7 October 2011: Our Lady of the Rosary

This Marian feast originated from the victory at Lepanto (1571) of the combined Christian fleet over the forces of the Turks, thus arresting the Turkish occupation of Europe. This favor was attributed by Pope St Pius V to recitation of the Holy Rosary. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1663)

The Holy Rosary: Participation in Mary’s Meditations
The Annunciation revealed that the time has come for accomplishing the promises in the “Book of Genesis”. The mystery of the Redemption is about to be accomplished.
The message greets “the woman”, Mary of Nazareth. It greets her in consideration of the “stock” which she must receive from God himself: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. ... You shall conceive and bear a son and give him the Name Jesus.”
Really ‘decisive words’. The angel’s greeting to Mary constitutes the beginning of God’s greatest works in the story of man and the world. This greeting opens up near prospects of redemption. ... The archangel’s words put her before an inscrutable divine mystery. Moreover, they involved her in the orbit of that mystery.
This needs to be meditated on again and again; and ever more deeply. It has the power of filling not only life but also eternity. The angel’s greeting is dear to all of us. Let us, therefore, try to participate in Mary’s meditations. Let us try to do so above all when we recite the Rosary.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p352

‘La Naval de Manila’
In 1646, the Dutch fleet was sailing across the China Sea, bent on capturing Manila. Two Spanish galleons to defend the city were both on dry dock. One had a hole on its side, below the waterline, as big as a church door.
The admiral of the fleet stood on the steps of ‘Santo Domingo’ Church in Intramuros and presented the problem to the people on Sunday morning. He pleaded passionately for help. No one was repairing the galleons because the sailors and workmen had not been paid for six months.
The effect was magnificent! The sailors and workmen went back to the galleons, knowing that they would not be paid. The merchants gave all the needed materials, free. The women cooked for the workers. The men labored day and night, while the citizens of the city carried the statue of the Virgin through the streets begging Mary to help them.
The men got the galleons into the sea. Against all odds, they defeated the Dutch. Then they held a procession through the streets, laughing and crying, convinced it was a miracle. The galleon ‘Rosario’ did the most to defeat the Dutch. The other vessel was the ‘Encarnacion’ which carried the image of ‘Our Lady of Antipolo’ to Acapulco and back to Manila.
Ref: James B Reuter, SJ, “At 3:00 A.M.”, 1986, pp246-7

The origin of the Rosary
The year 1208 was a time of great trouble especially in southern France, where the Albigensian heresy spread death and desolation. After many vain attempts to extinguish it, St Dominic was sent to the country of heretics. The saint put all his trust in our Lady’s protection, invoking her day and night in unceasing prayers and harsh penances.
His prayers were heard. She appeared to him [on 1214 in Toulouse, France (St Louis de Montfort, “The Secret of the Rosary”, 1954, p18)] and taught him the devotion now called the Rosary, promising great and lasting results from its preaching.
More than 100,000 heretics abjured their errors. The conversion of an immense number of notorious sinners testified to the power of this method of prayer which eventually the whole Church adopted. The Sovereign Pontiffs enriched it with many indulgences and proclaimed October 7th for its celebration. The feast is well-fitted:
First, to strengthen and support the Church in proportion to dangers which threaten it; second, to make us feel the truth of: ‘God wishes that we should have everything through Mary’ (St Bernard); and third, to increase our confidence in Our Lady and our devotion to the Rosary.
The Rosary comes to us directly from the hand of the Mother of God. It is composed of the fifteen decades of the ‘Ave, Maria’ (‘Hail, Mary’), like the one-hundred and fifty psalms of the Canonical Office.
Each decade is prefaced by a ‘Pater Noster’ (‘Our Father’) and a consideration of a mystery in our Lord’s life. The whole fifteen decades remind us of our duty to Him; of everything needed for the highest perfection.
Are we fully convinced of the beauty and excellence of this devotion, at least a third of which we pray daily? Meditation on the mysteries bring the most benefits.
Many complain that it is most difficult to pray the Rosary with devotion, ie, without continual distractions.
A reason is the constant repetition, although the two prayers which compose it are the best in the world. Probably, because there is nothing to fix the eye and arrest the attention.
To overcome this difficulty, bring the subject of each mystery before us as vividly as we can, and keep our mind’s eye fixed on it during the whole decade. Thus, even should our attention wander from the words or their meaning, it will at least rest upon the adorable Person of our Lord which, by doing so, is prayer.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp629-31

Meditations on the Litany of Loreto
‘Mother undefiled’ -- Mary was that spotless woman who always appeared beautiful in the eyes of God: “Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee.” (Cant 4:7) Hence, as she is called by St Ephrem, ‘Hail, peacemaker of the whole world!’
Thus, Mary being destined of peace between God and men, our Lord preserved her from every stain.
My Immaculate Queen, fair dove, and the beloved of God, disdain not to cast your eyes on the many stains and wounds of my soul: see me, and pity me. God, who loves you so much, denies you nothing; and you know not how to refuse those who have recourse to you. O Mary, to thee I have recourse; pity me.
‘Mother inviolate, pray for us.’
Ref: “The Glories of Mary.” In “Documentation Service”, V:320

• Festival of the Rosary, instituted by Pope Gregory XIII in the year 1573, in consequence of the celebrated victory of Lepanto, gained by the Christians over the Turks. — Joseph Stephan., Tract, de Indulg, Rosarii. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Feast of the Rosary, instituted by Pope Gregory XIII (1573). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html)
• Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (celebrated universally; instituted by Pope Pius V) 1571. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://www/mariedenazareth.com)
• Our Lady of the Rosary – Queen of Guatemala. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Victory / Our Lady of the Rosary / Feast of the Most Holy Rosary. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
On October 7, 1571, Western Christian navies, under Admiral Don John of Austria, wiped out a huge Ottoman naval invasion force in the Battle of Lepanto, near Greece. Christian forces were carrying a replica of the Guadalupe painting, and praying the Rosary. Thousands of Christian galley slaves were freed from the Turks. The battle was one of the most important in the West's struggle to resist Islamic imperialism, and the first major Turkish naval defeat.
Volunteers from all over the West had joined to repel the catastrophic threat of invasion. Pope Pius V declared October 7 as feast day of Our Lady of Victory. In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the feast to "Our Lady of the Rosary" authorizing celebration in churches with an altar dedicated to the Rosary. The feast was extended to all of Spain in 1671 by Pope Clement X.
On August 6, 1716, Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated a much larger invading Ottoman army at Peterwardein, Hungary. The victory set the stage for reconquest of Hungary from the Turks. In gratitude, Pope Clement XI ordered that the Feast of the Rosary be celebrated world-wide. Popes Benedict XIII and Leo XIII further elevated the feast to "double, 2nd class". (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Chiquinquira – Queen of Colombia. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• "Remember Lepanto!"-- article by Robert McMullen. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)