Men’s Worldwide Rosary prays for the conversion of the entire world
The Men's Rosary in Buenos Aires on May 6, 2023. / Credit: Courtesy Second Carafi ACI Prensa Staff, May 10, 2023 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
Men from more than 40 countries joined together May 6 for the worldwide Men’s Rosary, praying on their knees before the Virgin Mary so that men would once again be valued in society and for the conversion of the entire world.
The general coordinator of the Knights of the Rosary apostolate in Mexico, Paco Páez, explained to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that by praying the rosary, the participants “want to bear witness, not because of our virtues, but by getting on our knees asking for the intercession of our Most Holy Virgin Mary, so that she would grant us the conversion of sinners, our own conversion, that of our families, and that of the whole world.”
Through this public rosary, he added, they are praying for “the reign of Christ’s peace in our hearts and in our homelands.”
The Men’s Rosary was also held in various cities in Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Ecuador, and Paraguay.
Other countries that also participated were Spain, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Brazil, Honduras, Ukraine, Italy, Croatia, Australia, Indonesia — a majority Muslim country — and the Philippines, the country with the most Catholics in Asia, as well as others.
Páez also noted that the prayer is held in the streets “in the hispanic nations of the Americas, which are culturally Christian, to reclaim the public square for Our Lord Jesus Christ, because a lamp is not lit to be put under the bushel basket, but is placed up high so that it shines throughout the house.”
“We want to take up our call as men in the life of this Church, of this pilgrim Church that is also known as the Church militant,” he continued.
The general coordinator of the Knights of the Rosary apostolate also commented: “We want to soldier on in the army of Jesus Christ to be able to inspire other men to remember that the life of the Church is not only a place for meetings with positive thoughts, but that it’s a spiritual battle which represents to us the adventure for which it’s worth giving your life. We want to prepare ourselves for self-denial and sacrifice.”
One of the organizers of the Men’s Rosary in Buenos Aires, Segundo Carafi, explained that “the importance of this rosary lies in the fact that it is precisely men who want to bring back faith to public life, praying for the recovery of his own essence in a world that criticizes and attacks him.”
This demonstrates, he continued, that “faith is not only a woman’s thing and that the man, as the man of the family, the priest as such, is ready to fight in defense of his most absolute essence as a man, that today is something that is up for debate.”
“In a world where men are not only criticized from all sides, from the father of the family to the priest, but also where he is attacked in his maximum essence as a man, seeking the feminization of men and the masculinization of women, in the Men’s Rosary we are praying for once again men to be valued in society,” he concluded.
Carlos Waite, one of the coordinators of the Men’s Rosary in Peru, highlighted the participation of members of the faithful with different charisms and even people who were far from the faith.
“The Men’s Rosary is a powerful response of saying no to secularism these days, and it was a resounding no in the public square, a courageous confrontation with the enemy,” Waite told ACI Prensa.
Páez shared a final thought with ACI Prensa: “Remember that a Christian without a rosary is like a soldier without weapons.”
Why a Men’s Rosary?
On its website, the originators of the Men’s Rosary state that the objective is to fulfill the will of the Virgin Mary, which is the will of her Son, Jesus Christ.
They note that “the role of men in God’s plan is to protect for eternal life all those whom God has given us here on earth.”
“Just as St. Joseph was the earthly protector of the Holy Family, we also have the task of defending the sanctity of our families and loved ones. We want to do it together, in a community of men. In this unity, we strengthen our male identity and masculine virtues,” the promoters of the prayer movement explain.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
