8 Marian Helper • Winter 2023-24 • Marian.org Fittingly on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (also called Our Lady of Victory), a chapter of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary was established at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. “The Rosary Confraternity is a great way to share in the prayers of others praying the Rosary,” says Fr. Matthew Tomeny, MIC, Shrine rector. “It’s a great way to be placed under the protection of Our Lady as we fight the spiritual battles of our times. What a wonderful way to be connected to all the other shrines throughout the world where the Rosary Confraternity is established!” Enrollment easy and free Enrollment is free and easy, via a link on ShrineOfDivineMercy.org. What is required? Each member of the Rosary Confraternity promises to pray 15 decades of the Rosary each week and to include the other members of the Confraternity (in general) around the world in their intentions. This is the sole obligation of membership, and does not bind under pain of sin. In addition to the graces included in praying the Rosary, Confraternity members enjoy: • The special protection of the Mother of God. • A share in the prayer of the countless Confraternity members around the world. • A share in the prayers, Masses, and apostolic works of the entire Dominican Order. • The intercession of the entire heavenly court. • Various plenary and partial indulgences. The Rosary Confraternity is a collaborative effort of the National Shrine and three organizations: the Dominican Province of St. Joseph; the Mother of Mercy Messengers, an official apostolate of the Marian Fathers; and the Coalition of Eucharistic and Marian Apostolates (CEMA). Their focus is on a three-fold effort to promote participation in the Confraternity of the Rosary, Marian consecration, and Divine Mercy Sunday. Storied history According to best-selling author and Mariologist Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary was founded by St. Dominic (ca. 1170-1221), who is most famous as the founder of the Order of Friars Preachers, or Dominicans. “At various times it was described as the Confraternity of Prayer, the Confraternity of the Rosary, the Sodality of the Rosary, or even the Society of the Rosary,” explains Fr. Calloway in his Marian Press book Champions of the Rosary: The History and Heroes of a Spiritual Weapon. One of the greatest benefits of membership is that all members include the intentions of all other members along with their own with each Rosary they pray. “They form a union of hundreds of thousands of the faithful throughout the world who, along with their own intentions, include the intentions and needs of all its members,” explains the Dominican Fathers’ website for the Confraternity in the United States. “As St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, said, ‘If anyone has the happiness of being in the Confraternity of the Rosary, he has in all corners of the world brothers and sisters who pray for him.’” Unity of prayer “You definitely want to participate in the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary and be part of this worldwide movement of prayer in the Church,” says the Very Rev. Chris Alar, MIC, provincial superior. “It’s uniting pilgrims and shrines, and Eucharistic and Marian apostolates, together to magnify the efforts to reclaim our families, our churches, and our nations for Christ, and to promote peace around the world. Please join us!” Visit ShrineOfDivineMercy.org/RosaryConfraternity to enroll in the Confraternity. Join the Confraternity! By Chris Sparks
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