Parish Events
Giving Tree
The First Sunday of Advent kicks off the parish's annual program which helps disadvantaged families have a merry Christmas. Parishioners and friends are invited to take a paper ornament from a tree in the back of church, purchase the gift listed on the ornament, wrap the present and return it to the church. Cash donations also are accepted for the program. A team of volunteers delivers the presents to the families.
Lady's Advent Knight of Reflection
The Knights of Columbus Santo Rosario Council 14449 invite any woman of high school age or higher (nursing babies are welcome, too) to spend Saturday evening, December 1, 2012, in prayer and reflection at Holy Rosary Church. Oral and silent prayer, Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, a sermon and opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance help attendees properly prepare for Christmas.
Epiphany Water Blessing
The blessing of water on the eve of the Epiphany of the Lord is solemnly and publicly conducted in church. This water is considered "more powerful" than simple holy water, and it has traditionally been used in the blessing of homes. At Holy Rosary, this water is made available for the faithful to take home in their own containers; it will remain in church for as long as the supply lasts.
Blessing of Wine
On the Second Sunday after Epiphany/Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, the faithful may bring bottles of wine to be blessed at each Mass that weekend. A table is placed near the Christmas crèche for the bottles. Please be sure to clearly label your bottles with your name!
Stations of the Cross
On all Fridays of Lent, except Good Friday, the traditional Stations (or Way) of the Cross is made after the Masses at Noon and 5:45 p.m.
Spaghetti & Spirituality
On multiple Wednesday evenings during Lent, the faithful gather in church for Mass at 5:45 p.m., and afterward congregate downstairs in Priori Hall for a simple spaghetti dinner and a talk. Often nationally known, past speakers include Alice von Hildebrand, Fr. Joseph Fessio, Patrick Madrid, Bishop Joseph Perry, Dr. Ray Guarendi and Raymond de Souza. Topics, though wide ranging, are guaranteed to be in full conformity with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Click for latest flier.
Men's Lenten Knight of Reflection
The Knights of Columbus Santo Rosario Council 14449 invite any man of high school age or higher to spend a Saturday evening of Lent in prayer and reflection at Holy Rosary Church. Oral and silent prayer, Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, a sermon and opportunity for the Sacrament of Penance help attendees properly prepare for Easter.
St. Joseph's Table
On a Sunday afternoon near the feast day of St. Joseph, Holy Rosary Church and Lumen Christi Catholic School host an Italian dinner to honor the Patron Saint of the Church and of Italy. Games are provided to keep the children entertained while the adults enjoy good food and fellowship. Proceeds benefit Catholic education. For more information, see parish bulletins in early March or call Lumen Christi at 632-3174.
Tenebrae
In addition to the usual Masses and liturgies of Holy Week, our parish offers this traditional part of the Divine Office at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Tenebræ of Holy Thursday), 9 a.m. Good Friday and 9 a.m. Holy Saturday. A custom dating back centuries, it acquired the name because of the mourning ritual surrounding the ceremony, which includes a triangular stand with 15 candles. These are put out one by one until, after the last candle is extinguished, a prayer is said in darkness, one candle is lighted, and the assembly disperses in silence.
Swieconka - the Easter Blessing of Food
The faithful may bring a sampling of their Easter foods to the parish on Holy Saturday morning for a special blessing. Primarily a tradition of Polish and other Eastern European cultures, this blessing is symbolic of the death and resurrection of Christ on Holy Saturday in preparation for Easter.
May Crowning
May is the Month of Mary. On the first Sunday of May, girls of the parish process into the church at the beginning of the Noon Mass and place flowers at the feet of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. After a short blessing, one of the girls places a crown on Mary's head to signify our love and devotion to our Blessed Mother, the Queen of Heaven.
First Holy Communion
Our parish is blessed to celebrate First Holy Communion not once but twice each year. On a Sunday during Eastertide, children of the parish - including those from the parish religious education program, home schools and Lumen Christi Catholic School - may choose to receive the Blessed Sacrament for the first time at either the 9:30 a.m. or Noon Mass. At Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, First Communicants are escorted one at a time by an altar server (who often is the communicant's brother) into the sanctuary to receive the Host.
Corpus Christi Procession
On Corpus Christi Sunday, members of the parish congregate at 1:30 p.m. and, weather permitting, process outdoors through the surrounding neighborhood with the Most Blessed Sacrament leading the way. The group stops at three altars for Benediction, then returns to the high altar in the church for final Benediction.
Italian Street Festival
After a year's hiatus, the city's much-loved and most-attended church festival will return Friday-Saturday, June 14-15, 2013. Thousands of friends gather in the streets outside the church both evenings to enjoy fine Italian food and beverages, live music and children's amusement rides.
40 Hours Devotion
The parish celebrates its patronal feast in part with 40 Hours Devotion and Parish Retreat. From Sunday, October 7, 2012, through Wednesday, October 10, 2012, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for 40 hours of Adoration. Each evening, a priest who has been invited in for the occasion, will deliver a sermon. The event concludes on the final evening with a celebratory dinner in Priori Hall. Click for latest flier.
Parish Picnic
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon in early September than to meet in Edna Balz Lacy Park (across the street from the church) for a picnic lunch with parishioners and friends? Members of the Knights of Columbus Santo Rosario Council 14449 provide hamburgers, hot dogs and the manpower to set up and run the picnic, while parishioners bring side dishes, desserts and their appetites. This year's picnic is scheduled for Sunday, September 16, 2012.
A Knight in New Orleans
On a Saturday night in November the Knights of Columbus Santo Rosario Council 14449 brings to Priori Hall a professional chef from New Orleans to create and serve a delicious Cajun/Creole dinner. Proceeds benefit Pro-Life Causes. Click for the 2012 flier.
Blessing or 'Churching' of Women after Childbirth
This ritual is a liturgical ceremony of thanksgiving by which mothers thank God for the blessing of motherhood. Upon request, this ceremony will take place in the church during a Sunday Mass. Although it may be done no more than once per month, multiple mothers are welcome to participate in a single ceremony. Call the parish office, 636-4478, to schedule.