Rosary Sunday Recap

Last Sunday, October 1st, was Rosary Sunday here at the Rosary Shrine. Rosary Sunday is held twice a year: on the first Sunday in the month of May (Our Lady's Month) and on the first Sunday in October (month of the rosary). Both Pilgrimages have a similar format; there is a procession with the statue of Our Lady while we pray the Rosary, a sermon by a guest preacher, and Benediction. In May we also have the crowning of Our Lady and in October we have the blessing of roses.

This Rosary Sunday our guest preacher was Fr. Leo Checkai, OP of the St. Joseph Province of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). Fr. Checkai is a Theology Professor at Providence College. Father's sermon was wonderful; he used T.S. Eliot's poem 'Burnt Norton' (No. 1 of 'Four Quartets'), specifically emphasizing the place of disaffection in contrast with the rose garden and how the Rosary helps bring us to the rose garden and away from the place of disaffection. One poignant point he made was the difficulty we'd have in committing to meditating on the birth of Christ for 5 hours in a year. He said if it were him (and most of us!) we'd leave it until the last 5 hours of the year, get three minutes in and promptly be distracted...and there goes the 5 hours! BUT if we pray the rosary daily, and the joyful mysteries twice a week, then we do meditate for 5 hours a year on the birth of Christ, and on each other mystery in the rosary. 

We hope you'll join us for our next Rosary Sunday in May!