In light of the month of Mary, Dr. Josephine Lombardi, Associate Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology at St. Augustine's Seminary, offers an overview, history and tips for praying the rosary, with some excerpts from Living with the Rosary.
“The Rosary is my favourite prayer.” —St. John Paul II
What is the Rosary?
Rooted in the Gospel message, the Rosary is a Christ-centred prayer. Although the prayer is directed to Mary, it is meant to lead us through a meditation on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Rosary walks us through the redemptive work of Jesus, beginning with Mary’s “yes” to God and our Lord’s conception in Mary’s womb – what we call the Incarnation. St. John Paul II tells us that “to recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, no. 3).
The Rosary is meant to encourage us to relate our own joys and struggles to those of Jesus and those of his mother, Mary. This prayer is meant to be a “compendium of the Gospel.”
Location: Limited (50) In-Person event at St. Augustine’s Seminary (2661 Kingston Rd, Scarborough ON)
This event will also be held ONLINE via Zoom. Please see below to purchase tickets.
Cost:
In-Person - $50 plus HST
Online - $25 plus HST
Schedule
9:30 a.m. Welcome/Introductions/Opening Prayer
9:40 - 10:45 a.m. First conference/Sisters of Life
10:45 - 11:00 a.m. Break
11:00 - 11:45 a.m. Brunch served in the dining room
11:45 - 12:15 p.m. Optional Rosary Walk
12:15 - 1:15 p.m. Second Conference/Sisters of Life
1:30 p.m. Mass with Father Edwin Gonsalves
End time: 1:15 p.m. for online, 2:30 p.m. for in-person
Presentation Description: The Sisters of Life will lead us on a journey into the Heart of Woman to uncover and recover the Feminine Genius desperately needed in our day. “I would now like to speak directly to every woman, to reflect with her on the problems and the prospects of what it means to be a woman in our time…The Church ‘desires to give thanks to the Most Holy Trinity for the ‘mystery of woman’ and for every woman – for all that constitutes the eternal measure of her feminine dignity, for the ‘great works of God’, which throughout human history have been accomplished in and through her • Thank you for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world’s understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic.” -St. John Paul II, Letter to Women
If you would like to join our mailing list, please send an email to lay.formation@staugustines.on.ca.
Please note: The recommended age of all attendees is 15 and over.
Sr. Antoniana Maria, S.V.
Our Presenters:
Sr. Antoniana Maria, S.V. is a Sister of Life, a community founded in New York City by John Cardinal O’Connor, that proclaims the beauty and dignity of every human life. She professes the vows of Poverty, Chastity, Obedience, and a fourth vow to Protect and Enhance the Sacredness of Human Life. She is originally from North Vancouver, British Columbia, where she studied at the University of British Columbia receiving her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science. After hearing God call her to love Him with an undivided heart at World Youth Day in 2000, Sr. Antoniana entered the Sisters of Life in Aug. 2002. On Aug. 6, 2010, she professed her Perpetual Vows. She has served as the Vocations Director, Assistant to the Superior General, and the Local Superior of the Motherhouse in New York. In 2007-2009 Sr. Antoniana was part of the first community of Sisters to begin the Toronto Foundation. She is currently serving as the Local Superior and Mission Coordinator in Toronto, caring for vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children; inviting those wounded by abortion into the healing mercy of Jesus; fostering a Culture of Life through evangelization and retreat works.
Sr. Maria Kateri, S.V.
Sister Maria Kateri, SV was raised in Philadelphia, PA, USA, and graduated from Georgetown University in Washington DC with an interdisciplinary degree in Biology, Psychology and Philosophy. She entered the Sisters of Life in 1995 and professed final vows on August 6, 2003.
The Sisters of Life are a religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor who take a fourth vow to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life. Immersed in Eucharistic prayer within a vibrant community life, their missions include caring for vulnerable pregnant women and their unborn children; inviting those wounded by abortion into the healing mercy of Jesus; fostering a culture of life through evangelization; retreat works; spiritual accompaniment of university students; and upholding the beauty of marriage and family life.
Sister Maria Kateri currently lives and serves in Toronto, ON.