Feast of the Holy Rosary - October 7th

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Excerpts shared in this Our Lady of Fatima Chapel email for the Feast of the Holy Rosary [adapted]: 

When the Blessed Virgin appeared at Fatima for six consecutive months, she chose the last apparition in October to reveal herself as "The Lady of the Rosary." The revelation of her glorious title during the October apparition is very significant, in that our Blessed Lady brings special attention to the Church's longstanding tradition of consecrating this month to the Holy Rosary. 

It has, in fact, been known as the Month of the Holy Rosary since 1571. The feast day, originally designated for the First Sunday of October, is presently celebrated on October 7th. For, it was on this day that the Catholic League overcome the Ottoman Empire who were seeking to conquer Italy for Islam and thereby move into the heart of Catholic Europe.

Prior to the ships sailing off towards battle, the Dominican Pope St. Pius V prayed the Rosary, earnestly beseeching the Holy Virgin's intercession, all the while every man on board went to Confession and prayed the Rosary as well.

Victorious in battle, the saintly Papa Ghislieri declared a feast day for Our Lady of Victory. A procession marched through St. Peter’s Square and in time, the whole month became associated with the Holy Rosary. Then in 1884, Pope Leo XIII officially decreed October as the month consecrated to the Holy Rosary.
 
The principle means Almighty God gives us to save our souls are the Church's Sacraments. However, secondarily He gives us sacramentals - which are so beneficial because they can lead us to the Sacraments more often and more fervently. Now, the greatest of all sacramentals is the Holy Rosary.

Ever since the Blessed Virgin gave her Rosary to St. Dominic, it has been zealously preached by the Dominican Order. One great Third Order Dominican, St. Louis Grignon de Montfort, who was especially renown for his ardent love for and fiery sermons on the Rosary, gave to us the following account of the devotion's marvelous origin:

Since the Holy Rosary is composed, principally and in substance, of the Prayer of Christ and the Angelic Salutation, that is, the Our Father and the Hail Mary, it was without doubt the first prayer and the first devotion of the faithful and has been in use all through the centuries from the time of the Apostles and disciples down to the present.

But it was only in the year 1214, however, that Holy Mother Church received the Rosary in its present form and according to the method we use today. It was given to the Church by Saint Dominic who had received it from the Blessed Virgin as a powerful means of converting the Albigensians and other sinners. I will tell you the story of how he received it, which is found in the very well-known book: "De Dignitate Psalterii" by Blessed Alan de la Roche.

Saint Dominic, seeing that the gravity of people’s sins was hindering the conversion of the Albigensians, withdrew into a forest near Toulouse where he prayed unceasingly for three days and three nights. During this time he did nothing but weep and do harsh penances in order to appease the anger of Almighty God. He used his discipline so much that his body was lacerated, and finally he fell into a coma. At this point Our Lady appeared to the saint, accompanied by three angels. She asked him:

“Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?" Saint Dominic answered, “Oh, my Lady, you know far better than I do because next to your Son Jesus Christ you have always been the chief instrument of our salvation.” Then Our Lady replied: “I want you to know that, in this kind of warfare, the battering ram has always been the Angelic Psalter which is the foundation stone of the New Testament. Therefore, if you want to reach these hardened souls and win them over to God, preach my Psalter.”

So he arose comforted, and burning with zeal for the conversion of the people in that district, he made straight for the Cathedral. At once unseen angels rang the bells to gather the people together and Saint Dominic began to preach. At the very beginning of his sermon an appalling storm broke out! The earth shook, the sun was darkened, and there was so much thunder and lightning that all were very much afraid. Even greater was their fear when looking at a picture of Our Lady exposed in a prominent place they saw her raise her arms to heaven three times to call down God’s vengeance upon them if they failed to be converted, to amend their lives, and seek the protection of the Holy Mother of God. God wished, by means of these supernatural phenomena, to spread the new devotion of the Holy Rosary and to make it more widely known.

That Story from Father Grignon was taken from his classic, "The Secret of the Rosary," which is certainly distinguished as one of the greatest works ever written on the devotion. No doubt, it's a book in which many Catholics have had the fortunate grace of having once read. During this month of October, many traditional priests have often encouraged the excellent practice of revisiting this wonderful book; and thereby invite the Holy Ghost to enflame in hearts a renewed insight and love for this treasured devotion. Especially recommended is a refresher on the chapter entitled: "The Forty-First Rose." In this section, the Saint instructs us on how to recite the Rosary well, with the right dispositions; while stressing the great importance of praying the Rosary from our hearts; a method which makes our prayers all the more efficacious and pleasing to our Blessed Lady.