This past August, Bishop Caggiano issued a special decree designating every first weekend of October, “Rosary Weekend.” October is traditionally the month of the rosary, with October 7 being the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Per the Bishop’s special directive, we will join all the other parishes in the Diocese in celebrating what’s called a “votive Mass.” A “votive Mass” is one for which an alternative liturgical focus is chosen than that which would normally be celebrated, one that emphasizes a particular mystery of our faith, such as the Sacred Heart, or a particular saint, such as the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under normal circumstances, we would be celebrating this weekend the liturgy of the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, with the priest wearing green vestments. Instead, we will celebrate the votive Mass of Our Lady of the Rosary, and the priest will wear white. After Communion, we will recite together a prayer of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which will be provided to the faithful upon entering the church.
Bishop Caggiano often speaks about the importance of having a devotion to Mary and the role of the rosary in cultivating such a devotion. The rosary, he explains, helps us “to meditate on the mysteries of Our Lord’s life through the prism of Our Lady. For [her life] was only about her Son, not about herself.” By designating this weekend as one devoted to Our Lady of the Rosary, he says, “I’m really inviting you to come and share the possibility of a deeper relationship with the Lord through the use of this simple and powerful prayer.” In this time of year, when we have all settled into our normal routines and schedules, by including this powerful prayer into the rhythm of life “Our Lady will guide us each day, if we allow her, to a deeper awareness, love, and commitment to her Son, Jesus.”
Because our parish will not be outdone in devotion to Our Lady, in addition to the celebration of the votive Mass this weekend, we will also express our love for the Blessed Mother with a living rosary on Sunday evening (10/4) at 5:30pm. A living rosary is one in which a large group of people gather to pray the devotion together, with each prayer led by a different person. The leader recites the first half of the prayer while the rest of the group responds together with the prayer’s second half. After praying the rosary, we will have the opportunity to socialize over pizza, generously provided by Riko’s Pizza. Weather permitting, the living rosary will take place in the Marian garden, next to the parish office. In case of rain, we will gather in McDermott Hall. In any case, it will be a wonderful opportunity to gather together and share our love for Mary. And pizza.
posted 10/3/26
