Summary  and Invitation to Prayer

True devotion to Mary and the rosary

My last letter described what eight popes and many modern saints have claimed to be the greatest single book ever written on Marian devotion by St Louis de Montfort.  In “True Devotion to Mary”, St Louis describes the shortest, most secure, and most perfect way to salvation by asking Mary to be our mother and guide us faithfully to her son Jesus.  Among the many beautiful devotions he recommends, the most prominent is the habit of Praying the Rosary.

Fatima message and the Rosary

I reminded you about the message of Fatima given to us by Our Lady in 1917.  In that visitation Mary  told us that world peace had been placed in her hands, but men must ask for it by Praying the Rosary.   This message was emphasized by Pope St John Paul II in the 1990’s when he Recited the Rosary at Fatima and told us that Mary’s message was even more important in 1990 than in 1917.  Can you imagine what he might say today only 30 years later, with Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and now Belarus threating nuclear war; the family and the Catholic Church under attack;  sacrileges openly committed at abortion clinics, and even in our ball parks by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The Archbishops prophesy

I wrote a letter about the visit of the Archbishop of Baltimore, the Knights Supreme Chaplin, to St Mary’s in Annapolis, when he brought the Holy Eucharist right to the front door of the Annapolis abortion clinic.  He promised us at that time that the Right-To-Life Rosaries, recited by Catholics, seven days a week in front of the clinics in Annapolis and in every major city across the U.S. would be answered.  Roe v Wade would be overturned he told us, and the U.S. constitution would be amended to protect life from the moment of conception to natural death.  His prophecy has already been partially fulfilled and we look forward with Faith and Hope to the constitutional amendment.

Personal witness of the power of the Rosary 

I gave personal witness to the power of the rosary in my encounters with two women at the Annapolis Hospital when as a Eucharist Minister I visited them to bring Holy Communion.  They were dying, in despair and had sadly lost the ability to eat the Bread of Life.  Their memories were fogged, they could no longer remember how to pray, and the look of fear and death was on their face.  Nothing would relieve their pain; and then I gave them a pair of Ranger Rosaries.  They immediately recognized the gift and grasped the beads tightly as I prayed the Hail Mary and the Memorare for them.  You could see the reflection of God in their eyes as Mary visited bringing peace and the grace of final perseverance.   The Ranger Rosary has become an important part of the Hospital Ministry in the military town of Annapolis, and we give out over 300 pairs a month to Catholics who come for healing.  All forty of the Eucharistic ministers I work with, have the same story to tell of the dying and the power of the rosary.

Planting a seed in Old Forge

The Ranger Rosaries are hand-made at St Mary’s in Annapolis for U.S. service men and over 1.5 million pairs have been made and delivered.  They have been in fox holes all over the world and at the Naval academy graduation all Catholic midshipmen are given a pair to take on board ships of the U.S. Navy.   Last year I got permission to hand out Ranger Rosaries to the Knights in Old Forge - to plant a seed in the North Country. 

Invitation to prayer 

This summer Father Tom, as Monsignor Murphy did before him, has invited the Knights in Old Forge to Pray the Rosary together on Tuesday mornings before mass at 7:30AM in St Barts Church.  A more powerful response to Our Lady’s message of Fatima could not be made than for Catholic men, Knights, respected leaders, and elders of our community to lead a weekly Rosary Recitation in the presence of the Holy Eucharist and to attend Mass for peace in the world, the Catholic Church, our country, our children, families, friends, and enemies.   We will also say the Rosary over Zoom every Wed at 7:30PM(Check Rosary Page)

“I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24)