EVERYONE IN THE ROOM knew and prayed the Rosary, but its full history and many miracles were a subject that left many with something new to consider.
The Orange Diocesan Council of Catholic Women hosted a luncheon with a lecture by Dr. Ida Pennella on “The History of the Holy Rosary” this fall at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Irvine. The talk was the second of eight events planned for the Orange Diocesan Council of Catholic Women’s 50th anniversary.
THE BOARD OF THE ORANGE DIOCESAN COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN, FROM LEFT, CAROL PALMER, PAT MARTIN, SUSAN NAVARRETE, IDA PENNELLA, KAY EHRET AND GAIL LEFEBVRE POSES FOR A PHOTO. PHOTO BY SCOTT SMELTZER/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
The council is an organization dedicated to bringing others to Christ through spirituality, leadership and service and is an affiliate of the National Council of Catholic Women.
“You think you know about the Rosary, or you think you know about apparitions, but there’s always so much more,” said Council President-elect Carol Palmer to the audience.
A former Chapman University Professor, Pennella, 83, delivered the lecture to almost 50 women and included her own experiences with the Rosary and personal healing miracle of surviving terminal cancer.
The history of the Rosary starts with the Virgin Mary’s history. From a young girl told she was carrying the child of God, to a mother who watched her son crucified and then resurrected. The idea behind the Rosary started in the 10th century with a string of beads over which 150 psalms were said, Pennella said. This became 150 Our Fathers and then in the 12th century, 150 Hail Marys were added. In the 13th century, the first Rosary was given to St. Dominic and in the 16th century, Jesus’ life was attached to each Hail Mary and the Rosary was developed to consist of 50 mysteries — joyful, sorrowful and glorious.
“It is a spiritual weapon against evil,” said Pennella. “How many know that if you pray the Rosary daily it’s a weapon against evil?”
The lecture also covered the many historical events where the power of the Rosary was utilized, such as the war with the Albigensians in 1209, where Mary appeared to St. Dominic after he prayed for the crusaders to win, said Pennella. Mother Mary gave St. Dominic a Rosary as a weapon to win the war.
“The Rosary has been used for many, many miracles throughout the years,” Pennella said.
Pennella also gave the history of the Rosary in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, the 1917 Miracle of the Sun during World War I and the Bubonic Plague in 1349. She recounted how the Virgin Mary appeared to Blessed Alan de la Roche and told him to revive the Rosary during the Bubonic Plague.
The lecture included Marian apparitions from the well-known, like Our Lady of Guadalupe and Our Lady of Lourdes, to the less well known, such as Our Lady of Knock in Ireland and Our Lady of Litmanová in Slovakia.
Regarding Litmanová, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has granted a nihil obstat. According to Vatican News, “nihil obstat does not imply the recognition of the supernatural authenticity of the alleged apparitions, but ‘nevertheless permits the approval of public worship and the communication to the faithful that, if they wish, they may approach this spiritual proposal without risk.’”
“The lecture was amazing,” said Evelyn Flores, whose home parish is Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Ladera Ranch. Although Flores prays the Rosary, she said some of the information was new to her. The Rosary’s relationship to historical wars and the miracles especially connected with her, she said. “I never knew the history of the Rosary,” Flores said. “I pray the Rosary, but it was a lot of information. It was beautiful
and I enjoyed it very much.”
After learning the history, Flores said she doesn’t pray the Rosary enough and now feels compelled to step forward and pray the Rosary for families and friends who are suffering.
“It’s kind of like an awakening,” she said.
The Orange Diocesan Council of Catholic Women’s 50th anniversary celebration continues with a talk by Fr. Chris Heath on Jan. 20 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Irvine. For more information, go to odccw.org.