| Friday, 07 October 2011 10:47 |
 This door beautifully framed by bougainvillea reminds me of a famous painting of Jesus standing at a door, which could only be opened from the inside. He so respects our freedom that He will not enter unless invited by us.We are all happy to get invited whether to a wedding (or an ordination!) Jesus is waiting for an “invite” to cross the threshold of our hearts. We have to remove the burglarproofing of our busyness and the cobwebs of our distractions so that we can hear the gentle knock. When we do open the door, we discover how much we are loved and we grow in intimacy with our Guest who wants so much to reveal Himself to us and to show us our inner beauty. Come in Lord! – Photo & meditation Sr Annette Chow |
Saturday 15 October 2011
Beautiful Door Frame
Friday 14 October 2011
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary celebration - Oct 16
| Friday, 14 October 2011 10:58 | |
 Fr Clyde Harvey, parish priest of Holy Rosary and St Martin de Porres (Gonzales) Parish walks on Nelson Street with parishioners during the parish’s annual procession to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Oct 7). Raymond Syms photoA walk in the park – and through East POS - Oct 16 | |
| Last Updated on Friday, 14 October 2011 11:28 | |
Fr Alan Hall at Laventille devotions: Tear down walls of prejudice - Aug 21
| Friday, 19 August 2011 13:07 | |||||
| We could be a much better nation if we tore down the walls of prejudice in our lives, and “those walls come tumbling down fast”. These were the sentiments expressed by San Fernando assistant parish priest Fr Alan Hall, main celebrant and homilist at last Sunday’s Laventille Devotions.
Citing Jesus’ initial response to the Canaanite woman whom he called a dog, which might be viewed as “derogatory and disheartening”, Fr Alan said we too were influenced by “the time, location, tradition and culture [that direct] what we say and the words that we use as well”. As a result we built up prejudicial walls that dictated our dismissive responses to our brothers and sisters who are not like us, he said. This is very much evident in the attitude of many Catholics when they are told by their fellow brethren about making the pilgrimage to Marian Devotions in Laventille. “Unfortunately,” Fr Hall lamented, “many of our brothers and sisters have put up these prejudicial walls and say ‘Allyuh going up in that place?’ ‘Allyuh want to risk yuh life?’ ‘Allyuh going up in gun city?’ ‘Yuh want to be murdered?’ ‘Yuh want to become another statistic?’ ‘Dem people on de hill?’ ‘Dem people on that side?’” “It is always ‘we and dem’. It is such a prejudicial statement...almost as if we are better than them.” But the Canaanite woman was resolute in the pursuit of her goal to have her daughter healed, he continued. “She remained firm, despite all that was hurled against her,” and thus she was “breaking down the walls of prejudice”, moving Jesus to see her from a different perspective. Fr Hall said the Lord is telling us to pull down those prejudicial walls and pull them down fast. “Pull them down and embrace a sister and a brother who is in need, who is crying out to you.” If we do so, only then we could be seen as true disciples of God, he concluded, and “Laventille would have no room because everyone would be coming to honour our Blessed Mother.” Vicar General Fr Joseph Harris, CSSp attended the devotions for the first time since his appointment as Archbishop-elect. He conducted the Benediction in the absence of Archbishop Edward Gilbert who is on vacation. The afternoon’s proceedings commenced with a Holy Hour led by members of Singles for Christ, an arm of the Couples for Christ movement. In keeping with the devotions’ 2011 theme, Nurturing Vocations, Peter Bernard presented a talk “Single life with its joys and challenges” accompanied by fellow member Francesca Monsegue, who led praise and worship. Carapichaima Men’s Ministry led the singing during Mass. Next Laventille Devotions is September 11. – CN reporter |
Sunday 9 October 2011
OLPH marks 225th anniversary - Oct 9
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2011 - Features
Friday, 07 October 2011 11:21
Celebrating Our Heritage, Soaping Our Legacy is the chosen theme as the Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish community celebrates the 225th Anniversary of the establishment of a Catholic mission in San Fernando.
The largest parish in south Trinidad will begin its jubilee celebrations next Sunday (Oct 16) after Mass. Winners of the special 225th Jubilee Art and Story Competition
will be announced at the Bishop Mendes Auditorium. The auditorium will also be the venue of a week-long art display with items from the Benedictine and Dominican monasteries, St Joseph of Cluny Sisters, as well as from other parishes.
A special Triduum begins Thursday Oct 20 at Christ the King Church, Les Efforts with La Romaine parish priest Fr David Khan leading a healing service. Fr Gerard Tang Choon, O Carm will celebrate a Mass of Reconciliation on Oct 21 at the St Andrew Kaggwa Church, Vistabella. The triduum closes Oct 22 with Pointe-à-Pierre/Marabella parish priest Msgr Michael de Verteuil celebrating a Vigil Mass at OLPH.
The entire parish community will gather around the Marian grotto at OLPH to celebrate the 9.00 a.m. Jubilee Mass on Sunday, October 23. The actual anniversary date is Oct 25. Archbishop Edward Gilbert and Co-adjutor Archbishop Joseph Harris have been invited to concelebrate the Mass. A combined choir from the various communities will lead the liturgical singing. The Mass will be followed by a Family Day and luncheon.
Jubilee activities continue with a musical presentation by the youth of the parish, on October 25 and 26, at Naparima Bowl.
A dinner is planned for Oct 28, organised by the Word and Deed Ministry, to honour one of the parish’s stalwarts, Linda Wyke. Wyke, a well-known catechist, ran the Archdiocesan Catechetical Office in the 1990s.
The next planned event takes place Nov 20 as Christ the King, Vistabella community host their Fiesta. A month later on December 16 will be a Grand Christmas Dinner at the Bishop Mendes Auditorium.
Other events and activities planned include the launch of a parish website and commemorative brochure, and a family and sports day. The Jubilee celebrations closes towards the end of June on the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
In a letter to parishioners, parish priest Msgr Christian Pereira said “The OLPH parish has been serving the people of the South for over 225 years and many of your ancestors have been part of the life and ministry of this faith community…many have been generous in sharing their time, their talent and their treasure with the community of believers….”
Msgr Pereira has invited the archdiocese, in particular former parishioners, to “join with us to make this time a witness of our gratitude for all who have lived and served before us, our gratitude for all that they have done to make our church the community of believers that we are privileged to be part of today.
“You are invited to help us shape the legacy that we will leave for future generations of Catholic Christians.”
In honour of the Jubilee celebrations, Pope Benedict XVI, has granted a special indulgence to all parishioners who participate in the various aspects of the Jubilee and who fulfill the prescribed conditions for receiving this special Indulgence.
History
An appeal by the Governor Don Diego Suarez to the King of Spain resulted in the establishment of a mission, Purisima Concepcion de Naparima on October 18, 1687. However, this mission became deserted. Then the Spanish Governor, Chacon, instituted the San Fernando parish on October 25, 1786, in honour of the infant Prince Ferdinand who later became King Ferdinand VII of Spain. The parish was eventually named in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
Six years later in 1792, Governor Chacon declared the parish of San Fernando as a town.
One of the most vibrant priests to serve the parish was Fr Andre Violette, a French Dominican priest. During his 11 years as parish priest (1875-1886) he built 13 schools and eight chapels. Among the schools was the St Joseph Convent School. Some of these chapels have since become independent parishes: La Romaine, Mon Repos and Pointe-à-Pierre. Two significant years are 1930 when Fr Sebastian Weber OSB was appointed to the parish, and 1970 when Fr John Mendes became the first graduate of the Regional Seminary to be appointed parish priest. The first local priests to serve the parish were Fr J.N. Maingot (1887-1890) and another Fr Maurus Maingot (1951-1959)
For more information on the 225th Jubilee celebrations of OLPH, contact the parish office, 652-2269.
Friday 7 October 2011
The Victory of Lepanto and the Most Holy
Rosaryby Rev. J.A. Rooney, O.P., 1892
Let us listen to the Angels of the
Rosary. What do they say to us? "Take into your hands on this singular feast the
joy-inspiring harp of the Rosary; play upon this harp to your Mother a new
canticle; extol her power on earth and in Heaven, and repeat again and again the
wonders of your loving helper (Responsory oj the First lesson of the Rosary
Office)." But why are the Angels of the Rosary so eager that we should play on
the harp of Mary on this particular feast? Because this feast commemorates one
of the grandest victories ever given by Heaven to the Church, and emphatically
declares that it was achieved by the great Captain of God's armies, Mary the
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary. We do not intend to give a detailed account of
the battle of Lepanto; we shall content ourselves with the bare narration of the
main facts that called into existence this glorious feast of the Destroyer of
all heresies, Mary the Mother of God.
For about a century before the battle of Lepanto the Turks had been spreading dismay all over Christendom, and the year 1571 seemed to them to be the most opportune time to deal out death to Christianity. At that time most of the Christian nations were divided by conflicting interests and weakened by protestantism, whose motto was "the Turks in preference to the Papists." Yes, protestantism, the greatest curse of modern times, the drag-chain on the wheels of Christian progress, did much to embolden the Turks to menace Christendom with indescribable woes.
Pope St. Pius V., a worthy son of the Order of the Rosary, made a public appeal to Heaven and to earth in behalf of the Church and Society. He called upon all the faithful, but especially upon the members of the various Rosary Confraternities of the world to invoke unceasingly with him the aid of the Virgin of the Rosary. For two years previous to the battle of Lepanto all the faithful, but especially Rosarians, earnestly pleaded in behalf of the Church with Mary the Mother of Jesus through the prayer which is so dear to her. In the meantime, the Holy Father succeeded in arousing Spain, Genoa, Venice and the Pontifical States to enter into a holy League against the sworn enemy of Christianity. Humanly speaking, from such an insignificant league there could be but little hope of success for the Christians opposed by such fearful odds. But the Pope, whose prayers the Sultan Soliman II. feared, as he himself declared, far more than the arms of the Christian forces, trusted entirely in the assistance of the Mother of Mercy.
On the 7th of October, 1571, on the Gulf of Lepanto was raised aloft by the Christian fleet the standard of hope--it was the image of the Blessed Virgin, surmounted by a Cross and a Rosary. The soldiers knelt before it for the purpose of venerating the emblem of our salvation and the Image of Mary, and pledged themselves to fight to death for the cause in which they were engaged, God and holy Church. Then the signal for attack was given by the Christian admiral.
Victory was violently disputed and long remained undecided. But the death of Ali-Pasha, the admiral of the Mussulman fleet, spread terror among his soldiers and became the signal of their defeat. The Turkish losses were immense; two hundred vessels were captured by the Christians or sunk beneath the angry waves of Lepanto; twenty-five thousand soldiers were killed; eighteen thousand prisoners were taken and fifteen thousand Christian slaves were liberated from their ignominious bondage; three hundred and seventy-five pieces of cannon and a great number of Standards and other spoils "became the property of the victors. The triumph of the Cross over the Crescent through the power of the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary drove Islamism into Asia, saved forever Christendom from any successful invasion on the part of the Turks, left the seas that had hitherto been infested by Mussulman pirates free, and caused the Christian name to be dreaded by hordes who had until then considered themselves invincible. Michael Cervantes thus writes of the victory: "Ages gone by have seen nothing like unto the battle of Lepanto, nor has our age witnessed anything to compare with it, and in all probability ages to come will never record a more beautiful or glorious triumph for the Church."
But what share had the Rosary in this magnificent triumph? For two years before the battle, we have said, all the Rosary Confraternities of the world and the rest of the faithful were at the feet of Mary asking her assistance through the prayer so dear to her and her Son, the Rosary. The battle took place on the 7th of October, which in 1571 was the first Sunday of the month, the very day on which all the Rosary Confraternities of the Church were making their solemn processions and addressing solemn supplications to Heaven in behalf of the Christian cause.
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Whilst the battle was raging, S. Pius V. was treating with the Cardinals assembled at the Vatican on some grave business matters. All of a sudden he withdraws from the meeting, moves towards a window, remains there for some time, his eyes fixed in the direction of Lepanto, and then exclaimed with the accent and look of inspiration: "Let us kneel; let us cease speaking of business matters and think only of rendering thanks to God for the victory He has just given us." The happy news was in due time confirmed, and was received everywhere among Christians with transports of delight, and with a conviction the most intense that the victory was due to the all-powerful intevention of our Lady of the Rosary. From Rome this conviction passed to Venice. The Senate of the City, in letters addressed to the States that had taken part in the Crusade, did not hesitate to express itself in these terms filled with faith and piety: "It was not Generals, nor battalions, nor arms that brought us victory; but it was our Lady of the Rosary." Yes, says a modern historian, the defeat of the Turks was so complete and decisive that the whole Christian world spontaneously attributed it to the Blessed Mother of God, whose Rosary all the faithful were reciting whilst the battle was in progress.
The Holy Pope Pius V. in order to perpetuate the memory of so great an event, instituted under the title of Our Lady of Victory a feast which received later on the appellation which is at present so popular and far more significative, viz. that of Our Lady of the Rosary; and, for the purpose of encouraging the faithful to celebrate it with piety and fruit, he opened in their behalf the treasury of the Church, and drew from it the celebrated indulgence which is at one time called the Toties quoties (a plenary indulgence each time the conditions are complied with), at another time the "Great Pardon of the Rosary" and often the "Dominican Portiuncula." It was then, too, that he added to the Litany of Loretto the invocation "Help of Christians, pray for us."
Notwithstanding the complete discomfiture of the Turks, they, still profiting by the divisions created by that monster of modern times, protestantism, endeavored again and again to crush out the Christian Religion, but the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary showed on every occasion her determination not to allow the infidels to gain the least advantage over the Church. The victories at Corfu, Vienna, Temeswar and Belgrade under the captaincy of Mary were only a prolonged echo of the glorious triumph of the Christians at Lepanto.
But if the Church has nothing now to fear from the Turks, it has other enemies still more powerful, formidable and tyrannical to contend against. Just now the Catholic Religion is much more free along the shores of the Bosphorus than it is on the banks of Seine, Spree or Tiber, where it groans under the oppression of children who have disowned their Mother and have sworn to bring about her destruction. A gigantic anti-Christian conspiracy--its name is Freemasonry--has been formed in the very bosom of the baptized nations. In most of the European countries it has complete control of things, and employs all manner of means to carry out its diabolical ends, sophisms, lies, corruption and violence. Its chief object is to cripple and humiliate the teaching Church, and to eradicate faith and virtue from the souls and hearts of the young. It labors with all its might to have complete control of the schools, so that infidelity and atheism may possess the minds and corrupt the hearts of the rising generation. In countries where Freemasonry has not supreme control, its secret and nefarious influence paralyzes the good will and efforts of those who are in power.
With this view of the present condition of affairs before his mind, the Sentinel of the Vatican utters a cry of alarm to the Virgin of the Rosary. As Pius V., three hundred years ago, looked for help to Mary through her Rosary and obtained it, so to-day Leo XIII. expects from the same source of mercy remedies for the evils of our times, efficacious helps to save the Church and with it the world. It is for us to second by our prayers, zeal and virtues the efforts of the Father of the great Catholic family, and to do violence to Heaven by our fervent and frequent supplications to Mary, and thus deliver our Father at the Vatican, the Church and society from the galling yoke of the most malevolent and implacable enemies.
Here we may be permitted to ask: Is history repeating, or is it about to repeat itself? Leo XIII., the Pope of the Rosary, has gone even further than his saintly predecessor, Pius V., in making the Rosary the common and ordinary prayer of the faithful. He has called upon all the Rosary Confraternities of the world to unite with him in gaining Mary over to his side: he has urged the Dominicans to imitate their glorious Father Dominic in banding the faithful into Confraternities of the Rosary. Through his efforts the October devotions have become universal, and he has commanded them to be observed by all until a change for the better has taken place for the Church and her visible Head. He has expressed a wish that the Rosary be daily recited in all Cathedral churches, and on every Sunday and Holy-day in parochial churches. He has most earnestly entreated the faithful to recite daily one part of the Rosary. He has ordained that the invocation "Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us," which previously to his decree was employed only by the Dominican Order and Rosary Confraternities, should be for the future recited in the Litany of Loretto by all the faithful, and he has proclaimed to the world his own hope of victory for the Church over her present powerful enemies in this sublime panegyric of Mary's favorite prayer: "It is well known that this form of prayer is most pleasing to the Blessed Virgin, most efficacious to obtain for each and for all the succors of Heaven, and most powerful to defend the Church and society (Encyclica : Supremi Apostolatus die I. Sept., 1883)."
Again the Pope of the Rosary makes known to the faithful his love of the devotion and his unbounded confidence in it when he says: "Now that the month of October, which we have already commanded to be observed in honor of our Lady of the Rosary is approaching, we earnestly exhort the faithful to attend to the exercises of the month with all possible devotion, piety, and assiduity. We know that a refuge is at hand in the maternal tenderness of the Virgin, and we are certain that we do not place in vain our trust in her. If she has on hundreds of occasions, during the trying periods of the Church's history, manifested her power in behalf of Christendom, why should we doubt that she will not renew these examples of her power and affection, if humble and constant prayers are addressed to her from all portions of the Church? Indeed, we believe that her intervention will be the more wonderful the longer she permits us to be engaged in seeking it (Last Encyclica)." "The Blessed Virgin alone can save us," says Leo XIII., and she will renew the wonders of Lepanto (Said to Father De Baecque, O.P., in an audience with the Pope, 11 Jan., 1889)."
With what affection and devotion does not the present Pope place Jesus and Mary together in the exercises of October? He does this for the purpose of pointing out the most intimate personal relationship still existing between the Mother and the Son, and the importance of invoking both together. The Holy Father commands that Mary's Rosary and Litany be recited either during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or at the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (Encyclica: Supcriore Anno die 30 Aug., 1884)." The Pope points out the propriety of this arrangement. "The necessity of divine assistance is not less today than when St. Dominic introduced Mary's prayer into the world for the purpose of curing society of the deep wounds with which it was then afflicted. That great Saint well understood, being illumined from on high, that no remedy could be more efficacious against the evils of his time than that which would bring men back to Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life, through the frequent remembrance of the mysteries of our Salvation operated by Him, and which would induce them to take for their Advocate with God the Virgin to whom it has been given to crush out all heresies (Encyclica: Supremi Apostolatus, I Sept., 1883)." We may then rest assured that as in the 16th century, during the pontificate of Pius V., the Church was comforted and delivered from her enemies by Mary, so too, it will be in this, the 19th century, by the same all-powerful Advocate. Let us all then be as one with the Father of the faithful in prayer: let us specially sanctify Rosary Sunday and Rosary month. But how? By doing what the Angels of the Rosary and the Noble Sentinel of the Vatican entreat us to do. By reciting often and fervently our Rosary; by playing on the harp that pleases and moves Heaven.
For about a century before the battle of Lepanto the Turks had been spreading dismay all over Christendom, and the year 1571 seemed to them to be the most opportune time to deal out death to Christianity. At that time most of the Christian nations were divided by conflicting interests and weakened by protestantism, whose motto was "the Turks in preference to the Papists." Yes, protestantism, the greatest curse of modern times, the drag-chain on the wheels of Christian progress, did much to embolden the Turks to menace Christendom with indescribable woes.
Pope St. Pius V., a worthy son of the Order of the Rosary, made a public appeal to Heaven and to earth in behalf of the Church and Society. He called upon all the faithful, but especially upon the members of the various Rosary Confraternities of the world to invoke unceasingly with him the aid of the Virgin of the Rosary. For two years previous to the battle of Lepanto all the faithful, but especially Rosarians, earnestly pleaded in behalf of the Church with Mary the Mother of Jesus through the prayer which is so dear to her. In the meantime, the Holy Father succeeded in arousing Spain, Genoa, Venice and the Pontifical States to enter into a holy League against the sworn enemy of Christianity. Humanly speaking, from such an insignificant league there could be but little hope of success for the Christians opposed by such fearful odds. But the Pope, whose prayers the Sultan Soliman II. feared, as he himself declared, far more than the arms of the Christian forces, trusted entirely in the assistance of the Mother of Mercy.
On the 7th of October, 1571, on the Gulf of Lepanto was raised aloft by the Christian fleet the standard of hope--it was the image of the Blessed Virgin, surmounted by a Cross and a Rosary. The soldiers knelt before it for the purpose of venerating the emblem of our salvation and the Image of Mary, and pledged themselves to fight to death for the cause in which they were engaged, God and holy Church. Then the signal for attack was given by the Christian admiral.
Victory was violently disputed and long remained undecided. But the death of Ali-Pasha, the admiral of the Mussulman fleet, spread terror among his soldiers and became the signal of their defeat. The Turkish losses were immense; two hundred vessels were captured by the Christians or sunk beneath the angry waves of Lepanto; twenty-five thousand soldiers were killed; eighteen thousand prisoners were taken and fifteen thousand Christian slaves were liberated from their ignominious bondage; three hundred and seventy-five pieces of cannon and a great number of Standards and other spoils "became the property of the victors. The triumph of the Cross over the Crescent through the power of the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary drove Islamism into Asia, saved forever Christendom from any successful invasion on the part of the Turks, left the seas that had hitherto been infested by Mussulman pirates free, and caused the Christian name to be dreaded by hordes who had until then considered themselves invincible. Michael Cervantes thus writes of the victory: "Ages gone by have seen nothing like unto the battle of Lepanto, nor has our age witnessed anything to compare with it, and in all probability ages to come will never record a more beautiful or glorious triumph for the Church."
But what share had the Rosary in this magnificent triumph? For two years before the battle, we have said, all the Rosary Confraternities of the world and the rest of the faithful were at the feet of Mary asking her assistance through the prayer so dear to her and her Son, the Rosary. The battle took place on the 7th of October, which in 1571 was the first Sunday of the month, the very day on which all the Rosary Confraternities of the Church were making their solemn processions and addressing solemn supplications to Heaven in behalf of the Christian cause.
Whilst the battle was raging, S. Pius V. was treating with the Cardinals assembled at the Vatican on some grave business matters. All of a sudden he withdraws from the meeting, moves towards a window, remains there for some time, his eyes fixed in the direction of Lepanto, and then exclaimed with the accent and look of inspiration: "Let us kneel; let us cease speaking of business matters and think only of rendering thanks to God for the victory He has just given us." The happy news was in due time confirmed, and was received everywhere among Christians with transports of delight, and with a conviction the most intense that the victory was due to the all-powerful intevention of our Lady of the Rosary. From Rome this conviction passed to Venice. The Senate of the City, in letters addressed to the States that had taken part in the Crusade, did not hesitate to express itself in these terms filled with faith and piety: "It was not Generals, nor battalions, nor arms that brought us victory; but it was our Lady of the Rosary." Yes, says a modern historian, the defeat of the Turks was so complete and decisive that the whole Christian world spontaneously attributed it to the Blessed Mother of God, whose Rosary all the faithful were reciting whilst the battle was in progress.
The Holy Pope Pius V. in order to perpetuate the memory of so great an event, instituted under the title of Our Lady of Victory a feast which received later on the appellation which is at present so popular and far more significative, viz. that of Our Lady of the Rosary; and, for the purpose of encouraging the faithful to celebrate it with piety and fruit, he opened in their behalf the treasury of the Church, and drew from it the celebrated indulgence which is at one time called the Toties quoties (a plenary indulgence each time the conditions are complied with), at another time the "Great Pardon of the Rosary" and often the "Dominican Portiuncula." It was then, too, that he added to the Litany of Loretto the invocation "Help of Christians, pray for us."
Notwithstanding the complete discomfiture of the Turks, they, still profiting by the divisions created by that monster of modern times, protestantism, endeavored again and again to crush out the Christian Religion, but the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary showed on every occasion her determination not to allow the infidels to gain the least advantage over the Church. The victories at Corfu, Vienna, Temeswar and Belgrade under the captaincy of Mary were only a prolonged echo of the glorious triumph of the Christians at Lepanto.
But if the Church has nothing now to fear from the Turks, it has other enemies still more powerful, formidable and tyrannical to contend against. Just now the Catholic Religion is much more free along the shores of the Bosphorus than it is on the banks of Seine, Spree or Tiber, where it groans under the oppression of children who have disowned their Mother and have sworn to bring about her destruction. A gigantic anti-Christian conspiracy--its name is Freemasonry--has been formed in the very bosom of the baptized nations. In most of the European countries it has complete control of things, and employs all manner of means to carry out its diabolical ends, sophisms, lies, corruption and violence. Its chief object is to cripple and humiliate the teaching Church, and to eradicate faith and virtue from the souls and hearts of the young. It labors with all its might to have complete control of the schools, so that infidelity and atheism may possess the minds and corrupt the hearts of the rising generation. In countries where Freemasonry has not supreme control, its secret and nefarious influence paralyzes the good will and efforts of those who are in power.
With this view of the present condition of affairs before his mind, the Sentinel of the Vatican utters a cry of alarm to the Virgin of the Rosary. As Pius V., three hundred years ago, looked for help to Mary through her Rosary and obtained it, so to-day Leo XIII. expects from the same source of mercy remedies for the evils of our times, efficacious helps to save the Church and with it the world. It is for us to second by our prayers, zeal and virtues the efforts of the Father of the great Catholic family, and to do violence to Heaven by our fervent and frequent supplications to Mary, and thus deliver our Father at the Vatican, the Church and society from the galling yoke of the most malevolent and implacable enemies.
Here we may be permitted to ask: Is history repeating, or is it about to repeat itself? Leo XIII., the Pope of the Rosary, has gone even further than his saintly predecessor, Pius V., in making the Rosary the common and ordinary prayer of the faithful. He has called upon all the Rosary Confraternities of the world to unite with him in gaining Mary over to his side: he has urged the Dominicans to imitate their glorious Father Dominic in banding the faithful into Confraternities of the Rosary. Through his efforts the October devotions have become universal, and he has commanded them to be observed by all until a change for the better has taken place for the Church and her visible Head. He has expressed a wish that the Rosary be daily recited in all Cathedral churches, and on every Sunday and Holy-day in parochial churches. He has most earnestly entreated the faithful to recite daily one part of the Rosary. He has ordained that the invocation "Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us," which previously to his decree was employed only by the Dominican Order and Rosary Confraternities, should be for the future recited in the Litany of Loretto by all the faithful, and he has proclaimed to the world his own hope of victory for the Church over her present powerful enemies in this sublime panegyric of Mary's favorite prayer: "It is well known that this form of prayer is most pleasing to the Blessed Virgin, most efficacious to obtain for each and for all the succors of Heaven, and most powerful to defend the Church and society (Encyclica : Supremi Apostolatus die I. Sept., 1883)."
Again the Pope of the Rosary makes known to the faithful his love of the devotion and his unbounded confidence in it when he says: "Now that the month of October, which we have already commanded to be observed in honor of our Lady of the Rosary is approaching, we earnestly exhort the faithful to attend to the exercises of the month with all possible devotion, piety, and assiduity. We know that a refuge is at hand in the maternal tenderness of the Virgin, and we are certain that we do not place in vain our trust in her. If she has on hundreds of occasions, during the trying periods of the Church's history, manifested her power in behalf of Christendom, why should we doubt that she will not renew these examples of her power and affection, if humble and constant prayers are addressed to her from all portions of the Church? Indeed, we believe that her intervention will be the more wonderful the longer she permits us to be engaged in seeking it (Last Encyclica)." "The Blessed Virgin alone can save us," says Leo XIII., and she will renew the wonders of Lepanto (Said to Father De Baecque, O.P., in an audience with the Pope, 11 Jan., 1889)."
With what affection and devotion does not the present Pope place Jesus and Mary together in the exercises of October? He does this for the purpose of pointing out the most intimate personal relationship still existing between the Mother and the Son, and the importance of invoking both together. The Holy Father commands that Mary's Rosary and Litany be recited either during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or at the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (Encyclica: Supcriore Anno die 30 Aug., 1884)." The Pope points out the propriety of this arrangement. "The necessity of divine assistance is not less today than when St. Dominic introduced Mary's prayer into the world for the purpose of curing society of the deep wounds with which it was then afflicted. That great Saint well understood, being illumined from on high, that no remedy could be more efficacious against the evils of his time than that which would bring men back to Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life, through the frequent remembrance of the mysteries of our Salvation operated by Him, and which would induce them to take for their Advocate with God the Virgin to whom it has been given to crush out all heresies (Encyclica: Supremi Apostolatus, I Sept., 1883)." We may then rest assured that as in the 16th century, during the pontificate of Pius V., the Church was comforted and delivered from her enemies by Mary, so too, it will be in this, the 19th century, by the same all-powerful Advocate. Let us all then be as one with the Father of the faithful in prayer: let us specially sanctify Rosary Sunday and Rosary month. But how? By doing what the Angels of the Rosary and the Noble Sentinel of the Vatican entreat us to do. By reciting often and fervently our Rosary; by playing on the harp that pleases and moves Heaven.
Friday 29 July 2011
The Rosary in Trinidad and Tobago
By Gloria Boyce
The Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, or the Rosary Confraternity as it is commonly called, was founded in the 13th century by St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order, who under the tutelage of Our Blessed Mother herself, developed the Rosary as we know it today. The Confraternity is specially designated by the Catholic Church for thepropagationof the devotion of theHoly Rosary.
If not the oldest, it is certainly one of the oldest groups in the Catholic in Trinidad and Tobago and was first established in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in 1896 by Fr. Hyacinth Jones, OP. It soon spread into Parishes across the Diocese. In bring the Rosary Confraternity to Trinidad the Dominican Fathers were able not only to foster devotion to our Blessed Lady but also to encourage Confraternity members to recongnise the importance of interceding not only for their own souls but that of the entire universe.
Despite the ancient origin of the Confraternity, all existing groups still adhere to the original Rules laid down by its Founder, St. Dominic. These include attending Holy Mass on the first Sunday of every month as a group, regular weekly and monthly meetings, processions held in held honour of Our Blessed Lady, as well as praying the fifteen decades of the Rosary at least once a week. Meditation on the Mysteries of Rosary is also strongly encouraged as is remembering and praying for the needs of others.
However new activities have also been added in recent times. These include an annual day of Recollection which is held generally in Lent, giving financial help to the needy and visiting the sick. An annual social gathering generally at Christmas is also a common feature today.
For many centuries the Rosary Confraternity enjoyed a membership of men and women, young and old. With the passage of time and the formation of other groups affiliated with the Church, its membership is now comprised mainly of women. However, everyone, especially young people, are welcome to become of the Rosary Confraternity. We are specially interested of the young people ion the members are aged and very soon they will not be able to be very active.
The Confraternity is alive in many parishes in Trinidad and Tobago including Port of Spain, St. Joseph, Arima including, Arouca, Sangre Grande, D'Abadie and Tortuga. It is marvelous to see that this organisation has withstood the test of time. This was only because it was our Blessed Mother herself who initiated this group. Let us continue as members and as a Church to spread this devotion of Our Lady. Our Lady on the other hand will richly bless us for our endeavours and make sure that this devotion last to the end of time.
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