Prayer bead-wielding Catholics throughout the Baltimore-metropolitan area will participate in a series of individual rosary rallies Oct. 13 in honor of the 90th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima’s apparition and to promote peace by prayer.
At least nine different high-visibility locations will have organized groups reciting the rosary on the anniversary of when three children reported the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to them in the Portuguese town of Fatima on the 13th of each month, six months in a row, from May to October in 1917.
Most of the nine rosary rallies will be held between noon and 2 p.m. Oct. 13 – with the exception of sites in Essex and Westminster, which will begin at 1 p.m.
“It’s going to be a beautiful thing,” said Jacqueline D. Phillips, who attends both Immaculate Conception, Towson, and St. John the Evangelist, Hydes, an organizer of the rosary rally at Hunt Valley Town Center Square. “This is not a protest. It’s a rally for peace. Peace in our world, in our nation, in our culture and in our lives. Mother Mary says ‘you shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary.’”
Sponsored by the Spring Grove, Pa.-based American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, rosary rallies are expected to take place at more than 1,000 sites nationwide Oct. 13.
Organizers of each event hope people passing by their highly visible locations will join them in prayer in an effort to bring worldwide peace, said Jacqueline Wesolowski of Joppa, who is organizing the rosary rally in front of the Blessed Mother statue at St. Stephen, Bradshaw.
“We’re also putting out a box for people to place their personal intentions,” Ms. Wesolowski said. “Along with praying for peace in America, they should be praying for their worries too.”
Church of the Good Shepherd, Glen Burnie, parishioner Valerie Hilton is hoping to attract enough participants to hold up a banner at the corner of Ritchie Highway and Ordnance Road, in addition to holding their prayer beads.
The banner will read “Our Lady of Fatima 90th Anniversary. Pray with us for America. In 1917 Our Lady appeared at Fatima, Portugal to ask mankind to stop offending God, otherwise he would punish the world. 90 years later, the offenses multiply. Abortion. Pornography. Sins against nature…”
“I’m a very strict Catholic,” Ms. Hilton said. “I don’t expect everyone to agree with my views, but I would like for people to pray with me during this very special day.”
The following is a list of known organized rosary rallies in the Baltimore-metropolitan area.
Reisterstown
Location: 12039 Reisterstown Road (In front of Hannah More)
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
Day: Oct. 13
Annapolis
Location: 929 West St.
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
Bel Air
Location: Route 24 and Ring Factory Road
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
Essex
Location: The Lighthouse Senior Living at 1813 Old Eastern Ave.
Time: 1 p.m.
Baltimore
Location: Broadway and Bank Streets near St. Patrick
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
Westminster
Location: Route 27 and Main Street
Time: 1 p.m.
Bradshaw
Location: St. Stephen at 8030 Bradshaw Road
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
Hunt Valley
Location: Hunt Valley Town Center Square
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
*10 a.m. Mass at the Catholic Community of St Francis Xavier, Hunt Valley, prior to the rally
Glen Burnie
Location: Ritchie Highway and Ordnance Road (In front of Walgreens)
Time: Noon-2 p.m.
“It’s about hope and peace,” Ms. Phillips said. “Mother Mary asked for prayer and penance. The rosary is the prayer. Praying in public is a real penance. The greatest method of prayer is reciting the rosary. It shows hope that God is in control of our mind, body and soul.”