The Association’s annual Rosary Octave of Prayer will begin Monday, October 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Saint Pius V established this feast in 1573 in gratitude for the triumph of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto. That victory was credited to the overwhelming response of the faithful, who heeded the Pope’s plea to recite the Rosary.

Pope Francis has encouraged the faithful to pray the Rosary, “which has nourished the faith of the Christian people through the centuries … The recitation of the Rosary is the most beautiful prayer we can offer to the Virgin Mary; it is a contemplation on the stages of the life of Jesus the Savior with his Mother and is a weapon that protects us from evils and temptations.”

The Blessed Virgin has urged praying the Rosary as a means of restoring peace in the face of war, oppression, and social injustice.  You are invited to join AMM members in reciting five mysteries of the Rosary daily for eight days. Send your intentions to be remembered in prayer throughout the octave at Our Lady’s Shrine. You may also request Votive Lights to burn for your needs –– or as a gift of gratitude for favors Our Lady has already obtained for you and those you love.