Jul
20
2017
By Anonymous (not verified)
Maria Gallagher, a parishioner at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, shares the role of the Rosary in her embrace of the fullness of the Catholic faith:
I pray the Holy Rosary because it is the chain of hope that continues to lead me on the road of conversion. When I was 10 years old, I prayed the Rosary fervently each week in the hopes that my father, who was an accountant at a struggling non-profit, would be able to generate the funds necessary to meet payroll that week. God never failed to provide during those tough times.
Unfortunately, as a teenager, following the death of my beloved Grandma Hazel, I fell out of the habit of praying the Rosary. The chip on my shoulder grew into a boulder that prevented me from frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which I had faithfully done as a child. I grew up to become a secular journalist, buying into all the media myths that were for sale. I never officially left the faith - I was still Catholic and ?attending Sunday Mass. Unfortunately, I thought Catholicism was a smorgasbord where some teachings could be chosen and others discarded depending on personal taste. At one point, even though I believed I was "personally" against abortion, I thought I was politically "pro-choice."
My life started to change when, as a lark, I decided to attend a retreat at my childhood parish. While I worried what the priest might think if he spotted me, I nevertheless ventured into the Confessional and articulated the sins that had troubled me for so long.
A few months later, I became re-acquainted with a parish where I had received Confirmation as a ninth grader. The parishioners participated in a Rosary Walk to the local abortion facility, and I decided to join them. With each decade of the Rosary, I grew closer to the Blessed Mother and to the cause of life. It was around the time of the Rosary Walk that I began praying a daily Rosary. That was 23 years ago. I found I simply picked up praying the Rosary where ?I had left off - it was a form of prayer I was naturally drawn to. As a result, I now work full-time advocating for life-affirming policies for pregnant women and their families.
I am convinced that, in contemplating the Joyful Mysteries, my conscience was reawakened to the horrors of abortion and assisted suicide. I look forward to my personal Rosary walk each day and the time I can spend with Mary, my Mother, and Jesus, my Savior. Without the Rosary, I would still be adrift in the sea of lies created by the Culture of Death. I recently became a member of the Thirteenth of the Month Club after I received a mailing from the Marians. I am thankful I had the opportunity to join, and am grateful for the rich spiritual resources the Marians provide.
I pray the Holy Rosary because it is the chain of hope that continues to lead me on the road of conversion. When I was 10 years old, I prayed the Rosary fervently each week in the hopes that my father, who was an accountant at a struggling non-profit, would be able to generate the funds necessary to meet payroll that week. God never failed to provide during those tough times.
Unfortunately, as a teenager, following the death of my beloved Grandma Hazel, I fell out of the habit of praying the Rosary. The chip on my shoulder grew into a boulder that prevented me from frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which I had faithfully done as a child. I grew up to become a secular journalist, buying into all the media myths that were for sale. I never officially left the faith - I was still Catholic and ?attending Sunday Mass. Unfortunately, I thought Catholicism was a smorgasbord where some teachings could be chosen and others discarded depending on personal taste. At one point, even though I believed I was "personally" against abortion, I thought I was politically "pro-choice."
My life started to change when, as a lark, I decided to attend a retreat at my childhood parish. While I worried what the priest might think if he spotted me, I nevertheless ventured into the Confessional and articulated the sins that had troubled me for so long.
A few months later, I became re-acquainted with a parish where I had received Confirmation as a ninth grader. The parishioners participated in a Rosary Walk to the local abortion facility, and I decided to join them. With each decade of the Rosary, I grew closer to the Blessed Mother and to the cause of life. It was around the time of the Rosary Walk that I began praying a daily Rosary. That was 23 years ago. I found I simply picked up praying the Rosary where ?I had left off - it was a form of prayer I was naturally drawn to. As a result, I now work full-time advocating for life-affirming policies for pregnant women and their families.
I am convinced that, in contemplating the Joyful Mysteries, my conscience was reawakened to the horrors of abortion and assisted suicide. I look forward to my personal Rosary walk each day and the time I can spend with Mary, my Mother, and Jesus, my Savior. Without the Rosary, I would still be adrift in the sea of lies created by the Culture of Death. I recently became a member of the Thirteenth of the Month Club after I received a mailing from the Marians. I am thankful I had the opportunity to join, and am grateful for the rich spiritual resources the Marians provide.
hpr
