Christian Raquepo, top center, leads the rosary and night prayer on Zoom. (Screenshot courtesy of Christian Raquepo)
By Christian Raquepo
Special to the Herald
“I am the Lady of the Rosary. Continue to pray the Rosary every day.” (Our Lady of Fatima, Oct. 13, 1917)
Unable to gather at the homes of parishioners of the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa to pray the rosary accompanied by a pilgrim statue of Our Lady because of pandemic safety protocol, Sister Mercedita “Mercy” Estrella of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, organized nightly family rosaries via Zoom, the online meeting application, in October 2020. By the grace of God, it has continued.
With a year gone by, we recognized three things:
- The power of technology unites us.
- A simple prayer can be prayed in a multitude of ways.
- Prayer in common helps us grow in our spiritual life.
The unifying spirit of technology
Starting with members of ministries and organizations of the co-cathedral, we graciously extended our invitation to pray the rosary and night prayer to St. Theresa School faculty and staff, Damien Memorial students and teachers, Legionaries of Mary, parishioners from other churches, islands, states, and even to other countries: ultimately, to the world over.
We started using social media to upload recorded prayer meetings and were soon livestreaming our evening prayers. By providing these alternative means of joining our prayers, as well as posting prayers, sacred images, and invitations to our prayers, we have reached more than 5,000 people, many of whom are from the Philippines.
Simple prayers said in different ways
Similarly, from the start, we adapted our rosaries to celebrate the liturgical seasons, different devotions, and various occasions and events. Some prayer leaders add reflections at the start of each decade, expanding and deepening our meditation. Others direct the rosary toward a specific intention. These creative ways of praying the Holy Rosary spark holy thoughts and images in our imagination, thinking of “the things that are above” (Colossians 3:2), moving our hearts to pray for particular intentions.
Deepening the ocean of our spiritual life
We deepen our desire to know, love and serve God, simply and initially, not through intense prayer, but by consistent prayer, “the oxygen of the soul” as St. Padre Pio calls it, our life source and connection with the Lord. We find greater growth in our spiritual lives when we come together, uniting as children of Our Blessed Mother, knowing the promise of Our Lord, Jesus: “For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them!” (Matthew 18:20).
Coming together for prayer at the appointed place and time, with mostly the same people, is like individual streams of graces emptying out to create one vast, immeasurable ocean of love and mercy.
With the convenience of being able to join in prayer from the comfort of home at the end of a long day, our group is a prayer answered in itself.
“I was searching for a group that will pray together and my prayers were answered when Christian formed rosary and night prayer 9495,” said “Auntie” Cecilia Morita.
Arimathea Bennett said, “The twice a week where we join in prayer creates a beautiful community that is truly a gift from God.”
“Ninang” Sally Mejia is “thankful for our Wednesday and Friday night prayers, to be with a group of friends to recite the rosary regularly. It gives me joy and deepens my faith as I meditate on the life of Jesus through this devotion.”
When I was a student at St. Theresa School, I remember asking my classmate why Catholics “worship” Mary. This inquiry of faith was answered when I realized the beauty of the memorized prayers we Catholics recite, which make up most of the holy rosary, and the biblical roots of veneration of Mother Mary. It was at that moment that I gave my “fiat” to be fully initiated as a Roman Catholic, receiving the three sacraments of initiation at Easter Vigil 2019, and becoming a son of Mary!
“If you want salvation, promote the Rosary.” (Blessed Carlo Acutis)
After this major conversion in my life, praying the rosary and meditating on the mysteries contained in it has become a defining devotion of mine, rekindled time and time again. Mother Mary is ever persistent in the propagation of her holy rosary. She uses this pandemic to speedily share the meditation of the life of her son.
Leading our Wednesday and Friday rosary and night prayers is my way of sharing my time and my talents and, likewise, my love and devotion for Our Blessed Mother, who has radically changed my life for the better.
Anyone and everyone are welcome to join our Wednesday and Friday rosary and night prayer. Just email me at rosaryandnightprayer9495@gmail.com.
TOTUS TUUS, MARIA! Totally yours, Mary!
Raquepo is a member of Damien Memorial School’s Students for Life and a parishioner at the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa.
