The best way to The best way to renew and reform renew and reform the Church:the Church:

The RosaryThe Rosary

The best way to reform the The best way to reform the Church-----The RosaryChurch-----The Rosary

1. A Spanish Bishop started preaching the 1. A Spanish Bishop started preaching the RosaryRosary. He had such success that . He had such success that in a short in a short while he saw his diocese changed for the while he saw his diocese changed for the betterbetter. There was a notable decline in immorality . There was a notable decline in immorality and worldliness of all kinds as well as in gambling. and worldliness of all kinds as well as in gambling. There were several instances ofThere were several instances of people being people being brought back to the faith, of sinners making brought back to the faith, of sinners making restitution for their crimes, and of others sincerely restitution for their crimes, and of others sincerely resolving to give up their lives of vice. Religious resolving to give up their lives of vice. Religious fervour and Christian charity began to flourish.fervour and Christian charity began to flourish.

These changes were all the more remarkable These changes were all the more remarkable because this bishop had been striving to reform because this bishop had been striving to reform his diocese for some time but with hardly any his diocese for some time but with hardly any results.results.

------St. Louis de Montfort------St. Louis de Montfort

2. A Danish priest used to love to tell how the very 2. A Danish priest used to love to tell how the very same improvement that the Spanish bishop same improvement that the Spanish bishop noticed in his diocese had occurred in his own noticed in his diocese had occurred in his own parish. He always told his story with great joy of parish. He always told his story with great joy of heart because it gave such glory to God.heart because it gave such glory to God.

""I had," he said, "preached as compellingly as I I had," he said, "preached as compellingly as I could, touching on many aspects of our holy Faith, could, touching on many aspects of our holy Faith, and using every argument I could possibly think of and using every argument I could possibly think of to get people to amend their way of life, but in to get people to amend their way of life, but in vain. Finally, vain. Finally, I decided to preach the holy Rosary. I I decided to preach the holy Rosary. I told my congregations how precious it was and told my congregations how precious it was and taught them how to say ittaught them how to say it, , and I affirm that having and I affirm that having taught them to appreciate this devotion, taught them to appreciate this devotion, I saw a I saw a manifest change within six monthsmanifest change within six months.”.”

3. Blessed Alan de la Roche, Fr. Jean 3. Blessed Alan de la Roche, Fr. Jean Dumont, Fr. Thomas, the chronicles of St. Dumont, Fr. Thomas, the chronicles of St. Dominic and other writers who have seen Dominic and other writers who have seen these things with their own eyes speak of these things with their own eyes speak of the marvellous conversions that are the marvellous conversions that are brought about by this wonderful devotion.brought about by this wonderful devotion.

For the Rosary teaches people about the For the Rosary teaches people about the virtues of Jesus and Mary, and leads them virtues of Jesus and Mary, and leads them to mental prayer, to the imitation of Jesus to mental prayer, to the imitation of Jesus Christ, to the frequentation of the Christ, to the frequentation of the sacraments, the practice of genuine virtue sacraments, the practice of genuine virtue and of all kinds of good works.and of all kinds of good works. It also helps It also helps us to gain many wonderful indulgences, us to gain many wonderful indulgences, which people are unaware ofwhich people are unaware of..

4. “As long as priests followed 4. “As long as priests followed Saint Dominic's example and Saint Dominic's example and preached devotion to the holy preached devotion to the holy Rosary, piety and fervour thrived Rosary, piety and fervour thrived throughout the Christian world and throughout the Christian world and in those religious orders which in those religious orders which were devoted to the Rosary. were devoted to the Rosary.

But since people have neglected But since people have neglected this gift from heaven, all kinds of this gift from heaven, all kinds of sin and disorder have spread far sin and disorder have spread far and wideand wide.” .” (St. Louis de Montfort)(St. Louis de Montfort)

5. “The Church has always attributed particular efficacy to this prayer, entrusting to the Rosary the most difficult problems. At times when Christianity itself seemed under threat,its deliverance was attributed to the power of this prayer, and OurLady was acclaimed as the one whose intercession broughtsalvation.” In Her many Apparitions on earth, like in Lourdes andFatima, the Virgin Mary always recommended the recitation of theRosary to obtain peace, and to stop heresies. St. Dominicreceived the revelation of the Rosary at a time when the Churchwas in a critical battle against the heresy of Albegensians. It wasat Prouille in France in 1208 that Dominic suddenly experiencedan Apparition of the Blessed Mother, who said, “Wonder not that you have obtained so little fruit by your labors. Youhave spent them on barren soil, not yet watered with the dew ofDivine grace. When God willed to renew the face of the earth,He began by sending down on it fertilizing rain of theAngelic Salutation. Therefore preach my psalter composedof 150 Angelic Salutations and fifteen Our Fathers, and youwill obtain an abundant harvest.” (Pope John Paul II’s letter)

6. “How much my intercession and the power I have in heaven are worth has never been hidden in the Church, for I have demonstrated my ability to save all by so many thousands of miracles, prodigies and favors operated in behalf of those devoted to me. With those who have called upon me in their needs I have always shown myself liberal, and the Lord has shown himself liberal to them on my account.

The Most High still wishes to give liberally of his infinite treasures and resolves to favor those who know how to gain my intercession before God. This is the secure way and the powerful means of advancing the Church, of improving the Catholic reigns, of spreading the faith, of furthering the welfare of families and of states, of bringing the souls to grace and to the friendship of God.”

(Mary of Agreda. The mystical city of God)