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October 7
Our Lady of the Rosary
Pope
St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The
purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at
Lepanto—a victory attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the
feast to the universal Church in 1716.
The development of the
rosary has a long history. First, a practice developed of praying 150 Our
Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of
praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus' life was attached to each Hail
Mary. Though Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend,
the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of St. Dominic.
One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the apostle of the
rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th
century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its present form—with
the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the Mysteries of Light to this
devotion.
Comment:
The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our
salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on
Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that
Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join
with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary
was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and
heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the
purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.
The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words
helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We
sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow
in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.
Quote:
“The rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at a heart a Christ-centered prayer. It has all the depth of the gospel messge in its entirety. It is an echo of the prayer of
Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the
redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb...It can be said that
the rosary is, in some sense, a prayer-commentary on the final chapter of
the Vatican II Constitution Lumen Gentium, a
chapter that discusses the wondrous presence of the Mother of God in the
mystery of Christ and the Church" (Pope John Paul II, apostolic letter The
Rosary of the Virgin Mary).
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