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."



August 25: Saint Maria Micaela Desmaisières López de Dicastillo, "Madre Sacramento"

Posted by Jacob

Today, August 25, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Maria Micaela Desmaisières López de Dicastillo of the Blessed Sacrament (1809-1865), Spanish aristocrat and foundress of the Institute of Religious Adorer-Slaves of the Most Blessed Sacrament and of Charity. She is often referred to as “Madre Sacramento” due to her undying devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, and her tireless work to bring this devotion to others through her community.


Micaela Lopez Desmaissières and Dicastillo was born in Madrid, Spain, daughter of noble parents. Her mother died while she was quite young, and her father arranged for her to receive a thorough secular and religious education. She attended school with the Ursuline sisters in the city of Pau, France, between the ages of 9 and 12. At thirteen, her father—a general in the royal army—died, and she lived with her brother, an ambassador, for some time. During these years, she felt continually drawn to the religious life, but also enjoyed the privileges of nobility, including festivals, holidays, and frequent travel.

At 35, her eyes were opened during a trip to Madrid, where she visited the Hospital of Saint John of God. There, she observed first-hand the dire plight of young girls in the city, forced into dissolute lives, and living without their basic needs met. Uneducated and untrained in an employable skill, these girls were in need of both spiritual and practical direction. Micaela established a school, and personally undertook direction of their education.

Drawn into service through her mission, she committed herself to live fully for the Lord, and began daily devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. The grace and ardent love of God grew within her, and over time, this influenced the direction and instruction of the school. Within a decade, she had formed an apostolate for the young women of Madrid, naming her school the Institute of Religious Adorer-Slaves of the Most Blessed Sacrament and of Charity. Upon founding her order, she took the name Maria.

Under the direction of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, and Micaela’s dedicated and pious leadership, the foundations multiplied. Her Institute of the Blessed Sacrament was definitively approved by the Holy See in 1866, a year after her death. She had perished from cholera, having contracted the illness while tending to poor and suffering victims of a nearby outbreak.

Madre Sacramento, as she was known, consecrated herself to the love of the Lord. She is known to have said: “I saw Him large, benevolent, loving and merciful, and I decided to serve no one but Him, who has everything necessary to fill my heart.” She modeled poverty, chastity, and obedience with near-perfection, joining her suffering to that of Our Risen Lord. Throughout her life, she lived simply, but heroically in the adoration of the Eucharist, and the reflection of the charity and love of God on earth.



Year 2: Day 236 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Heroic love and charity; giving of ourselves to others for the Lord
Requested Intentions: Successful examination results (D); Safety of family, strength, courage, wisdom (C); For the souls of a departed father and brother, finding of a suitable marriage partner (R); Successful pilgrimage, deepening of prayer life (R); Restoration of health (J); Restoration of health (S); Freedom from pride (A); For children and marriage (M); For the birth of a healthy baby (Y); For personal family intentions, for the sick, poor, hungry, and homeless (G); Financial security and peace (J); Grace, peace, and obedience to the will of God in a marriage (H); Successful and blessed marriage for sin, freedom from anxiety for husband, spiritual contentedness for family (N); Employment and health for a husband (B); Recovery and health of a mother (J); For a family to grow closer to the Church, salvation for all children (D); Successful employment (L); Successful employment (S); Renewal of faith life (A); Support for an intended marriage, health for friend and aunt (J); Mental health assistance for son (G); Freedom from illness (S); Successful employment (C); Financial assistance and employment (B); For a family’s intentions (T); Successful examination results (B); Healing of a friend with cancer, for all those who help others (B); Healing and love (L); Grace and healing (V); Healing of a heart, consecration of a marriage (M); Health of a family, intentions of apostolate (H); For repentance (J); For a family in trouble (R); Healing, successful relationships for son, financial success (J); Success of a company (L); For a religious society (J); Healing of a husband, strength as a faithful caregiver (D); Healing of a son (T).

4 comments:

  1. Jessy said...

    I am so glad that many people are coming to know St Maria Micaela and getting their intentions, healing granted through St Micaela's intersession. May the Eucharistic Lord be known and loved and worshiped by all people of the earth.
    Jessy

  2. sister philo said...

    I am so thrilled to know that st.Maria micaela intercede for many people before the Blessed Sacrament. may she inspire many young girls to listen to the call of Jesus to follow Him and be beacon to society

  3. sister philo said...

    I pray through her intercession increase of vocation to her congregation

  4. Jessy said...

    with a greateful heart I thank God Almighty and our dearest Saint Maria Micaela, our loving Moher and guide for the successful operation of Sr Kanica Sardar, Sisters Adorers, Kolkata, India, and her Speedy Recovery. May Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament be adored and praised be now and ever more. Thank you Mother Micaela for interceeding for us

    Jessy Kanjirathinal

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