October is the Month of the Holy Rosary. Tomorrow, October 10, the second Saturday of October, Rosary Rallies will be held across the country. Our Rosary Rally will be at Noon (our normal Mass time) outside in front of the friars’ house (St. Joseph Friary)—the former rectory. (It is left of St. Joseph Chapel as you face the front.) Mass will follow. Thus, Mass will begin around 12:30 pm. The Rosary will also be prayed INSIDE at Noon for those who cannot or do not wish to join us outside.
The Feast of St. Carlo Acutis is Monday, October 12 (Columbus Day). This week we will offer FREE blessed holy cards of the saint so you can have them in time for this feast.
We leave for the Holy Land on October 12 and return October 23. The SHRINE WILL BE OPEN AS NORMAL, with nothing changing in all we do.
There will be no Evening of Reparation this month (which would fall on the Third Monday, October 19).
I will preach on Rosary at all the Masses at St. Anastasia Parish, Troy, this weekend. Masses are the following: Saturday: 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm (Spanish) (yes, my homily will be read in Spanish). Sunday: 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
The ROSARY ELECTION PLEDGE can sway an election as the Midterm Elections approach. We are close to 100 pledges! The Rosary today has a “new efficacy” (Sr. Lucia) by the grace of Our Lady. Sister Lucia said “There is no problem that can’t be solved by the Rosary” as it steals souls from Satan and binds & casts out demons. That said, the November 3 elections are fast approaching. Prayer is needed to implore God for leaders who, while certainly not perfect, are the most acceptable to Him. GOD CAN DECIDE. Many of us pray a daily Rosary and some pray one or more throughout the week. I am asking those who pray a daily Rosary to pledge an EXTRA Rosary for elections all across America so God will choose the political candidate most pleasing to Him. (YOU CAN MAKE OTHER PERSONAL PRAYER COMMITMENTS ON YOUR OWN, OF COURSE.) If you do not pray a daily Rosary, please consider praying a daily Rosary (as Our Lady requested at all 6 apparitions at the 1917 apparitions at Fatima) and simply including the elections as one of your intentions. To MAKE YOUR PLEDGE, you need only provide your name—nothing else. Please contact Margaret Williams (cell/text: 315-420-0711 or email: margo0767@yahoo.com) and simply give your name. May we humbly be “One Nation Under God” and so be a blessing to humanity. Little fliers are available with this information at the shrine or could be emailed to you. Do increase your prayer, whatever type of prayer you choose.
To communicate with me, please call/text me at (313) 727-9784 or email me abunacalcio1982@gmail.com. Our Lady of the Rosary & St. Carlo Acutis, pray for us!
In Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries