To Jesus Through Mary

Delia Barr, Director of Faith Formation

AS WE CONTINUE THIS JOURNEY OF THE EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL AS A DIOCESE, BISHOP MALONE WOULD LIKE TO LOOK TO MOTHER MARY DURING THE MONTH OF MAY ASKING FOR HER INTERCESSIONS FOR OUR DIOCESAN COMMUNITY. He is asking our parish communities to intentionally pray the rosary in community, Catholic schools, or Parish School of Religion, while in front of the Blessed Sacrament, before daily or Sunday Mass, and especially reaching out to our homebound community. There are special intentions for each decade of the rosary as we pray for these special intentions during this month dedicated to the Blessed Mother.

Rosary Guides with the intentions (below) will be distributed to parishes and available online.

T he F irs T M ys T ery :

• For an increase of belief in the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

T he s econd M ys T ery :

• For families to cultivate the planting of the spirit for vocations in their children through prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

T he T hird M ys T ery :

• For greater attendance and participation in the sacrifice of the Mass.

T he F ourT h M ys T ery :

• For a greater awareness and understanding of the Blessed Mother’s role in our lives of faith through an increase in devotion to her.

T he F i FT h M ys T ery :

• For our parish communities to become true Disciples of Christ, in word and deed, as we give witness of our faith to others.

The challenge for all of us is to make a sacrifice of at least a daily devotion of the rosary during the month of May!

As a church community, if you pray the rosary before daily or Sunday Mass, count the number of people who prayed the rosary, and record it. If Eucharistic Adoration is offered, leave the cards with the mysteries and intentions in the pews and encourage other adorers to pray the rosary with the special intentions during their time. Catholic Schools and PSR programs may offer a rosary in your classrooms then tally the numbers. For those who are homebound, our most fruitful prayer warriors, may pray the rosary daily with these special intentions. Collectively or individually, rosaries may be reported via the form on the Eucharistic Revival website (https://www.dioshpt. org/Eucharistic-revival), by phone (318-219-7266), or by email (Eucharistic-Revival@dioshpt.org).

Prayer works! We know it and if we gather with our intentions as a diocese, the graces will be bountiful. Our prayers in community and in private will be lifted, heard, and answered.

How many rosaries will the Diocese of Shreveport pray during May- 100, 1000, 10,000, 15,000 or more?

Will you join in the sacrifice, pray the rosary, and see God’s grace abound?

As we complete the month of May in prayer, we will move into the Corpus Christi Novena for the Eucharistic Revival beginning on Friday, June 2nd and concluding on The Feast of Corpus Christi on Sunday, June 11th. Prayers for this Novena will be distributed to parishes and available online. Look for the many parish communities celebrating Eucharistic Processions on that special feast day on the Eucharistic Revival webpage (https://www.dioshpt.org/Eucharistic-revival) or sign up to receive the bi-weekly Diocesan Newsletter (https://www.dioshpt.org/newsletter).

As a reminder, the Feast of Corpus Christi starts the second year of the National Eucharistic Revival- Year of Parish Revival. The National Eucharistic Congress registration is now open for registrations (https:// www.eucharisticcongress.org). Let us be witnesses of our faith and sharers of the truly Good News both locally and nationally.