Public Square Rosary Rallies!

A reader writes:

Since 2007 America Needs Fatima has sponsored Public Square Rosary Rallies on the Saturday closest to October 13, the anniversary of the “Miracle of the Sun,” in response to the Blessed Mother’s plea for prayers for peace and reparation for sin. These are simple gatherings of Catholics who pray the rosary in a public setting such as a street corner, park, front yard or in front of a public building and let the world know what they are doing by holding large banners saying “Praying the rosary for America.” Because there is still great love for the Mother of the Son in many hearts this campaign grew to 4337 rallies in 2009 and we pray and hope to reach 5000 for October 16, 2010. This is an effort that relies on local rally captains who pick a spot where they will be well seen, invite family and fellow parishioners and lovers of Mary to join them, try to get it published in the local bulletins and then join in the prayer. We hope that people who have attended larger ones in the past will take up the task of starting one of their own on a different street corner, that the wonderful Sodalities and Legions of Mary will move outside for a day and that anyone who wants to honor Our Lady will call us volunteers at 1-866-584-6012 or visit here to learn more and sign up. The large banners and other supplies are provided to rally captains free of charge.

On another topic, a few weeks back I asked for prayers for my brother Knight of Columbus, Jeff Greenholt, who has a brain tumor. The prognosis is still unsure, but he is beginning treatment at Johns Hopkins. Many thanks to you for passing that on and to those who have offered prayers.

Father, hear our pray both for the success of these rallies and for Jeff’s complete recovery through Christ our Lord, Amen. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

Update: I may have spoken too soon. In these days of post-Maciel caution, I should note that America Needs Fatima is a project of Tradition, Family and Property, against which the Brazilian bishops have warned:

“During its 23rd plenary assembly, the Council of Brazilian bishops approved a note concerning the ‘Brazilian Society for the Defence of Tradition, Family and Property’, advising Catholics not to join the above mentioned Society […]. Its esoteric character, its religious fanaticism, the personality cult of the founder and of his mother, the abuse of the name of the Virgin Mary […] can absolutely not be approved of by the Church” (Osservatore Romano, July 7, 1985, p. 12, n. 408, weekly Spanish edition quoted in Tradizione Famiglia Proprietà: Associazione cattolica o setta millenarista?, Rimini 1996, frontispiece)