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 11: the Venerable Martyr William Carter

Posted by Jacob

Today marks the feast day and anniversary of the death of the Venerable William Carter (1548-1584). Born in London, William was persecuted for treason against the Queen for his Catholic beliefs, was found guilty, and hanged, drawn, and quartered at the infamous Tyburn gallows.


A printer’s apprentice, and eventually the master of his own printing shop, William continued to print and reprint Catholic literature, despite the prohibition to do so at that time. He was eventually arrested for printing “lewd” pamphlets (i.e., Catholic pamphlets), and being in possession of books on the subject. Among the Catholic books printed, William produced over 1000 copies of Dr. Gregory Martin’s “A Treaty on Schism,” which contained one paragraph claiming the eventual victory of Catholicism, and which allegedly incited Catholics to violence and potential overthrow of the reigning queen, Elizabeth I.


Through multiple arrests, torture, the death of his family, and near-constant suffering, William Carter refused to renounce his faith or deny his beliefs. He is said to have calmly placed his trust in the Lord, even on the gallows where he made his final confession to a priest being executed beside him.

Are we so sure of our faith? Are we willing to suffer for our beliefs—whether it be mockery, discomfort, or making tough decisions? What are we willing to sacrifice for our faith, our Lord? We look to the Venerable martyr William Carter for inspiration, to never lose faith, to stand boldly, and place our confidence in the Lord. Today we pray for those whose confidence has been shaken. I also will continue my Novena to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Lastly, requested intentions today include those who are preparing for surgery.



Day 11 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Those whose confidence in the Lord has been shaken
Requested Intentions: Those preparing for surgery (L)
Special Intentions: Those trying to conceive or adopt; Those who are pregnant or expecting children; New parents; Those who have experienced miscarriage or pregnancy complications

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