Back to Back Issues Page
Everyday Rosary Newsletter -- Finding Your Focus
February 21, 2011

Everyday Rosary Newsletter, Volume 3 Issue #1 -- Finding Your Focus In February

February 21, 2011


Greetings!


The monthly Everyday Rosary Newsletter is brought to you from the How-to-pray-the-rosary-everyday.com website. In each issue you will find Rosary inspirations, new meditations, feature articles and ideas that support your prayer life, a calendar of upcoming Rosary Feast Days, and how to incorporate your faith in other holidays. Plus stories on how the Rosary has affected the lives of others and what people are doing to promote the Rosary. It will also keep you up-to-date on information added to the site. It is your monthly dose of Rosary inspiration!

Table of Contents

A Note From The Editor:

Finding your focus in February takes a dedicated and steadfast heart. This time of year, all of nature is asleep. The joys and warm feelings of Christmas are gone and you're left with the dreary thought of several more weeks of winter. It is a time of year when reevaluating your spiritual life will do much good. For this reason, Lent usually begins during this month. This year however, Ash Wednesday is late, appearing during the first week of March. But, why not start today. Find your focus, namely, Jesus Christ. Find Him today.

If you have let your daily Rosary slip, it is time to resolve to begin again. Everyone needs inspiration from time to time. All the inspiration you need can be found here. Check out the numerous meditations, add your own and comment on meditation others have submitted. Don't be intimidated, if you are inspired by a beautiful thought during the Rosary, please share it. Likely that inspiration came from God. Our job while on earth is to help one another get to heaven. Sharing your meditations will help others attain that goal.

Read on to find more ways to find your focus this February!

Top

Articles

An Authentic Apparition in the United States?
Our Lady of Good Help - Champion, Wisconsin

Many American Catholics are unaware of the fact that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in the United States only one year after she appeared to St. Bernadette at Lourdes, France in the late 1800s. These American apparitions took place in Wisconsin to a woman named Adele Brise.

Why bring it up now, over 150 years later? Well, The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, Bishop of Green Bay recently announced a decree on the authenticity of these apparitions.

In 1859 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Adele Brise. During the apparitions Mary identified herself as the Queen of Heaven. Mary's message to Adele was to pray for the conversion of sinners and to teach the Catholic faith to her fellow citizens especially to children. Mary spoke these words, "Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation...Teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the Sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing, I will help you."

The descriptions of Our Lady given by mystics are always intriguing. Besides the image Our Lady gave us at Guadalupe, we are not sure what she looks like. It is difficult to visualize her glorious appearance. You can use these descriptions combined with the image on St. Juan Diego's tilma to get a picture of her in your mind's eye.

At Lourdes, St. Bernadette describes the Blessed Mother as a woman dressed in a white gown with a blue sash. She was holding a rosary made of luminous white pearls and a golden cross. On each of her feet was a golden rose.

She was described at Fatima dressed in white and holding a rosary. During the final apparition, Mary appeared gloriously crowned as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

In Wisconsin, Adele Brise said she "saw a lady clothed in dazzling white, with a yellow sash around her waist and a crown of stars around her head, standing between two trees."

It seems Our Lady of Good Help's message was a prefigure to the message of Fatima, namely to pray. Pray without ceasing. Pray for the conversion of poor sinners. The Church approved apparitions all have the same message. These apparitions and Our Lady's fluid message began in 1830 when the she appeared to St. Catherine Laboure. The most recent approved Marian apparition occurred in Akita, Japan in the 1970's.

Unapproved Marian apparitions should be approached with great caution. The Rosary Team only supports apparitions that are officially approved by the Catholic Church. The decree on Our Lady of Good Help Wisconsin energizes our Rosary Community in the fact that Mary's message was to pray for the conversion of sinners and to teach the faith.

Spread devotion to the Rosary and you will be fulfilling both her requests.

New Meditation on The Wedding of Cana

"In (Mary) we find a loving mother, who is ever willing to intercede for us, so that we may be drawn into a deeper love and union with her Son. For instance, at the wedding of Cana she did not hesitate to intercede for this newly married couple at their wedding feast. Whatever be the circumstances of your life, come to the Shrine to pray, seek Mary’s intercession, and strive to follow the will of her Son, Jesus. It is my hope and prayer that your pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help brings you a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ, through the intercession of his Mother."

-Bishop David L. Ricken Taken from his message at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help, Champion, Wisconsin December 8, 2010

Top

Top Picks

Mary's Messages

Compiled here is a list of approved Marian apparitions, the place of the apparition, followed by the year, the title Our Lady appeared under along with her message are as follows...

  • La Salette, France, 1846, Our Lady of La Salette. Pray and do penance. Keep holy the Lord's day and do not take His name in vain. Follow the Commandments. Peace will only come to the world when sinners are converted.

  • Paris, France, 1830, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Our Lady of Grace. If you wear the Miraculous Medal you will receive great graces. Recite the following prayer daily, "O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee." The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the ultimate source of consolation during times of trial.

  • Lourdes, France, 1858, The Immaculate Conception, Our Lady of Lourdes. Do not become willfully distracted while you pray. Pray the Rosary and pray especially for sinners. By watching St. Bernadette's example you can learn to accept great suffering and do all things for the greater glory of God.

  • Fatima, Portugal, 1917, Our Lady of Fatima. Pray for the conversion of sinners. Pray the Rosary everyday to attain peace in the world. Offer sacrifices for sinners. Make Communions of reparation to sins committed against the Immaculate Heart.

  • Akita, Japan, 1973, Our Lady of Akita. As proclaimed by the Bishop of Niigata, Japan, Bishop John Shojiro Ito, "The message of Akita is the message of Fatima." Pray to repair for the indifference and sins of mankind. Make reparation by offering your sufferings and poverty for poor sinners. Prayer, penance, sacrifice! Pray the Rosary every day offering it especially for the Pope, the bishops and priests.


Top

How To Checklist

How To Keep Your Focus

Whenever you are striving to grow spiritually, the first step is always...

  • Confession - Graces are received each time you receive the sacrament of Penance. These graces will enable you to focus your life on Jesus Christ. Go to confession monthly or even better twice a month. You need not have mortal sins to confess. You can confess venial sins or already forgiven sins as well in order to receive graces.

  • Holy Hour - In imitation of Our Lord's request in the Garden of Olives, wait one hour with Him. This done once weekly will definitely help you focus on Him. It is best to do this at church when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, or in the church before the tabernacle. If you are unable to make it to the church to do this once per week then spend an hour keeping Him company in your own home.

  • Commit/resolve to praying the Rosary everyday

  • Spiritual reading - Provides great food for thought and inspiration to keep you focus.

  • Good works - Perform good works for you own family, friends and neighbors. Be cheerful even when you feel grumpy. Help with another's chores or duties without being asked. Help a neighbor who has been ill. Take a meal to a new mom. Share some groceries with a family who is out of work. Do these acts for the love of God, and offer up any inconvenience they present for the conversion of sinners.


Top

Calendar Of Upcoming Feast Days

Ash Wednesday - March 9th

1st Sunday of Lent - March 13th

Saint Joseph's Feast Day - March 19th

Solemnity of the Annunciation - March 25th

Palm Sunday - April 17th

Holy Thursday - April 21st

Good Friday - April 22nd

Holy Saturday, Vigil of the Solemnity of Easter - April 23rd

Solemnity of Easter - April 24th


Top

Resources

Rosary Gift Resources

Books And Spiritual Reading

  • The Pieta Prayer Book - This booklet contains the fifteen St. Bridget prayers revealed by Our Lord to St. Bridget of Sweden, the Prayer to the Holy Face of Jesus by St. Therese of Lisieux, the Stations of the Cross, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and various other traditional Catholic prayers. Publisher: Miraculous Lady of RosesFormat: 80 pages, paperback

CD's

DVD's

  • Faith, Hope, and Love with Fulton J. Sheen - Bishop Sheen is eloquence at its very best. This collection of timeless messages from the powerful preacher offers inspiring guidance, encouragement, peace of mind and spiritual comfort that will touch the heart. This boxed set includes four 55-minute DVDs, each with two programs. In color and B W. Vol. 1 - Love Is Faith : 147 Ages of Man 148 and 147 Temptation 148 Vol. 2 - Love Is Hope : 147 Hope for a Wounded World 148 and 147 False Compassion 148 Vol. 3 - Love Is Truth : 147 Love Is a Garden 148 and 147 Are We More Neurotic Today? 148 Vol. 4 - Love Is Eternal : 147 The Touch of Your Hand 148 and 147 Intimacies of Love 148 Run Time: 220 minutes Format: 4 discs, DVD Publisher: Ignatius Press

Miscellaneous

  • Brown Scapular Our Lady of Fatima - Made from 100% wool, with embroidered pictures and strong cords. Includes a Blessed Crucifix, St. Benedict Medal, and enrollment forms.

Important Links

Top

Testimonials

We love to hear from our visitors. Here is what a recent visitor had to say about How-to-pray-the-rosary-everyday.com

"Thank you for your website letting me know the rosary is for all Christians." -Lori


Meet This Month's Rosary Promoter!

Who: Travelrosary.com owner, Wayne Kneeskern

Because so many people pray the Rosary while traveling, Wayne created the Travel Rosary which has rosary beads attached to a steering wheel cover. This way you can follow the beads with your thumbs or fingers while driving "without" taking your eyes off the road. It eliminates holding a Rosary in your hand while driving and having the possibility that the beads get intertwined in the steering wheel. Each Travel Rosary is custom designed and handcrafted in Richland, Iowa. The first 5% of all sales is donated to various Catholic charities.

Read the entire interview here...

===========================================================

If you would like to be highlighted as the Rosary Promoter of the Month, use the Rosary Promoter Submission page on How-to-pray-the-rosary-everyday.com and write us asking for a Rosary Promoter application. If you know someone that promotes the Rosary and should be featured as a Rosary promoter, by all means pass this along to them or send us their information and we'll contact them.


Top

Q&A

This question was taken from our Ask A Rosary Question Section at How-to-pray-the-Rosary-everyday.com

I lead a young adult group at my parish. Our next discussion topic is the Rosary. Could you suggest some questions that will stimulate group discussion on this important topic? Thank you.

Some great questions to get a Rosary discussion going are as follows...

  • What is prayer?
  • Why do we pray?
  • What are the two forms of prayer?
  • What is vocal prayer?
  • What is mental prayer?
  • How does the Rosary combine these two forms of prayer?
  • How do the 20 mysteries of the Rosary teach us about the life of Jesus and His Mother?
  • What fruits will we develop if we make a lifelong commitment to praying the daily Rosary? (each Rosary Mystery has a related fruit. i.e. The Annunciation, humility)
  • How does the Rosary draw us closer to Jesus and teach us His teachings?
  • Why has Mary asked that we pray the Rosary daily?

And on and on it goes. This is just a brief synopsis that will get them thinking and interested. Notice the areas of interest then come back and post a comment to your original comment and maybe we can continue exploring particular areas of interest.

Please visit the Ask A Rosary Question Section on the website and ask your questions. You are encouraged to answer questions that have been posted there as well.


Top

What's New

A Glimpse Into Next Month's Newsletter

Next month's Newsletter - Queen Of The May

New On The Site

FREE Printable Pocket Rosary Booklets!

Thank You!

Thank you for reading! Keep visiting www.how-to-pray-the-rosary-everyday.com and remember we love hearing from you. Please use the "contact us" page to leave any and all suggestions or comments.

I pray you are filled with peace and blessings from God during these days leading up to Lent.

St. Joseph, Pray for us!

To Jesus through Mary,

Kathleen Bowen and The Rosary Team

P.S. If you like this newsletter and are looking for an easy way to promote the Rosary, please "email it forward" to someone you know who might appreciate it. If a friend did forward this to you and you like what you read, please subscribe now!

As our site and community grows, I hope that you drop me a line and tell me how the Rosary is working in your life! Did a personal transformation take place in your life that was inspired by something on our site? Share it with the rest of us! Often, having a support community really keeps you going.

Feel free to send in tips or questions too! We love mail!

Everyday Rosary Newsletter is our personal Rosary newsletter and it may accept advertising and other forms of compensation. Such compensation does not influence the information in this newsletter. We always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences etc... for more on how our site is compensated please visit our advertising and disclosures page.
Back to Back Issues Page