New York City, N.Y., May 21, 2013 / 01:04 am
The Global Rosary Relay for Priests' fourth annual event will take place this June 7, providing an opportunity for worldwide prayer to support priests in their ministry.
"It's unifying the whole world. It really is a very beautiful way for the laity to offer this spiritual bouquet of thanksgiving for our priests," Marion Mulhall, founder and CEO of the event organizer WorldPriest, told CNA May 20.
"Our Lady has hugely blessed us. It was her inspiration. It is her rosary," Mulhall said. "It is her priests that we're praying for on this rosary relay for priests."
Participants in the relay will say a rosary at a scheduled time for one half hour to thank God for priests and to ask the Virgin Mary's protection for priests. This means the same continuous rosary will be prayed around the clock.
The day of prayer will begin with the Joyful Mysteries at the Basilica of Our Lady of Victories in Melbourne at 11 a.m. local time June 7. It will then progress westward through Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Europe and Africa before reaching the Americas.
The relay will conclude at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in New Franken, Wis. with a rosary at 7 p.m. local time.
Other participating U.S. churches include the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C, the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass., Our Lady Star of The Sea Catholic Church in Staten Island, New York City, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, and the Monastery of Our Lady of the Desert in Blanco, N.M.
The relay has drawn support from Cardinal Raymond Burke and Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam. Mulhall said that in the last four years the event has become "the largest day of prayer in the world."
Rosary locations and start times are available at the relay's website www.worldpriestday.com/rosaryrelay.
