In response to Pope Francis’ call to Catholics to pray the rosary, Knights and their families are invited to participate in the daily recitation of the rosary broadcast from the Saint John Paul II National Shrine.
During the month of May when Catholics honor Mary in a special way, Pope Francis has invited the faithful to unite in praying the rosary. In an April 25 letter, the Pope encouraged families in particular “to rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May.”
Knights of Columbus are invited to join with their families in participating in a recitation of the rosary broadcast daily from the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, D.C. The shrine’s chaplain and the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy will offer the rosary daily, uniting Knights and their intentions, especially for an end to the coronavirus pandemic, in prayerful union with Pope Francis. The devotions will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook at 8 p.m. EDT each day during May. Prayer petitions can be submitted as comments on YouTube and Facebook , and will be remembered in prayer at the shrine. In addition, an email address has also been created for prayer intentions: PrayerRequests@JP2Shrine.org.
The Order also has produced a free, printable leaflet, to follow along the prayers recited during the broadcasts. It includes the two additional prayers which the pope said “that I myself will pray in the month of May, in spiritual union with all of you.”
Praying the rosary together, the Holy Father says, is an effective way to grow in faith and contend with the current pandemic: “Contemplating the face of Christ with the heart of Mary our Mother will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial.”
The Knights of Columbus offers many additional faith resources for members and families.