The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7th this year. In keeping with the spirit of this special day, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School has some creative suggestions for helping you celebrate as a family. Historically embedded in our Catholic history, this feast was originally named “Our Lady of Victory” after a 16th century battle that ended the attempted Turkish invasion of Europe. It’s said that the nation-wide Rosary prayers offered to the Virgin Mary for intercession in the war resulted in Europe’s victory. It was later changed to “The Feast of the Holy Rosary” by Pope Gregory XIII. The date has varied only slightly over the centuries, but always occurs in October.
Praying the Rosary
As practicing Catholics, we know the importance of praying the Rosary daily. Between work, getting the kids to school, homework, after-school activities, cooking, cleaning, etc. finding the time to pray as a family can be challenging. Praying the Rosary as family may seem even more impossible to schedule. We all struggle to find the time to be prayerful, to thank God for all he has blessed us with, and to adore the Virgin Mother. It’s not as difficult as you may think.
Meals
To celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, create a menu tailored to honoring Mary. Kids love to be creative with decorating cakes or cupcakes. Bake a Bundt cake (crown-shaped), and let them decorate with blue and white icing, symbolic of Mary. Decorate cupcakes, and arrange them to form a decade of the Rosary. Incorporate the herb rosemary, often associated with the Blessed Mother, into a recipe for the main meal. When saying your meal blessing, add the Hail Mary after.
After Dinner
If your family eats dinner at the same time every night, consider scheduling family prayer-time immediately after dinner. The whole family is gathered together; you can pray the Rosary even while cleaning up. Or take an after dinner walk each day with the family. Pray the Rosary as you walk about the neighborhood. If family prayer time is always scheduled for bedtime, it’s easy to factor in additional time to pray the Holy Rosary. There are no rules for when to pray.
In the Car
Whether on the way to or from our Orlando Catholic school, being in the car provides a great opportunity to recite the Rosary. There are even podcasts and CDs available to help keep track. (Yes, there’s also an app for this.) Visit your app store to download The Catholic Rosary. Remember, you can pray just one decade or all five as time permits.
Charitable Acts
Every Saturday is set aside in the Church for devotion to the Virgin Mary. Volunteer for a favorite charity as a family or offer your services to a specific individual in need. Let each family member designate a special intention for the Holy Rosary on that day.
With a little creativity and planning you will find the time to honor Our Lady of the Rosary as a family throughout the month of October. Praying the Rosary daily was requested by Our Lady of Fatima. Start this October by celebrating Our Lady of the Rosary as a family.
Our Orlando Catholic school, located in the Catholic Diocese of Orlando, is committed to proclaiming the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ. We believe in teaching the whole child and want students to love learning, helping them grow into well-rounded, contributing members of society. Learn more about us by contacting us here.
