Pray the rosary

By Mike Giudici
Catholic Health Care Today

In 1917, World War I was at an impasse. Both sides were literally “entrenched.” When either army left the trenches to advance, they suffered heavy casualties. There was no end in sight. Our Lady appeared at Fatima, Portugal on May 13, 1917 and instructed the three children, “Pray the rosary every day in order to obtain peace for the world.” As you probably know, Our Lady returned each month and the crowds grew to more than 100,000 people praying the rosary. The war ended less than a year afterwards.

Our Lady appeared to Bernadette Soubirous on Feb. 11, 1858 near Lourdes, France. The first thing they did was pray the rosary together. Whether in Fatima or Lourdes, Our Mother asks us to pray. If your Mother asks you to do something, do it!

Fast forward to 2020 when protestors were tearing down religious statues. Word got out that the statue of Junipero Serra was in danger in Mission Santa Inés, California. A group of men, including Bishop Robert Barron, surrounded the statue and prayed the rosary as the protestors approached. The protestors turned around and left.

When we are inducted into the Knights of Columbus, we receive a rosary with the instructions, “Carry it always, and pray it often.” A Knight needs a weapon to fight evil and there is none better!

I’m a “snowbird.” I am now working part-time so I winter in Florida to keep bicycling throughout the year. At the parish in Sarasota where I attend daily Mass, we have a small group that meets before Mass and prays the rosary. Sometimes the priest who presides at Mass will join us, which I find very special. We’ve gotten to know each other quite well and the “Rosarians” will socialize not infrequently. Are you lonely? Looking for new friends? Come to church and pray the rosary!

One morning, we had a visiting priest from Chicago presiding at Mass. The day prior, there had been a school shooting and the priest said during the homily, “we need to do something,” implying some congressional action on the matter. I found that an odd thing for a priest to say. Governments aren’t going to stop violence and evil but praying the rosary certainly can.

I’m a physician but I can’t compete with the rosary when it comes to cures! Go to YouTube and look up “Tammy Peterson and the Rosary.” This woman had an incurable cancer and began praying the rosary every day with a friend. Guess what? No more incurable cancer!

If you’re like me and went to school in the ’60s and ’70s, you may not be well-catechized. I wasn’t. I didn’t learn how to properly pray a rosary until I was in my 50s. Learn the mysteries. There is a wonderful book called “The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort” that goes into wonderful detail about the 50 “roses.” You’ll enjoy it!

There are many graces promised to those who pray the rosary — too many to list here!

Remember how we were taught to pray one Hail Mary when we heard a siren? Keep doing that! While you’re on YouTube looking up Tammy Peterson, also check out “The power of one Hail Mary.” God Bless you!

(Dr. Michael C. Giudici is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Iowa and a graduate of St. Paul the Apostle Grade School and Assumption High School in Davenport.)