Pray for Peace In Our World

By TOM DENNEHY

Many times throughout the history of the world, people have been impelled to pray with great fervour for the cessation of wars and for a just and lasting peace. Surely the present is such a time, when conflicts are raging and the images we see on our screens everyday are more horrific than ever before imagined.

Our Mother, Mary, is the Queen of Peace, so what does she commend to us? She has left us in no doubt it is to pray the rosary. When she appeared to Bernadette in Lourdes in 1858 and to Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta at Fatima in 1917, she was herself carrying a rosary beads and it was at the very moment when the Portuguese children were saying the rosary that she first appeared to them. On a subsequent occasion they asked her who she was and she told them, “I am the Lady of the Rosary.” She told them, “I want a chapel to be built here in my honour. The rosary must be prayed every day.” In every one of the six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she stressed the praying of the rosary, and in five out of the six, she asked for daily recitation. “Pray the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world”. In July of that year, Our Lady gave the children an extra prayer to be said after every decade, ”Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.”

The praying of the rosary has proved effective so many times since St. Dominic was inspired to preach it in the thirteenth century. It was particularly effective in saving the world from impending disaster. A notable example is the victory at Lepanto in 1571. Invading forces were about to overrun Europe and the outlook for Christianity looked bleak. Pope Pius V spent nights in prayer and called for a rosary crusade. His prayers were answered in what seemed a miraculous manner when the enemies were defeated and their fleets destroyed in a sea battle which has been described as one of the most important victories in history.

The rosary devotion has been recommended to the faithful by many popes. Leo X111 spoke and wrote so much about it that he has been called “The Pope of the Rosary.”

Pope St. Paul X said, “The rosary is the most beautiful and the richest in graces of all prayers.” It is the prayer which touches most the Heart of the Mother of God and if you want peace to reign in your homes and in our world, pray the rosary.”

Pope John Paul XX111, although he led a busy life, prayed fifteen decades of the rosary every day and even wrote meditations on its mysteries. St. Pope John Paul 11 called the rosary, “My favourite prayer.” And he added the five Luminous Mysteries to the rosary. Pope Francis reminds us that the rosary prepares our hearts to receive God’s grace and teaches us to place ourselves in the hands of God, allowing Him to guide our steps along the path of our faith journey. He invites us to rediscover the beauty of the rosary this month of Mary encouraging us to carry a rosary beads in our hands or in our pockets. Our Lady in Medjugorje pleads with us to take the Rosary in our hands like never before and pray unceasingly because Satan wants hatred and war.

In her message on April 25th she tells us, “ Dear children; I am with you to tell you that I love you and encourage you to prayer; because Satan is strong and every day his strength is stronger through those who have chosen death and hatred. You, little children, be people of prayer so that my extended hands of love will reach all those who are in darkness and seek the light of our God. Thank you for having responded to my call.”

Let us respond to our Lady’s call to pray the rosary every day and use every opportunity to join with others. You will see miracles happen in your lives and the lives of your loved ones. Our Lady has promised that nothing is impossible by the prayer of the rosary. You might consider joining the All Ireland Rosary rally in Knock Shrine on Sunday June 1st. It was a resounding success last year when huge crowds gathered from all over the country.

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us.