October is the Month of the Rosary

Although I was raised Catholic, and attended Catholic grade school and high school, I don't believe I ever truly appreciated the beauty of the Holy Rosary.  I remember that, on Good Friday, we would gather together and say the Rosary.  Other than that, I remember receiving a beautiful rosary with Aurora Borealis crystals for my First Holy Communion.

As an adult, as I became responsible for my children's Catholicism, I grew to appreciate the meditative quality of the Holy Rosary.   In fact, I joined the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, along with my two youngest, whom I homeschooled.  We said the Rosary daily before we started classes, and when 9-11 happened, they knew to turn to the Rosary for comfort in their hour of need.  As we all struggled with a world that was forever changed, there was solace in reciting those prayers and settling into the soothing rhythm. 

When faced with losing the most important person in the world to me, my Father, I led my family in reciting the Rosary at his bedside for hours.  We were waiting for the arrival of my brother and his family and I held my Dad's hand for many hours, my arm cramped and numb, but I felt as though he was only being held here with that bond and I couldn't afford to break it.  As we prayed one set of mysteries after the other I remember the looks from others in the room as they would hear me announce each mystery, or say a prayer with which they weren't familiar.  It was as though I'd been practicing for this moment for years, and I didn't fall to pieces.  I reminded myself of how blessed I was to be given this opportunity to be there and to pray his soul into Christ's arms.

That was eleven years ago Oct. 1, 2002, and I cannot think of that night without remembering the power of the Rosary.  My brother was gifted with the time to say his "goodbyes" and his passing was peaceful.  I continue my devotion to the Blessed Mother on the 1st of October by putting a vase of 53 blooms on her altar, one for each of the Hail Marys prayed in the Rosary.

October is the month of the Holy Rosary and each year it begins for me by remembering how it was an invaluable blessing in helping me say "goodbye" to my Father.