a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

I unite with all the Angels and Saints in Heaven, with all the just on earth, and with all the faithful here present. I unite with Thee, O my Jesus, in order to praise worthily Thy holy Mother, and to praise Thee in her and through her. I renounce all the distractions that I may have during this Rosary, which I wish to say with modesty, attention, and devotion, just as if it were to be the last of my life.


We offer Thee, O most Holy Trinity, this Creed in honor of all the mysteries of our Faith; this Our Father, and these three Hail Marys in honor of the unity of Thy Essence and the Trinity of Thy Persons. We ask of Thee a lively faith, a firm hope, and an ardent charity. Amen.
Introductory Prayer to the Rosary (Saint Louis de Montfort)


Today, October 7, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary as our Queen of the Holy Rosary! During this Rosary month of October, we call upon Our Mother and Queen to bring us peace and grace!

On October 7, 1571, a great victory over a mighty Turkish fleet was won by Catholic naval forces from Spain, Venice, and Genoa under the command of Don Juan of Austria. It was the last battle at sea between oared ships, which featured the most powerful navy in the world-- a Muslim force with between 12,000 to 15,000 Christian slaves as rowers.

Knowing that the Christian forces were at a distinct material disadvantage, and greatly outnumbered, Pope Saint Pius V called for all of Europe to pray the Rosary for victory. Victory came decisively, preventing the Islamic invasion of Europe. At the hour of victory, Pope Saint Pius V (who was hundreds of miles away in Rome), is said to have gotten up from a meeting, walked to the window, and exclaimed with supernatural radiance: “The Christian fleet is victorious!” He then shed tears of thanksgiving to the Lord. As Saint Padre Pio said much later, “The Rosary is Our Weapon.”

The Battle of Lepanto was first celebrated liturgically as “Our Lady of Victory,” instituted by Pope Pius V. Later, the feast of October 7 was renamed “Our Lady of the Rosary,” and extended throughout the Church by Pope Clement XI in 1716.

This great feast is in reality a festival of thanksgiving for the countless benefits bestowed on Christendom through the Rosary of Our Blessed Queen. In modern times successive popes have urged the faithful to pray the Rosary, invoking Our Lady of the Rosary. At Fatima, Our Blessed Mother confirmed her title when asked her name, answering, “I am the Lady of the Rosary.”

The celebration of this day invites all to mediate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was so singularly associated with the incarnation, passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God. We look to Our Blessed Mother, Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, as a model of Christian virtue, devoted entirely to her Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ.



O Queen of the most holy Rosary, in these times of brazen impiety, show again thy power, with the signs which accompanied thy victories of old, and from the throne where thou art seated, dispensing pardon and grace, in pity watch over the Church of thy Son, and every order of the clergy and laity, suffering in grievous warfare. Hasten, O most powerful destroyer of heresy, hasten the hour of mercy, seeing that the hour of judgment is daily challenged by innumerable offenses. Obtain for me, the lowest of men, kneeling suppliant in thy presence, the grace which may enable me to live a just life on earth, and reign with the just in Heaven, whilst with the faithful throughout the world, O Queen of the most holy Rosary, I salute thee and cry out: Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us!



Year 2: Day 280 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Devotion to Our Mother; Through Mary to Jesus.

Requested Intentions: Healing of a chronic illness (P); Safety of a family during storms (A); Successful home ownership (P); Healing of a marriage (M); Employment for a husband, blessings for a marriage (E); Successful examinations for a daughter, healing of a relationships (V); Blessing for a family (V); Healing of baby girl M and all children suffering (M); Special intentions (R); Business success, peace, health (E); Conversion and deliverance of those who suffer, increase in vocations (M); Financial security and safe housing (M); For a daughter (K); Conversion of a family, deliverance of the souls in Purgatory (S); Successful marriage (A); Health, safety, grace, success of a building project (A); Successful treatment and recovery from cancer (D); Clear speech for a child (C); Conversion of a family (A); Successful employment (S); For the healing of impaired vision (F); For a couple experiencing difficulties (L); Successful employment after finishing college (M); Mother’s health (A); Financial security, freedom from anxiety (S); For a son and cousins (L); Peace and civility (B); 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).