The Holy Rosary – My companion

By Natalie Walters

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Medjugorje for the second time this year: firstly, in May and then in October.

Pilgrims experiencing Medjugorje tell of a remarkable sense of peace that surrounds you in this space.

I must say I feel the same.

Meditating on the mysteries of the most Holy Rosary has made me more aware of the presence of God in all my life.

I can’t make it without being attached to the throne of Grace.

This humble set of beads made a profound impact on my life, becoming my constant companion during a difficult time last year. I nearly lost my second son, who spent over three weeks in the hospital.

Throughout it all, I kept the rosary wrapped around both his hand and mine. I held in my heart the memory of Jesus’ first miracle, which came at the request of His mother, Mary. I believe that Our Lady interceded for my son, and now he is on his path to recovery.

Through the rosary, I feel Our Lady’s constant presence in my life, guiding, protecting, and counseling my family and me. Journeying daily with the rosary reminds me of the empty tomb and the truth that my Jesus is alive. Where my strength ends, My Lady and my Jesus take over.

When I think about the Holy Rosary and what it means to me as a practicing Catholic, I can only smile. I smile because, over time, I have come to realise that the rosary has been my constant companion at every stage and phase of my life.

I also smile because I am Catholic and proud. Being Catholic means that I have firsthand access to ALL the wonderful gifts that the Church offers – including the Holy Rosary.

Growing up in the Catholic faith, I must admit that the rosary was not something we practiced a lot at home but, as a young child in my parish of our Lady of Mt Carmel in Carapichaima, saying, or reciting the Holy Rosary was a routine act before Holy Mass. However, when I think about the impact of the rosary on my life, some 30-something years after, I can safely and confidently say that I now “pray” the rosary. It is part of my daily prayer time because if I don’t say it, I often feel a sense of incompleteness in my prayer.

The Catholic Church has so many gifts to offer us, and for me, the Holy Rosary is the centerpiece of our faith. There are countless instances and experiences I can share about how miraculous praying the Holy Rosary has been. Let me begin by saying that we must never doubt the power of the Holy Rosary, even to non-Catholics. On several occasions in my life, I’ve been asked to pray with persons – non-Catholics – on their dying beds and I would always take the opportunity to pray a decade of the rosary and leave the chaplet with such person. Once, when I prayed with an aged family friend, Mr Headly, who was on his last, I left him with the chaplet in his hands. The next time I visited him, he was wearing it and told me how much comfort it brought him.

He also swore that he received healing from it. A couple of months after that, Mr Headly passed away and when I attended his funeral, I was pleased to see that he was wearing his chaplet necklace in the coffin. His wife indicated that it was his wish to

have it around his neck when he died ( remember he was not a Catholic).

Another time, I remembered that I was in the office late one evening and there was an earthquake; the building was shaking and everyone ran for cover. I boldly stood up and recited the rosary. The level of calm and stability that came upon me and those in the room was incredible.

Another special memory of the rosary for me, was when my husband and I received the Fatima statue for one month in our home, and friends and church community would come over and recite the rosary with us. This was reciprocated many times as we too, were able to share and pray the Rosary with many other families – in community and reflect on the many miracles which Mary and the Rosary prayer brought to us. This was a tremendously special period in our family life and marriage because we were able to witness many blessings and answered prayers from the experience.

I make the rosary a crucial part of my everyday life. I pray that prayer every day and receive comfort in knowing that whatever challenges I may face in my life, Mary will handle it. God in His goodness ALWAYS works it out. Because of my relationship with His mother through praying the rosary, I can be assured that my prayers will be answered and I will always receive God’s favour and endless blessings.

As Catholics, I believe that it is important for us to pray the Rosary during May and October – especially because it is during this time, that our Holy Mother’s appearances are most prominent. In addition to the normal rosary I now include the inter-generational rosary into my prayer life.

I pray that you will let the Rosary be your source of comfort and companion too.