Teach Them to Pray the Family Rosary

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ • St. Josaphat Formation Center, Phoenix, AZ

August 22nd is the anniversary celebration of the Founding of the Missionaries of Charity and each year the Sisters make a three day Triduum to prepare spiritually for it. I had the great privilege to be asked to offer reflections during those three days and to celebrate the Solemn Mass on the anniversary. Preparation for the reflections and the Mass were as beneficial for me as I hope they were for the Sisters. Since October is the Month of the Holy Rosary as celebrated by the Church, and in a special way, by the Missionaries of Charity, I learned something about the importance of the Rosary that I would like to share.

In 1947 Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta) had a three-fold vision as a culmination to one and one half years of revelations from our Lord on the specifics of the work He was calling her to do. The vision included the anguished poor that she was to serve, the Blessed Mother, and our Lord on the Cross. The poor were asking Mother to accept the work our Lord was calling her to do – especially to bring Him to them and them to Him. Our Lady also asked her to accept this work along with strong reassurances of her help. And finally, our Lord on the Cross asked her in the name of all three if she would accept. We know the answer she gave. The Missionaries of Charity continue to grow as a Religious Order in the Church as well as a powerful force in the World for the service of the poor, the vulnerable, and the spiritually poor. 

Mother Teresa faced an enormous task as presented in the vision and in the reality of the severe need and abject poverty that surrounded her in Calcutta. In the vision, it was a very large crowd of poor people of every kind, young and old, materially and spiritually poor. In their midst was Jesus on the Cross, but He was there unnoticed by the crowd over whom hung a dark cloud. Our Lady was near Mother Teresa and light came into the darkness from our Lady. Our Lady, who was supporting Mother, said: “Take care of them – they are mine. Bring them to Jesus – carry Jesus to them.” Then she said: “Fear not. Teach them to say the Rosary – the family Rosary – and all will be well.” 

What strikes me so much here is that, in the face of such an enormous challenge, Mother is given one tool, one means by which “all will be well” – the Rosary – the family Rosary! 

We face huge challenges in the World today and in the Church itself. The complexity and enormity of the problems seem so overwhelming, even a Bishop wrote that he was tempted to despair – albeit momentarily. Yet we have a very powerful solution. Pray the Rosary everyday. Pray the Family Rosary!

The Third level of Faith that is indispensable for believers is that this Power and Goodness of God is directed towards ME. It is not just for everyone in general, but I have to believe that God loves me and does all He can for my good – physically and spiritually. This is where the rubber meets the road, if you will – with Faith in God! My father’s 90 years of life with countless blessings (as well as many difficulties overcome or still to come) were evidence of this. My Dad’s great gift to us after helping to bring us into this world was passing on the gift of Faith. We gave thanks to God.