Nearly 10,000 rosaries prayed during October as part of appeal

By Monica Lichtenberger

The ACT for Freedom Now Rosary Appeal ran from Oct. 1-31.  All Catholic organizations and Catholics were encouraged to pledge and pray rosaries throughout October to end human trafficking and pornography; to build strong, holy families to protect the innocence and purity of children; and to protect all who work in the fight against human trafficking. Churches, schools, religious groups, men’s groups and women’s groups, ministries, Bible and rosary groups participated as well as individuals. In-state churches as far as Eagle, Colorado participated and individual Catholics, mostly visitors to local Churches, from 14 states outside of Colorado participated.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Colorado Springs was fully on board. Their goal was 10,000 rosaries to be pledged and prayed. They came close with 9,719 rosaries!  Activities included: The deacons leading rosaries before all weekend Masses in October and parishioners leading rosaries after weekday Masses. Religious Education classes made rosary decade bracelets and encouraged children tp pray at least a decade every day. Parishioners signed up for 4 traveling blessed Mary statues that traveled weekly, with the delivering family praying the rosary on Sundays with the receiving family.  Free rosaries were distributed (compliments of St. Peter Parish’s “To Jesus through Mary” ministry) and decade rosaries to children. Ministries, such as the Knights of Columbus, prayed the rosary along with meetings or events. A mini celebration was held on Nov. 10, thanking all for their participation. Adults received a laminated card with Our Lady’s 15 promises for those who faithfully pray the rosary and children received miniature Jesus statues.  At the ministry table, parishioners shared multiple blessings and graces received during the month of October. One non-Catholic prayed two rosaries a day (62); a family that received the blessed traveling Mary said, “We definitely felt Mary’s closeness and more peace in our home”; several commented that they began to pray the rosary again or that it has now become a daily practice; another family said that praying the rosary “brought my family closer together”.

Even senior care centers participated. Richard Monday, a resident at Summit Glen, coordinated a small group of Catholics who prayed 193 rosaries in October; Deacon Jim Bachta prayed with residents at View Point; and Margie Huntington prayed with St. Francis Care Center residents after Mass.

Most of the Catholic schools participated by handing out decade rosaries and encouraging children to pray at least a decade each day to build strong, holy families to preserve our children’s purity and innocence.  Some schools like Divine Redeemer prayed the rosary together as an entire school. Karen Shannahan, principal of St. Peter School, sent a note home asking families to pledge the number of rosaries they would pray in October. In addition, families and children were encouraged to fast. Fasting ideas suggested on the form were, “a child may give up: sweets, soda, TV, cartoons, a video game, not talking bad about another student, not sharing, cheating, sassing a parent . . .” Students committed to 201 incidents of fasting. What a great way to help our young people learn about this spiritual work as some demons can only be driven out by prayer and fasting (Mark 9:29).

Sisters in religious communities participated, with The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration and Medical Sisters of St. Joseph pledges totaling 559 rosaries.

There were many rosary groups, Bible groups, men’s and women’s groups throughout our community that participated. Carolyn Denaro with Our Lady of the Woods (OLW) Parish Respect for Life scheduled an ACT For Freedom Now Human Trafficking Awareness Presentation that jump-started their rosary pledges.  That evening, members of the OLW Prayer Shawl ministry took home a blessed traveling Mary statue to rotate amongst themselves. OLW involved many groups to include rosaries before Masses and rosary groups.

St. Mary’s Cathedral’s Flame of Love Rosary group prayed 6,786 rosaries and shared a traveling blessed Mary statue among their members. Margarita Trevino, coordinator, traveled to Lourdes during the month of October and enrolled the intentions of ending pornography and human trafficking into perpetual Masses to be said.

At St. Peter Parish in Monument, Elaine Martinez, coordinator of the “To Jesus through Mary” ministry, reported that 1600 rosaries were prayed in the month of October and that, going forward, the group will include the intention to end human trafficking. What a blessing! Other groups at St. Peter, including Hope Advocates (an anti-human trafficking group), prayed rosaries also, as did groups at St. Dominic Parish in Security and Holy Apostles Parish.

ACT for Freedom Now will never know the results from the 20,701 rosaries prayed and from fasting. We will not know how many people, especially children, were saved from being trafficked; how many traffickers were converted; or how many consumers stopped using pornography due to our prayers. We will also not know how many workers were kept safe or if they have “peace of mind” from things they cannot erase from their memories. What we do know is that prayer and fasting works. God answers every prayer. So, keep it on, pray, pray, pray to end this pandemic!

To schedule a presentation on human trafficking awareness; parental tools to protect youth; preservation of innocence (for youth); or pornography’s destruction of love (for adults) send an email to team@actforfreedomnow.com or call 719-440-0171.