Vocatio Rosariana

The Initiative :

Dear Faithful Brother (Sister),

You have probably noticed that 1) the world is ruled by demons ; 2) many of us Faithful deal with a serious lack of visible and tangible hope and edification and thus often fail to commit to the demands and rigor of a life lived in the Love of Christ ; and that 3) our Lady and our Lord are so often dishonored, insulted, and ignored in this age, interiorly and exteriorly.

Therefore, I propose a simple initiative to my Brothers and Sisters, the Lay Faithful, to : not only 1) do what our Lady commanded us in Her approved Apparitions, but also 2) be more visibly Catholic in our fallen age by :

dressing modestly ;
visibly wearing our Lady's Rosary : a big one if possible ;
being instant and constant in prayer and penance, striving for perfection in the Interior Life (cf. Rom xii.12, 1 Thes v.17) ;

offering this :

for the honor and glory of Mary our Queen, and therefore of Her Son ;
for our own sanctification ;
for the edification of the Faithful and
as a sign and reminder to those outside the Church of the Presence, Mercy, and Justice of our God in these terrible and sorrowful times,
along with any particular intentions that you may have for your Guardian Angel to help with.

This Rosary initiative is only a small thing in the face of the devil's agenda, but we hope in and rely on a Mother Who accompanies Her children in every generation, Who so lovingly, faithfully, and maternally intercedes for us, and Who promises protection and strength to those who pray and propagate Her Weapon. So, be not afraid, take courage, and let Jesus, Mary, and the Angels and Saints whisper to both the Faithful and the worldlings in the prevailing, contemplative scent that the unconcealed Rosary brings!

FOR THE GODBEARER!!!

Your devoted servant in Jesus and Mary,

A Carmelite Aspirant

P.S. : If you have any concerns about this initiative, I asked a Priest about wearing a Rosary as a layman, and His Reverence said that it is good if done in a Spirit of Faith, Hope, and Charity, and not pride and vainglory. See also the Anticipated Questions.

The Story of the Initiative so far :

Long ago in 2020, I was discerning with a certain Religious Order, and, being quite young and full of whippersnapping and probably rash zeal, decided to wear a Habit Rosary as a mere aspirant, before even entering the Order!

So one day in the dark of night when I could not sleep, having legitimately procured materials by shopping, I fashioned my first Belt Rosary, but habit-sized, and wore it thenafter on my belt. Meanwhile, I was preparing to join the aforementioned Order, but, as the story tends to go nowadays, I decided the Order was relaxed for the needs of my soul and did not join. Despite having no imagined or real connection with a Religious Order any longer, I kept wearing the Rosary.

At first, I felt awkward : I was not sure whether it was appropriate, but ceasing to wear it now did not feel right either, so I continued. As our Lord says : Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven (Mt 5.16). In this case, my light is the Rosary, presenting Mary, her Son our Lord Jesus Christ, and also His Mystical Body the Catholic Church in Which the Rosary is predominantly offered. I therefore hope to be a good frame for that light, as any Christian should.

As the first few months ran their course, hardly anyone reacted to this anomaly, and no Priest corrected me for it (quite the contrary). I took this as a sign and resolved to subdue my self-consciousness. More recently, a very few have asked me if I were a Brother, Priest, Deacon, or even Knight, but I think this owes more to the casualness of our age. If I look like a Religious, for example, perhaps Religious do not. The Orders of the Church, clerical and religious, have designated habits, and I do not. I tell them that I'm just a guy.

I have also made a few Belt Rosaries for certain friends. Otherwise, we will see what God ordains.