by William Gossett
Over 17,000 Public Square Rosary Rallies took place worldwide on October 16th, heeding the request of Our Lady of Fatima to pray the rosary and ask pardon for the sins of mankind. These public acts of reparation took place from the large cities to even the smallest towns across America.
Public Sin Calls for Public Reparation
Because so much blasphemy and immorality are promoted openly, Catholics must take a bold stance by denouncing these evils for all to see.
As St. Matthew writes in his Gospel, So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:16)
Public Square Rosary Rally at a busy intersection in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The public impact of these rosary rallies is evident in the many touching accounts of those who participate and the amazing reactions of passersby.
“What does your faith mean to you?”
An incredible instance from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, comes from a young man, 22 years old, who was intrigued by the rosary rally as he drove by.
He drove up with his window down, head out, reading the rosary rally banner. He asked the Catholics praying what they were doing. They responded they were “Catholics praying for America!” Though the young man wasn’t Catholic, he asked if he could join.
After parking his car, he walked up, holding a rosary. A gentleman participating in this public square rosary rally asked, “You have a rosary. I thought you said you weren’t Catholic?” He said he wasn’t but found it on the road by his car when he got out. Oddly enough, it had green-colored plastic beads for the decades and white beads for the Our Fathers, perfectly matching his green sweatshirt accented by white trim piping. How providential!
After explaining the Rosary, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Catholic Faith to the young man, he asked the rally participant, “What does your faith mean to you?”
He told him that being Catholic is the basis for everything he did and has been a foundation to face life’s struggles. The young man then asked which church he attended and if he could attend the same Mass with him that coming Sunday.
A precious lesson is taught with this young man’s intense desire to join those American Catholics praying in the public places of our country. If we were not there in the public square, he would still be spiritually wandering in his quest to find a meaning in life.
“Now I’m a Holy Roller!”
Another fascinating example comes from New Orleans, LA, from a young mother of two who had seen the rosary rallies in past years.
She commented, “I’ve seen you people out here before, and I thought, what a bunch of Holy Rollers. What’s the point?”
“Today, here I am out here praying the rosary in public. Now I’m one of those Holy Rollers!” she exclaimed.
At the same public square rosary rally – one of the busiest intersections in the New Orleans area – another interesting episode happened. Waiting for the red light to change, a lady with a white poodle beside her in a small shiny SUV started saying loudly, “But you people are also back down there [the avenue] at all the intersections! Seems you’re everywhere!”
And she kept repeating that. One rosary rally participant told her that if she continued ahead up the avenue, she would see at least one other rosary rally praying for America.
It goes to show that it’s better to have many, even if smaller, rallies throughout a city than just one big rally in a parking lot or behind a parish church.
Confide and Fight; Our Lady Will Take Care of the Rest
Faced with the overwhelming onslaught of sin and corruption, the temptation to hide and flee from the Culture War can rear its ugly head.
Fleeing the crisis will not solve the problem. Eventually, all will be confronted with the decision to either fight for Our Lady’s cause or not.
With total confidence in the Blessed Virgin Mary, all Catholics should take their rosary and fight in the raging Culture War.
If we make this little effort, Our Lady will take care of the rest, and victory is assured.