The Knights of Columbus places a special importance on honoring the Blessed Mother. Every man who joins a K of C council receives a rosary and is encouraged to seek Mary’s intercession by praying it regularly. In addition, many councils promote devotion to the rosary in their families and parishes by scheduling rosary prayer services.
Pope Francis launched a rosary marathon at the beginning of May, encouraging the faithful around the world to pray daily for an end to the pandemic. And there is no better time to honor the Blessed Mother.
Here are five additional reasons to pray the rosary:
1) Mary can help us to better know her son, Jesus Christ.
When the angel appeared to Mary and told her that she would conceive and bring forth the Son of God, she answered, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Her “fiat” — her yes to following God’s will — was an indispensable moment in the story of the salvation of the world.
Mary was present throughout Jesus’ life, even at his crucifixion. By praying the rosary, we can contemplate how we to serve God by following her example.
2) Those who pray the rosary are promised graces and indulgences.
Alanus de Rupe, a 15th-century Dominican friar, was visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave 15 promises to Christians who prayed the rosary. These include the assurance of receiving the sacraments at the time of death, never being conquered by misfortune, and her own special protection.
Additionally, those who pray the rosary often receive plenary indulgences — the remission of temporal punishment due to sin. During the Year of St. Joseph, Pope Francis announced ways to gain an indulgence, several which in involve praying the rosary: reciting of the rosary in families and among engaged couples.
3) It brings victory in battle.
The rosary is a powerful weapon — amid both spiritual warfare and worldly battles.
In 1571, Pope Pius V organized a group of Christian forces, known as the Holy League, in defense of an imminent invasion by the Ottoman Empire. Before a battle with the Ottoman fleet in the Gulf of Patras, in the Ionian Sea, the pope called on all of Europe to pray the rosary for victory. These prayers were answered, with the Holy League defeating the much larger Ottoman forces on Oct. 7 at the Battle of Lepanto.
To commemorate the victory, Pius V established the feast day of “Our Lady of Lepanto” –– also known as Our Lady of Victory or Our Lady of the Rosary.
As for spiritual battles, nothing prepares you to persevere against temptations like the rosary. This subject is explored in the Knights of Columbus “Into the Breach” series, which you can watch here.
4) It’s an opportunity to reflect on the Gospel mysteries.
When praying the rosary, we are invited to reflect on the joyful, sorrowful, glorious and luminous mysteries revealed in the Gospels.
By reflecting on these stories from the Gospels, we not only increase our understanding of the life and ministry of Jesus, but we can also discover how God is calling us to live our own lives. As Pope John Paul II states in his apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Marie (2002), the rosary is a “compendium of the Gospel” and has “all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety.”
5) It’s the perfect way to make time for God.
Pope John Paul II also stated in Rosarium Virginis Marie that the rosary is a “sweet chain linking us to God” because it gives the faithful time to “contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love.”
But it is also the First Commandment that we must love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind. And Jesus reiterates the vital importance of this commandment in the Gospels when asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
By praying the rosary, we can put God at the forefront of our lives, while also allowing God to speak with us, as Pope John Paul II affirms in Rosarium Virginis Marie.
So, take the time to rediscover the beauty of the rosary today. To learn how to pray it, click here.
Share your story of how your council is helping strengthen people’s faith. Email andrew.fowler@kofc.org
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