October is the month of the Rosary
By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to certain devotion. The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, one of the best known of all Catholic devotions. October includes the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (October 7).
The best way to celebrate the month is, of course, to pray the Rosary.
Pope Francis' Intentions for October 2021
Each month, the Holy Father sends his intentions to the world, imploring all the faithful to join him in prayer.
‘May all Christians be missionary disciples’
“Jesus asks us all, and you as well, to be missionary disciples. Are you ready?”
Pope Francis opened The Pope Video—containing his prayer intention for the month of October—with that invitation to all Christians.
The Pope said we are all invited to be open to Jesus’ call and to live united to Him in the mundane events of our daily lives.
“Work, meeting other people, our daily duties, and the chance events of each day”: These are the opportunities we have to allow ourselves to be “guided by the Holy Spirit,” said the Pope.
He said other people easily take notice when our every action is motivated by Christ.
“And your testimony of life will inspire admiration, and admiration inspires others to ask themselves, ‘How is it possible for this person to be this way?’ ‘What is the source of the love with which this person treats everyone —the kindness and good humor?’”
~Devin Watkins, Vatican News
Praying the Rosary
We have included instructions and even a downloadable resource.
How to Pray the Rosary
1. While holding the crucifix, make the Sign of the Cross and say the Apostles’ Creed.
2. On the first bead and all the single beads, say an Our Father.
3. Pray one Hail Mary on each of the next three beads for an increase in faith, hope, and charity.
4. On the next single bead, pray the Glory Be.
5. Before praying the next set of ten beads (called a decade), first meditate on the first mystery. Announce the mystery, imagine the event, and begin to meditate on it by itself or in association with whatever matter the mystery brings to your heart.
6. Pray an Our Father.
7. Pray a Hail Mary on the first bead of the decade, and on each following bead.
8. After praying the decade, pray the Glory Be. You may also want to add the Fatima invocation.
9. Reflect on the second mystery, then pray an Our Father on the next single bead.
10. Pray the Hail Mary on the next ten beads. Repeat the sequence around the rosary.
11. At the end of the last decade, pray the Hail Holy Queen. [During the month of May, the Holy Father has asked the faithful to also pray the two prayers found above.]
12. Make the Sign of the Cross.