October has long been dedicated by the Church to the Holy Rosary, a prayer both ancient and ever new. This year, Pope Leo XIV is urging the faithful to rediscover their power as an instrument of unity and intercession. He encouraged Catholics everywhere to set aside time each day alone, with family, or in parish groups to meditate on the mysteries of Christ through Mary’s eyes.
Speaking at his General Audience on September 24, the Pope made a direct appeal:
“I invite everyone, every day of the coming month, to pray the Rosary for peace: personally, in the family, in the community.”
The Holy Father’s call comes against the backdrop of global conflict and uncertainty. He reminded believers that the Rosary is not a mere devotional option, but a true “weapon of peace” and a “school of contemplation,” forming hearts in faith, hope, and charity.
The Rosary has been a source of strength for Christians throughout the centuries. Pope Leo XIII, remembered as the “Rosary Pope,” wrote numerous encyclicals encouraging its daily recitation, calling it: “The most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means of attaining eternal life… the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings.”
More recently, St. John Paul II named it his “favorite prayer,” and in Rosarium Virginis Mariae (2002) taught, “To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ.”
Saints throughout history have borne witness to the Rosary’s transformative power. St. Padre Pio, known for his unwavering Marian devotion, declared: “Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today.”
St. Louis de Montfort emphasized its communal strength, teaching: “When people say the Rosary together, it is far more formidable to the devil than one said privately.”
Even the “Little Flower,” St. Thérèse of Lisieux, whose feast is celebrated on October 1, found deep consolation in the Rosary, faithfully praying it within the silence of her convent.
This October, Pope Leo XIV’s invitation unites Catholics across the globe in a single intention: peace. With each bead, believers join their voices with Mary’s intercession, contemplating Christ’s life and bringing light into a world in need of healing.
