DIXON-Catholics devoted to Our Lady of Good Counsel came from throughout the Rockford Diocese to say the International Living Rosary before a framed portrait of the Madonna and Child Jesus here Aug. 16.
Most took turns “being a bead,” by saying a Hail Mary in the language of his or her choice, including English, French, Spanish, and Polish signifying the international popularity of the rosary.
The service, originally planned to be held in a public park, and reciting the Glorious Mysteries because of the closeness of the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, moved into St. Patrick Church to escape the 90-degree temperature. The church provided a cool venue for the 26th annual prayer service, which attracted about 50 people.
“They are from throughout the entire Diocese of Rockford, and any age can participate. Everyone is welcome,” said Josie Whaley, president of the Rockford Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, which sponsored the event together with the Dixon Catholic Women’s Club.
Jean Gornik, of Dixon, recited the Hail Mary in French. Her ancestry is part French Canadian.
“It’s universal,” Gornik said of the Rosary.
Ken Kostrzewski and his mother, Grace, came from Machesney Park. The Rosary is important, he said. “Somebody’s got to do it, and we enjoy going to different churches in the diocese. This is the tenth one we’ve attended,” he said.
His mother studied Polish as a girl in Chicago, and recited the Hail Mary in Polish. She said she has prayed countless numbers of rosaries in her lifetime, including ten International Living Rosaries (ILR).
“I don’t want to miss these. It’s really something when you see all of these different people,” she said.
As those present meditated on the glorious events of Christ’s life, Whaley moved through the crowd with a microphone so everyone could hear each prayer and follow along.
Joey Sagel, the cantor at St. Patrick provided music, including the hymn “Holy Mary, Gentle Woman,” and, “On This Day Oh Beautiful Mother.”
St. Patrick Pastor the Rev. Fr. Bernard Sehr, and Monsignor Thomas Dzielak, of Rock Falls, the spiritual advisor to the RDCCW, also attended.
Rev. Sehr said the ILR is very important. “It’s a wonderfully rich traditional. Our Lady of Good Counsel goes all the way back to barbarians invading Italy, before the thirteenth century. At one point the Albigensian heresy occurred in Southern France and they were destroying and pillaging large areas. A monastery begged them not destroy the church. Some of the barbarians came and slashed the painting of Our Lady of Good Counsel, but they immediately fell dead. The painting was not damaged. Our Lady healed it,” he said.
“It is a constant reminder to us that we have a tremendous resource in Our Lady, who wants to build us up in all things,” Rev. Sehr said.
The ILR began 26 years ago at Marmion Abbey, in Aurora, and was held outside beside a pool on the grounds, Monsignor Dzielak added. “We decided we should move it around the Rockford diocese.”
German and African Languages as well as Latin have also been used at some of the ILR gatherings, he said, and the prayers recited during the rosary are essentially taken directly from Scripture, such as the Our Father and the Hail Mary.
Catholic tradition teaches that The Blessed Virgin gave St. Dominic de Guzman, (1170-1221) the rosary as a tool to combat the upheaval of faith which was characteristic of his time.
According to the Association for Catechumenal Ministry, between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, the rosary became an important part of the prayer life of the faithful, and continues to be important, second only to the liturgical prayer of the Church, which centers on the Holy Mass.