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Why are we praying this Miraculous Novena at this time?
“Children, great tribulations are getting near so that you prepare spiritually; do not let go of the Holy Rosary, because it is the greatest protection that Heaven has given you.” – St. Pio of Pietrelcina
“Grab your rosaries! We are going into battle!”
This cry is not likely what a unit commander would shout to soldiers hunkered down in trenches anticipating enemy confrontation. But it has been and still is the cry of the most astute warriors actively engaged in battles in the spiritual realm where all battles of every kind are actually rooted.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12).
In the year 1221, tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Saint Dominic who was combating a popular heresy in France called Albigensian. As stated in this article by Edward Sri in Franciscan Spirit:
“Mary gave him the rosary, told him to teach people this devotion, and promised that his apostolic efforts would be blessed with much success if he did.”
Throughout the last 800 years, history proved Our Lady true to Her promise, benefiting all devoted to the Most Holy Rosary. One of the most notable responses was in the mid-16th century Muslim Turks, who were intent on expanding their empire and inflicted ritual cruelties on the defeated populations, set fire to churches, took many of its women and young boys and girls for shipment to their harems and beheaded the elderly people who were left behind.
When it was learned that an enormous Muslim fleet was headed to the Gulf of Lepanto, the much smaller Christian fleet advanced to meet the enemy. For months Pope Pius V had urged Catholics to say the daily rosary on behalf of the morale and good fortune of the Christian forces and, above all, for a successful outcome to a highly risky preemptive strike planned against the mighty Turkish fleets.
The night before the battle, the young 22-year old admiral of the Christian Holy League fleet, Don Juan of Austria and many of his men spent much of the night in prayer. The fate of their civilization depended on their good fortune the next day. Their defeat would have meant a Muslim invasion into all of Europe.
Heaven responded. On October 7, 1571, in what has been called the The Greatest Sea Battle in History, the Christian fleet was remarkably victorious over the Turkish Ottoman Empire. In thanksgiving, Pope Pius V declared October 7th the feast of Mary, Queen of Victory.
In an encyclical in 1883, Pope Leo XIII, who was also particularly devoted to Our Lady of the Rosary, points us today in the direction we should fly. He wrote:
“It has always been the habit of Catholics in danger and in troublous times to fly for refuge to Mary. This devotion, so great and so confident, to the august Queen of Heaven, has never shone forth with such brilliance as when the militant Church of God has seemed to be endangered by the violence of heresy … or by an intolerable moral corruption, or by the attacks of powerful enemies.”
Did Pope Leo say, “intolerable moral corruption?”, “heresy?”, “powerful enemies?” Are these not what what we are facing today?
O august Queen of Heaven shine forth!
(Based on https://divinemercyforamerica.org/54-day-novena/)
We need your help and protection, O sweet Mother, our great intercessor before the throne of God!
Through this 54-Day Novena, we unite with thousands and thousands of Catholics nationwide praying for one parish intention: For the grace of profound repentance & conversion to Christ Jesus both in the Church and in the world to open up the flood gates of Divine Mercy upon all people.
This 54-Day Miracle Novena will end precisely on October 7th - the Feast of Mary, Queen of Victory, also called Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
We come before the Lord, and we proclaim God’s sovereign victory as we take hold of the mantle of Our Lady.
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