Sub tuum praesidium confugimus, Sancta Dei genitrix.
by Rev. Jose Mayo, OFMCap
We fly to thy protection, O Holy Mother of God. For the month of May, the Church - the mystical body of Christ - shall rush as a child does to her mother in this time of pain and suffering.
Heeding the "heartfelt wish" of the Holy Father, a rosary will be offered each day of the month from a different Marian shrine all over the world, organized by the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. The whole Church is enjoined to lift up rosaries to heaven as spiritual petals offered for she who is Health of the Sick along with fervent requests for "the end of the pandemic and the resumption of social and work activities".
While "every Shrine around the world is invited to pray, in the language and manner used locally", official channels of the Holy See will broadcast these daily rosaries everyday at 6:00 p.m. Rome time (12 midnight Manila).
Photo from Paulines Publications Africa
OUR LADY OF GOOD VOYAGE, ANTIPOLO CATHEDRAL
The Philippines will be joining this Marian rosary marathon on May 7 as the whole Church prays to Mary from the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, also known as the Antipolo Cathedral, the Philippines' oldest national shrine. Incidentally, this event is also close to Filipino popular religiosity: May is when Filipinos celebrate the Flores de Mayo, when flowers are offered to Mary out of love and devotion.
ROSARY FROM LOURDES SCHOOL OF MANDALUYONG
While some of us may not be able to join the rosaries real-time as the schedule falls at midnight in the Philippines, all are enjoined to offer a rosary everyday anyway in communion with this prayer marathon. Locally, one group is already organizing a solidarity prayer marathon in communion with the event. Lourdes School of Mandaluyong with the Inter-Franciscan Commission on Youth-Philippines is creating a space for people to pray rosaries together online every 9pm, Philippine time.
All may join them through a live-streamed feed at the Lourdes School of Mandaluyong YouTube channel <www.youtube.com/LourdesSchoolOfMandaluyong>, the IFCYP Facebook page <www.facebook.com/IFCYPH>, or directly in Zoom by registering at bit.ly/SolidarityRosary.
DELIVER US FROM ALL DANGERS
It is now more urgent that we are all united in prayer for our liberation from this scourge.
In this time of pandemic, as her children, let us rush to Mary with hearts that echo the supplication of that most ancient prayer to her:
Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus nostris, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin. Amen.
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