CV NEWS FEED // The Dominicans have laid the groundwork. They have prayed the rosary. All they need now are the people.
The Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph are setting out to invite people from across the country to join in the first Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage.
The pilgrimage will be held on September 30 at the National Basilica in Washington, DC, and will feature a variety of speakers, mass, hours of confession, and, of course, the rosary.
Organizers took inspiration from Dominicans in France who lead a rosary pilgrimage every year: the perfect way to kick off the month of the rosary.
The Dominican order has a deep devotion to the rosary that began when the Blessed Virgin Mary gave the rosary to their founder, St. Dominic de Guzman.
“We thought this would be a wonderful thing to share with the Church in the United States on the vigil of October, which is the month of the rosary,” said Fr. John Paul Kern, spokesperson for the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, in an interview with CatholicVote. “The rosary is a timeless thing, but it is particularly empathetic when there is a challenge… and the United States is facing a lot of challenges right now.”
In preparation for the pilgrimage, the Domincians have been praying a nine-month rosary novena. The laity is invited to join in praying the novena at any time, and video and article resources are provided on the pilgrimage’s website.
“During this spiritual phase, we are journeying with each other wherever they are in the country. This spiritual phase is in preparation for the pilgrimage when we are all together at the National Shrine,” said Kern.
The pilgrimage comes as another major evangelization effort is underway in the United States: the National Eucharistic Revival. While the organizers of the rosary pilgrimage did not intentionally plan for the two to coincide, they view them as deeply intertwined.
“I think it is providential that the pilgrimage is occurring during the National Eucharistic Revival because there is obviously a real close link between Our Lady and her son, Jesus Christ,” said Kern. “The graces from praying the rosary can really open our hearts to being able to receive what Jesus desires to give us when we receive the Eucharist.”
The Dominicans hope that through the pilgrimage and novena, all participants will grow closer to Jesus through Our Lady and deepen the theological virtues in their daily lives.
“When we pray the rosary, we particularly pray for an increase in faith, hope, and charity, which unite us more closely with Christ and with others in our daily lives,” said Kern.
Groups and individuals from across the country have already signed up for the event. For more information and to register, visit this link. The Dominicans encourage everyone to join, as the rosary acts as a perfect remedy for the division and confusion that our country is experiencing.
“In our age, there’s so much confusion and division,” said Kern. “But Our Lady, as a good mother, has a special way of really gathering all of her children together and leading us close to Jesus. We believe that this pilgrimage will help to bring the Church together and closer to Jesus.”
