Group seeks to pray 33,000 Rosaries

With war looming on the horizon, the Our Lady of Peace Prayer Group at St. Mary's parish in Ballston Spa is mobilizing its own forces, and the members believe they have an invincible weapon -- prayer.

"Our group meets to pray the Rosary year 'round," said Josie Uhlinger. This Lent, "we decided that if ever there was a time to pray for world peace, it's right now."

The group's effort is called the Rosary Telethon, and members are committed to praying the Rosary for peace throughout Lent.

All invited

"We are asking all Catholics -- families; students in youth ministry, religious education, grade and high school; parents -- to pray the Rosary at least once during Lent, " said Doris Smith, a founding member of the group.

In addition, she said, the group is praying for "protection for our families from weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. What we are doing is asking Our Lady to intercede for world peace."

The group, which numbers between 20 and 25 men and women, meets on a regular basis at the church to recite the Rosary.

"We recite the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and [the new] Luminous mysteries of the Rosary," Mrs. Smith said. "We also pray the accompanying prayers, like the Prayer for All Souls, St. Michael's prayer and the Rosary prayer."

Thousands of Rosaries

The members believe that they can reach a goal of praying 33,000 Rosaries by the end of Lent. Mrs. Smith explained that the group set that goal because "Jesus died at the age of 33, and we thought this was a good offering to Our Blessed Mother. If enough people join us, I'm sure we can make it."

To achieve their goal, the group provides rosary beads at the back of the church for those who want to pray but do not have their own set. "We also have prayer booklets and pamphlets that explain how to pray the Rosary," Mrs. Smith noted.

The group is asking that people call and pledge a recitation of the Rosary, even if it's just a decade a day for world peace.

Papal plea

In praying the Rosary, Mrs. Smith noted that the group is following the request of Pope John Paul II, who declared 2003 as the Year of the Rosary and who recently asked Catholics to pray for peace.

"People can call or come to the church, and we will be happy to supply them with Rosary beads, prayer booklets or help in how to pray the Rosary," she said. "If people are homebound or otherwise unable to get to us, we will be happy to bring or even mail the Rosaries and booklets to them. The Rosary is the weapon [against war] and the answer."

(The group will meet at St. Mary's Church on March 18, April 1, and April 15 at 7 p.m. To pledge a Rosary for world peace, call Mrs. Smith at 882-9226, Mrs. Uhlinger at 885-9620 or Dawn Peters, another group member, at 885-4450.)

OCTOBER EVENT

Rosary rally being planned

A planning committee has begun meeting to prepare for a Rosary Rally on Oct. 5 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany.

Laetitia Rhatigan is coordinator of the planning committee; she is also Albany mission director of Holy Cross Family Ministries, which includes the Family Rosary movement founded by Rev. Patrick Peyton, CSC.

The rally is part of the Albany Diocese's response to Pope John Paul II's declaration of 2003 as the Year of the Rosary. He did so last fall after introducing a new set of mysteries to the prayer. Bishop Howard J. Hubbard welcomed the planning committee at the Diocesan Pastoral Center last week.

Some of the organizations involved in the planning are the Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Ladies of Charity and Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

(3/13/03) [[In-content Ad]]