PANAJI
Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrão has appealed to priests, religious and laity in the archdiocese to pray the Rosary without fail at least five decades every day to intercede for the Church and for all humanity during the month of October.
In a Circular Letter to the Clergy, Religious and Lay Faithful of this Archdiocese on Sunday, Archbishop Ferrão stated that the dedication of October to the Blessed Virgin Mary and particularly to the prayer of the Rosary has been a long-standing tradition in the Catholic Church.
“The Rosary has been, in fact, much loved and cherished by the Catholic faithful throughout the centuries. Originally, the contemplative recitation of Hail Mary’s constituted, in fact, the psalter of the common people, who could not read the psalms.”
“At a later stage, various saintly persons – among whom St Dominic and St Pius V – contributed to the spread of this devotion, following the inspirations each one received from the Blessed Virgin.”
Archbishop Ferrão said the Rosary of Our Lady is a prayer of meditation on the main mysteries of salvation, found in the New Testament.
“The whole Gospel is encapsulated in it. It is basically a Christocentric prayer. While praying the Rosary, we seek the company of Mary as we meditate on the same mysteries that she once pondered in her heart.”
“With this in mind, I invite you all to intercede for the Church and for all humanity during the month of October, through the prayer of the Rosary. My fervent appeal is that all of us – Priests, Religious and Laity – particularly in homes and religious communities, pray without fail at least five decades every day.”
“It is my firm belief that, if we recite this prayer with faith, particularly amidst the adversities and challenges of the present time, the good Lord will surely save us from peril and guide us on the future course of our life,” said Archbishop Ferrão.
