This month of October always has a special beauty. There is still a little of the warm air left and the leaves, at least for a short time, will be at their most splendid color. 

 

From the standpoint of our Catholic faith, October also has special meaning. It is, in the Catholic tradition, the month of the rosary and it has also been designated by the bishops of the United States as Respect Life Month. Both of these titles are important.

 

The rosary was not the result of any one person’s creation or a private revelation. Rather, it emerged over time from the faith and practice of believers. It is centered on Jesus and Mary both in this life and in heaven itself. But most especially it is rooted in the Gospels. 

 

Anyone can use the rosary to reflect on any aspect of faith or any Scripture passage. But classically, the recitation of the rosary concentrates on the Joyful Mysteries of Jesus’s early years, the Sorrowful Mysteries of His passion, and the Glorious Mysteries of the Resurrection and Ascension. The recitation of the rosary is, therefore, a constant review of our faith which draws us closer to Jesus and to Mary.

 

We celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on Oct. 7 each year. That feast was established after Pope Pius V urged the praying of the rosary to accompany the Christian fleet which was victorious over the ships of the Ottoman Empire threatening Christian Europe.

 

Highlighting October as Respect Life Month serves as a call to review and renew our commitment to honor the dignity of God’s gift of human life. It has a particular emphasis on the child in the womb because of the national tragedy in our country where more than 60 million children have been aborted since abortion was legalized in 1973. But we are called to respect the gift of life at every moment of every person’s time on earth.

 

This year, the confluence of the months of the rosary and Respect Life has a special importance. In the months following the Supreme Court decision last June that overturned the federal legislation that legalized abortion, much debate about respecting the life of the unborn has taken place. Often it has been confused and even tragic, especially in our political discussions.

 

This is a time for us, as Catholics, to witness to the truth. The child in the womb is already a human person, loved by God and gifted with the same human life as our own. In this Land of the Free, our leaders and legislators must protect that precious gift on our behalf.

 

Please join me in praying the rosary, with its special connection to the gift of life, especially during this time before our next election, for an end to abortion. We should ask for the grace of love and charity and forgiveness for those who have undergone abortions.

 

Most especially we should pray for strong and public witness to the sanctity of human life. That includes the wisdom and courage to demonstrate that the protection of the unborn is a paramount legislative issue. Further, in love and charity we should pray for the conversion of the hearts and souls of our leaders and our politicians, especially any who might profess the Catholic faith while supporting the taking of the life of the unborn.

 

The rosary leads us to faith, love and courage, in imitation of Mary as she followed Jesus. What a great prayer and consolation is the rosary. It also makes October to be a very special and important month.