SCRANTON – In a world filled with noise and distractions, Nancy Layo finds peace and comfort in praying the rosary.
“I feel like I’m holding onto Mary’s hand when I’m praying the rosary,” Layo said. “It keeps me connected to God through Mary.”
The same is true for Ann Laird.
“For me, it has provided a sense of calm, a sense of purpose, and I feel much closer to our Lord through the Blessed Mother,” Laird added.
Both Layo and Laird, who are parishioners and members of the worship team at Mary, Mother of God Parish in North Scranton, have dedicated their Friday mornings this month to praying the rosary with fellow parishioners in their church.
“It is good for us to say our own prayers but for us to get together and pray is also powerful,” Layo said.
The Catholic Church dedicates the month of October to the Holy Rosary. This year, this month takes on added significance because parishes in the Diocese of Scranton are participating in a Rosary Crusade, leading up to a large Rosary Rally that will take place on Nov. 16, 2024, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Scranton.
The Rosary Crusade, which is now underway, will look different in each parish. Some will celebrate Mass or schedule a special Holy Hour for the intention of an increase in family prayer. Others will have parishioners gather more often to recite the rosary – or ask families to sign a pledge card to recite the rosary as a family.
“We’re excited because there are so many beautiful things about the rosary. It is such a common, uniting element that we have in our faith,” Mary Hallman, Diocesan Secretary for Parish Life, explained. “The whole purpose of the (Rosary) Crusade is for families to pray more.”
The Rosary Rally planned for Nov. 16 is being held to commemorate the first Rosary Rally held by Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C., in the United States seventy-five years ago. That 1949 rally was held in Scranton and brought together 50,000 people.
Father Peyton devoted his priestly life to spreading devotion to Mary and encouraging family prayer, especially the rosary. He used radio, television, and film, and 540 Rosary Rallies worldwide to accomplish his mission.
“He harnessed the media and look at where we are today. We have ways to pray the rosary that he could have never imagined. There are apps for it. You can go online. One of my personal favorite things is I go on YouTube, and I can hear the voice of Father Peyton and pray the rosary along with him, just like people did all those years ago,” Hallman said.
Father Peyton, whose cause for sainthood was officially opened in 2001, has a connection to Scranton. After immigrating to the United States, a young Peyton served as the janitor for the Cathedral of Saint Peter before answering the call to the priesthood.
The Rosary Rally planned for Nov. 16 is open to everyone. There will be a special emphasis on getting families to attend together. There will be many special events taking place, including book signings, a screening of the movie ‘Pray,’ Eucharistic Adoration and a reflection on Mary using the artwork of the Cathedral of Saint Peter.
The centerpiece of the Rosary Rally will take place at 1:30 p.m. when all in attendance will recite the rosary together.
“We’re asking people to come together in the same spirit as they did with Father Peyton,” Hallman excitedly stated.
Whether you’re a lifelong devotee or have never picked up a rosary, Father Cyril Edwards, pastor, Mary, Mother of God Parish in Scranton, believes the Rosary Rally will be an opportunity for people to learn, grow, and experience the beauty of communal prayer. Together, he believes participants will lift their voices to heaven and draw closer to God.
“There is plenty to pray for,” the longtime pastor said.
For more information on the Rosary Rally that will take place on Nov. 16, visit the Diocese of Scranton website at dioceseofscranton.org.