André was unable to work following the early and tragic deaths of both his father and mother, and spent much time in church. He developed a deep and lasting devotion to the Patriarch of the Holy Family, St. Joseph.


André was accepted into the Congregation of the Holy Cross at age 25, due to his strong faith. However, his superiors had concerns regarding his near-constant illness and frailty. He was relegated to serving as the doorkeeper of the church, a position which allowed him to meet and interact with the congregation and pray. Throughout much of his life, André remained ill, and suffered tremendous pain. To him, these sufferings were an opportunity for reaching greater sanctity. When asked if he was in great pain during his final years, he replied, “Indeed I am, but I thank God for giving me the grace to suffer; I need it so much!”


André’s devotion to Saint Joseph resulted in many miraculous cures of the ill. He attended to the sick and lame, praying with them, and rubbing oil from a lamp that burned in the chapel on their wounds. As word of these miraculous cures spread, so did the stream of individuals who sought his comfort—both Christian and non-believers alike. Through his ministry to the sick, thousands came to know Christ and joined the church. “I do not cure,” he said again and again upon questioning. “St. Joseph cures.” In the end he needed four secretaries to handle the 80,000 letters he received each year.

Despite financial troubles, the Great Depression, and other difficulties, the basilica that André began building was finished—but not until after his death. The Oratory of Saint Joseph remains one of the largest basilicas in the world.

Saint André started small. He selflessly gave what he could to those in need, always relying on the help and blessings of the Holy Family. He inspires us to turn our gaze outward from ourselves, and care for others—to do the work of Jesus in the world around us.




Day 6 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Those who are sick; Those who serve others; Those who suffer

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