LATE NEWS - YEAR 2002
In October 16th, His Holiness
The Pope John Paul II when celebrating the 24th
anniversary of Pontificate,
proclaimed through the Apostolic Letter"Rosarium
Virginis Mariae" the Year of the Rosary:
from October 2002 to October 2003, and added the "Luminous Mysteries",
to the Rosary.
Sister Lucia, the only seer alive of the Apparition of OUR LADY in Fatima, in the book "Fatima's Message's Appeals", dedicates many pages to the appeal of BLESSED VIRGIN: "Pray the Rosary every day". This recommendation our BLESSED MOTHER repeated for humanity in all Apparitions, to pray the Rosary and to worry with work not only.
This fact may take us to conjecture: Which the reason would have been for OUR LADY to order us the Rosary every day, so insistently, and haven't asked us to attend the Holy Mass every day?
Reminding we can’t place in comparison the Holy Mass's value, because is the most complete Prayer, the memorial of Life, Passion, Death and Glorious Resurrection of OUR LORD JESUS, the answer simple and comprehensible: She invites us to pray daily the Rosary, because it can to be prayed everywhere and in every moment. If the LORD asked us, through OUR LADY, to attend every day the Holy Mass, many people would allege reasons to justify absence saying that it would not be possible for them to do it. The Rosary is accessible to everyone: poor, rich, wise, ignorant ones, men or women, old or young. All the people can pray the Rosary at the Church before the Holy Sacrament, at home, in family or alone, in the room, at the work, while traveling, and even in the streets. The time doesn't matter either, one may pray in the morning, afternoon, or night. For this reason, everybody, with no exception, is invited to pray the Rosary or Chaplet, including those people that have the possibility of attending the Holy Mass daily; they also, should not neglect of praying the Rosary. However, it is necessary to understand, to pray the Rosary at another time, out of the time in which's attending at Holy Mass.
The meditation
of the Rosary's Mysteries takes us closer to GOD, and closer to our
BLESSED MOTHER, bringing confidence
and tranquility to our spirit, reanimating our disposition and stimulating
our fidelity.
For the people saying
that Rosary is an antiquated and a monotonous prayer due the repetitive
prayers, it would be good to remind them that in the life everything happens
in a repetitive way. GOD wanted it like this! Living, we breathe the air into
our lungs always of the same way, for out and to within; our heart beats non-stop
in the same rhythm; the sun, the stars, and all the planets follow your paths for
centuries; the day comes after night, one year after other year, of the same way
the plants bloom and give us fruit in spring; so, everything in life obeys a certain
rhythm, working in perfect harmony according to the GOD'S Wish!
However, never anybody it dared to say that's monotonous! And really is not,
because all is part of the Divine Work.
Then, in the spiritual life is the same thing, we have need to repeat the same
prayers, the same acts of faith, of hope and charity, to give satisfactions to our
own spirit, because our existence is a continuous participation in GOD'S Life.
Praying and asking all the time doesn't mean that we do not trust in GOD'S goodwill,
nor that we need of to remind HIM for not to forget our requests. No! It's not so!
The fact of the faithful to repeat the prayer and make supplicates is a gesture of
humility, and of trust in the LORD. It's to be sure that GOD is so good, that in
spite of our many sins, HE accepts that insignificant sacrifice of repeating prayers,
as if it were a huge and eloquent demonstration of our love.
So, those people who pray the Rosary every day, are like kind sons that give
some of your time to visit the FATHER, to make HIM some company, show HIM
some gratitude for everything HE gives us. Per other side, the time we place HIS
disposition is also for benefit our. In that moment we received from the LORD
the inspiration and stimulate for our projects and ideals of the life.
Somebody could ask: but how this is possible if we don't see GOD? We don't see the
CREATOR with our carnal eyes, but we may always listen to HIM, and see HIM
with the ears and eyes of the soul. This way, always that we pray, we must ask to
GOD the blessing Divine, because
"the GOD'S Benediction"
will guard our live and will fill our spirit with grace and virtues, so that with dignity
we may accomplish the mission that HE HIMSELF confided us. This why, in those
wonderful minutes of prayer, the precious exchange of love happens, bringing together
the creature at the CREATOR, promoting the union of the son with the ETERNAL
FATHER, and of the FATHER with all HIS sons. And in that moment of prayer,
the LORD always full of goodwill, HE spill HIS infinite love into the hearts of
those who seek with trust HIS paternal and precious protection.
BENEFITS
To pray the Rosary
is a practice that only brings advantages, although it is mostly
constituted of a union of simple prayers that are repeated
almost mechanically. In fact it has in its simplicity an extraordinary power
that was demonstrated in an impressive way throughout the centuries, scaring
away Satan in a direct and admirable way. Many facts have happened which
may testify the true value of the Rosary, as a preponderant aid to defeat
the evil powers, besides being an efficient instrument to enter in the
LORD’S HEART, achieving wisdom to accomplish the life objectives,
a vigorous protection against catastrophes, and a precious stimulus for
solving the day-in-day difficulties. Many are the indulgences granted
by the Church for the people that pray the Rosary daily:
1) Five years of indulgence is granted at each recitation of the Rosary, or Ten years, case of prayer in a group of people.
2) The Plenary Indulgence is granted, on the last Sunday of each month, for those in group have recited the Rosary three times, in any of the precedent weeks, and also, which have confessed or they are in "State of Grace or in Divine Grace", have received the Eucharist and have visited a Church or Oratory of His Holiness The Pope. There they will need to pray one OUR FATHER, one HAIL MARY, and one GLORY, in the intentions of the Pope, in the same requested day.
3) On October, a seven-year indulgence is granted, each day, for each recitation of the Rosary.
4) Confessing or being in "State of Grace or in Divine Grace", receiving the sacred communion and visiting a Church, or Public Oratory, reciting for the Pope the prayers above mentioned, will receive Plenary Indulgence; if to pray the Rosary in the Celebration of the Feast of the Rosary (October 7th), or also to pray in one day during the eight (8) days of Celebration, that is, (in a date, up to the 8th day after the celebration), also will receive the Indulgence.
5) To recite with devotion the Rosary before the Most Holy Sacrament exposed at the public, or even inside the closed Tabernacle of a Church, is granted a Plenary Indulgence, in each time prayed.
This way stays evident that the devotion at the Holy Rosary is a praiseworthy providence, and of unquestionable value, which only benefits the faithful one.
ROSARY ORIGIN - HISTORY
Along the generations,
in many countries, there have always been people that 
if have worried in
cultivating the religiosity with care pious and of a more intense way. And to having
a control on the quantity of prayers that they recited they adopted to mark them making
use of some device: counting in the fingers, using small bones, short pieces of wood or
pebble (round stones very small), in order to have a certain control of the sequence
of their prayers. This practice is confirmed by history, for was very much used by the
Christians, many monks, and desert's hermits, in the beginning of the Christianity. In
the Occident this habit was also cultivated by merciful people, and soon it acquired a
strong increment by the end of the X century, when the faithful ones have prayed
"Holy Father" in a row many times, as gesture of humility and begging for forgiveness for
their sins and also, they have adopted the same way to forgive the people which sinned
against them. With the idea of favoring and publicizing such mercy acts, chains were made
to facilitate the counting of the prayers. These chains were divided and were have grouped
in ten ring each, with a separation of a ring thicker
(called "Paternoster") in order
to facilitate the counting. Together with this devotion, the cult to OUR LADY grew. Since
the accomplishment of the Council of Ephesus, was common the Christians to speak phrases
placing evangelical words, to greet the VIRGIN MOTHER. In the Council of Ephesus,
year 431, the special prerogatives of MARY given by the CREATOR, they were recognized
and exalted for all participants, and went decreed of GOD'S MOTHER'S Divine's Maternity Dogma's.
In the closing of the Council, after the admirable words that were spoken by the Council Priests,
which highlighted the virtues and prerogatives of VIRGIN MARY, His Holiness the Pope Celestine
taken by great devotion and with tears in the eyes, he knelt before the assembly and respectfully
greeted OUR LADY:"Holy MARY, MOTHER
OF GOD, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen". In the following years, this greeting was put together with of
Archangel Gabriel that said to MARY, according to the Gospel of Jesus written by
(Luke 1. 26-38): "Hail MARY, full
of grace, the Lord is with Thee, Blessed art thou among women"! Also another greeting was joined, done by Elisabeth to
MARY, when SHE went to Ain Karin to help her in the last six months of pregnancy.
Elisabeth was advanced in years and needed of a company. Elizabeth thanked saying:
"Blessed art among women and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb." (Luke 1.42)
These three greetings gave origin to HAIL MARY.
The first effective manifestation
about the Rosary happened in the XIII century. In the
year 1204, the Priest
Dominic Guzman, founder of the Dominican Order, known as the Order of Preachers, was
concerned with the few fruits that his missionaries got, in spite of the exhaustive and persevering
preaching. The heresy of Albigens infested the south of France, and spread in all regions with
great publicity. OUR LADY always generous appeared at the Priest Dominic and taught him how
to pray the Rosary, as an efficient way to combat the heresy, and to convert people's heart.
Priest Dominic and his missionaries have received well the Divine orientation and have recited
daily the Rosary of OUR LADY with great enthusiasm. The admirable results in the combat
against the heresy soon have appeared with the conversion of thousands of people, which
have accepted the Church's teaching..
Circa in 1570,
century XVI, the Ottomans had an outstanding military power. They took over
the Saint Sepulcher’s control in Jerusalem, and didn't allow Christians to visit it.
The Pope Pie V stayed displeased and worried about it and set up one Crusade,
whose command was given to Dom John of Austria, which was brother of Carlos V,
King of Spain and Emperor of the Sacred Roman Empire.
The famous Naval Battle in the Gulf of Lepanto happened in October, 7th, 1571.
The Turkish navy was with number in double of the military power of the Crusaders,
it attacked to destroy the Christians in a ferocious and savage way. The Commanders
of the Crusaders seeing the eminent danger have knelt and have begged
OUR LADY'S intercession. LORD'S Spirit by the intercession of OUR HOLY
MOTHER inspired them to pray the Rosary as the only way of to fight against
the enemy. They did so. Miraculously the Christians have won the battle of way
surprising and with great success have defeated the heretics. In homage, the
Pope Pie V instituted the Celebration of OUR LADY OF VICTORIES.
Two years later, the Pope Gregory XIII, remembering that the victory of
Lepanto was more one victory of the Rosary, changed the name for
Celebration of OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY.
Nowadays with the inclusion of the Luminous Mysteries, the Rosary is constituted of Four Group of Mysteries: one group of Joyful Mysteries, group of Sorrowful Mysteries, group of Glorious Mysteries, and group of Luminous Mysteries, that's to say, the Rosary consists of four Chaplet. Each Chaplet or group of one Mysteries has five parts of these Mystery, five set of ten Hail Mary and others prayers. Being so, the Chaplet corresponds to one quarter of the Rosary. Each Chaplet consists of 50 "HAIL MARY" , intercalated by five "OUR FATHER" and the prayers that are said in the beginning and end of each ten HAIL MARY. The devotion at the Chaplet and at the Rosary always went favored by the Roman Pontiffs, deserving special distinction the Pope Leon XIII, which determined to all parishes in the world, on the October month, it must to be dedicated to recitation of the Rosary specially. His Holiness highlighting the qualities of the Rosary, he spoke:"It's not merely a vocal prayer, but a repetition of prayers that brings an atmosphere of contemplation, allowing the meditation of the great mysteries of our faith, each time that we pray the ten Hail Mary of the Rosary".
IMPORTANCE OF THE ROSARY
The Church, through the voice of its Shepherds, it attributes its greatest triumphs against the devil forces, at the merciful recitation of the Rosary of OUR LADY. For this natural reason, the gratitude of the Christendom is expressed by voice of the Pontiffs: the Pope Urban IV said: "Through the Rosary, every day a rain of blessings comes down from Heaven over the Christians". The Pope Sixty IV spoke: "The Rosary is the opportune prayer to honor GOD, and the VIRGIN MARY, as well as to keep very far away the dangers of the world".The Pope Pie V said: "Spreading this devotion among the Christians, will propitiate them to meditation of the mysteries inflamed by these prayers, and then, they'll become better men and faithful men, while the darkness of the heresy will vanish and will spread the light of the Catholic faith". The Pope Leon XIII spoke: "When we recite the Rosary well, we feel in our soul a soft unction, as if we heard the celestial MOTHER'S own voice, teaching us of lovely way the Divine Mysteries and indicating us the road to salvation".The Pope John Paul II has spoken: “With the Rosary, the Christian people attend MARY'S school and they leave themselves to introduce in the contemplation of the beauty of CHRIST'S face and they experiment the depth of HIS love.".The Pope John Paul II still spoke: "The Rosary is the summary of the Bible, in the Mysteries are present many biblical passages: the Mysteries of Happiness (or Joyful - from the Angel's Announcement up to the encounter of the Boy JESUS in the Temple); the Mysteries of Light(or Luminous - from JESUS' Baptism up to the institution of the Eucharistic Sacrament); the Mysteries of Pain (or Sorrowful - from JESUS' Agony in the garden up to HIS Crucifixion), and the Mysteries of Glory (or Glorious - from JESUS' Resurrection up to OUR LADY'S Coronation in Heaven)".
THE END
