The meaning of the celebration
+ This celebration—originally dedicated to Mary under her title Our Lady of Victories—was introduced by the Dominican Pope Saint Pius V to commemorate the victory of the Christian fleet against the Turkish navy at the Battle of Lepanto in 1572.
+ In 1573, Pope Gregory XIII changed the title of the celebration to “Our Lady of the Rosary.” It has been celebrated by the Universal Church since 1716.
+ The texts of Mass for this feast highlight Mary’s contemplative spirit as she “held within her heart” the mysteries of the life of Jesus and her own union with God.
For prayer and reflection
“When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.”—Galatians 4:4-5
Spiritual bonus
October 7 we also remember the Blessed Ángel Cuartas Cristóbal. A seminarian for the archdiocese of Oviedo, Spain, he was martyred during the anti-Catholic violence of the Spanish Civil War on October 7, 1934. He was beatified in 2019.
Prayer
Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal)
Saint profiles prepared by Fr. Silas Henderson, S.D.S
And today we celebrate...