When the Blessed Mother appeared to Pierina Gilli for the second time on July 13, 1947 — in a hospital in Montichiari, Italy — the Blessed Mother said, “I am the mother of Jesus and the mother of you all.” And through a series of subsequent apparitions in which Mary revealed herself as the Rosa Mystica — the Mystical Rose — she showed herself the gentle loving mother that she is and requested prayer, penance, and expiation offered particularly for the repentance and protection of those with religious vocations.
Venerating Mary as the Rosa Mystica has since been a strong devotion throughout the world. And here at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, our Rosa Mystica Prayer Group seeks to build that devotion and ask the Blessed Mother for her intercession accordingly.
“We meet on the 13th of every month to pray for priests, religious communities, and people dedicated to God,” says Lucy Pono, group coordinator. “There is a book that we follow, and we pray the Seven Sorrows of Mary.”
Currently, the group meets over Zoom. A different family leads the prayers each month.
“That allows us to get everyone involved and to involve the whole family,” Lucy says.
In addition, the prayer group gathers to celebrate a special Mass together every year on July 13 — the day Mary asked that we honor as the feast day of her title as Rosa Mystica — and the members hold a special fiesta afterward.
Lucy has been a part of the prayer group for 10 years. She says that while she has always had a devotion to Mary, this group has made it stronger.
“I have raised four daughters, and as a mother myself, I have always had a devotion to Mama Mary,” Lucy says. “But being a part of this prayer group has really strengthened my devotion. It is a priority for me to honor her.”
There are currently about 20 members in the Rosa Mystica Prayer Group, and they would love to have more parishioners get involved.
If you are interested in joining the group in prayer, contact Lucy Pono at 312-316-9883. She will provide you with the Zoom link and each month’s details.
