After returning to the Church when I was 19, having been away during my rebellious teens, I was suddenly all in. I wanted to learn as much as I could about God and our beautiful faith. This was around 1990, before widespread personal use of the internet was available. There was no Catholic goods store nearby. I would overhear my grandmother’s friends say to her, “Would you call your nephew Frankie and ask him to get me some Saint Christopher medals?” Or a Bible, some holy cards, or … a rosary.
I had never met Frankie. He was this elusive figure in my family. I knew very little about him except that he was my mom’s first cousin, he lived in South Philadelphia and he could get religious stuff for people.
One night, I was sleeping over at my grandmother’s house. We were sitting on her bed watching a movie when Frankie called. She started telling him all about me and added, “She goes to church every Sunday, and she’s even reading the Bible!” Frankie said, “Put her on the phone, Aunt Anne.”
Frankie and I talked awhile. He was very kind and encouraged me in my faith after I told him I had just started going back to church. He then asked if I had a rosary. I told him I didn’t, but that I always wanted one. He promised he would send one to me.
When the rosary arrived, it came with a note and a pamphlet on how to pray the rosary. In the note, Frankie encouraged me to pray the rosary – even if I just started out by praying one decade a day (one Our Father and 10 Hail Marys). I started praying a five-decade rosary every day and it’s been one of my favorite devotions ever since.
Frankie and I began a wonderful friendship in which we would get together for Mass and then a meal. He taught me much about the faith and was so proud when I entered religious life. Frankie passed away seven years ago, and I often reflect on how he invited me to participate in this devotion. It was a simple invite – never with force or pressure – and it led to a lifelong devotion. I still have the pamphlet he gave me; it is very worn. For each decade, there is a prayer for a particular grace. For example, for the second Joyful Mystery, the Visitation of Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, the grace prayer says, “Please give me the grace to bring Christ to my brothers and sisters.” I still have each one of these grace prayers memorized.
October is the Month of the Rosary. Is there anyone in your life with whom you would like to share this devotion? The next time you pray the rosary, pray for the intention of knowing who that might be. Through Mary’s prayers, God will put that person on your mind and in your heart. You never know, it may lead that person to a lifelong devotion, too!
Have you always wanted to pray the rosary, but don’t know how? You can find a quick and simple guide on how to do so by visiting the link newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf. There are many others that you can find on the internet as well as many apps to help you pray. The rosary is a wonderful way to grow closer to Jesus and Mary by reflecting on the different periods of their lives called the “mysteries.” I must warn you though, once you start praying the rosary, your life will never be the same. Mine hasn’t been, but I wouldn’t want it any other way!
Sister M. Emily Vincent Rebalsky, IHM, is the program director at Villa Maria by the Sea Retreat Center, Stone Harbor. For more information about retreats at Villa Maria by the Sea, visit VMbytheSea.com. For information about discerning a vocation with the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Malvern, Pa., visit ihmimmaculata.org.
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