Diocese hosting Rosary Congress Oct. 6-7

A mother and daughter pray the rosary together. (Advance file photo)

24-hours of continuous prayer planned at the Cathedral in Wichita

Want to be a part of the Rosary Congress?
Those who wish to be an adorer or a rosary leader at the Rosary Congress Oct. 6-7 may sign up by visiting Tinyurl.com/WichitaRosaryCongress.

The Diocese of Wichita will host a 24-hour Rosary Congress Oct. 6-7 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Wichita.

“The hope is that through Mary, the mediatrix of all graces, all humanity will return to the love and service of God,” said Fr. Gabriel Greer, who is overseeing the event. He is the director of the Office of Worship.

Fr. Greer added that he hopes the participants will ask Mary to intercede “so that the Eucharistic heart of Jesus will be at the center of our lives.”

The Rosary Congress will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6, with a Mass and will conclude with solemn vespers at 6 p.m. the next day.

Everyone in the diocese is invited to sign up for an hour of Eucharistic Adoration, Fr. Greer said. Leaders will be needed to lead a rosary at the beginning of each hour. A minimum of 48 volunteers – two for each hour – are needed.

Knights of Columbus will provide security throughout the event.

The first Rosary Congress took place in Poland from May 1 through May 7, 1979, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in response to a governmental decision to restrict Pope John Paul II’s visit to his home country.

“So…they had seven continuous days of Eucharistic Adoration with a rosary prayed every hour,” he said. “On the last day of the congress Our Lady triumphed and the government unexpectedly removed all major obstacles to the papel visit.”

A similar Eucharistic Congress was first held in the United States in 1988 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.