October the Month of the Rosary

The month of October each year is a time identified by the Church as a time to celebrate and pray the Rosary. This is primarily due to the fact that the liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7. It was instituted to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary in gratitude for the protection that she gives the Church.

Legend tells us that the Rosary as a form of prayer was given to St. Dominic (1170-1221) by Mary, the Mother of Our Lord.

In the Middle Ages it came into being in various medieval monasteries as a substitute for the Divine Office for the lay monks and devout lay persons who did not know how to read. Instead of the 150 psalms, they would pray 150 "Our Fathers" counting them on a ring of beads known as the crown or "corona." With the growth of popularity of Marian devotion in the twelfth century, the "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary" developed now substituting 150 "Hail Marys" in place of the "Our Fathers."

The 150 "Hail Marys" were subsequently subdivided into fifteen decades by the young Dominican friar, Henry Kalkar (1328-1408), with each decade referring to an event in the life of Jesus and Mary. The Dominican, Alanus de Rupe (1428-1478) further divided the episodes in the history of salvation into the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries. He also attributed the origin of the Rosary, then known as the "Psalter of the Blessed Virgin".

As I was growing up the Rosary was a prayer devotion used by many Australian families.

October is also Mission Month and this year the Missions have incorporated a focus on the Rosary. The school, as always will be celebrating these events in the Church's liturgical year.

Yours faithfully,

Anne Staines

Principal