(LifeSiteNews) — Thousands of concerned South Africans took to the streets on Saturday, October 15 to pray the Rosary in prominent locations for their country.
It was the culmination of an intensive campaign to recruit Rosary Rally Captains to lead the recitation of the Rosary in the public square.
This is an annual event, scheduled for the Saturday in October closest to October 13 – the anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun at Fatima in 1917.
From all corners of the country, courageous souls volunteered to invite their families, friends, and fellow parishioners to pray for South Africa in an hour of real need.
Organizers were delighted at the response as the final tally saw 1110 prayer rallies light up the country.
The Rosary groups are encouraged to pray the Rosary along with the Litany of Our Lady, the Divine praises, a Consecration to the Immaculate Heart, and a hymn.
The Rosary Rally co-ordinator, Bernadette Tuffin, expressed her satisfaction with the turnout.
“It has been so encouraging to see the response to our annual Public Rosary Rally Crusade,” she said.
“From the many photos received after the Rallies, we can see that the Rally Captains really went the extra mile to make the Rosary Rallies very special for all who participated.”
“Organizing the Rosary Crusade is a team effort, and I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make the 2022 Rosary Rallies such a huge success! May Our Lady bless and protect South Africa and its people!”
The enthusiasm and devotion of participants was palpable as they implored Our Lady to intervene in the country. Their intentions were many and diverse. Meanwhile, Rally Captains employed imaginative ideas to stimulate interest with “balloon rosaries,” processions, lovely flowers, and devotional statues – all designed to attract passers-by and get the message across.
South Africa is in dire straits with problems on every front and the ever-increasing danger of communist-oriented ideologues taking advantage of the chronic political, economic, moral, and social conditions prevailing in the country.
The Rosary Rallies are organized and co-ordinated by South Africa Needs Our Lady, a local group operating under the Family Action South Africa mantle.
The primary activity of the group is “Winning the heart and soul of South Africa for Mary by spreading the Fatima Message.” A prime focus of this action is to defend and nourish the institution of the family – so weakened and crushed on many fronts.
The over-arching goal of South Africa Needs Our Lady is to attract the grace of God upon South Africa and bring about its conversion through adherence to the requests Our Lady made at Fatima – prayer, conversion, and amendment of life.
This work is carried out through mailings of beautiful books, medals, pictures, and the like – all designed to increase faith dispositions and give fellow Catholics the means to defend their Faith through knowing it more perfectly. A constant email campaign is also employed to broaden knowledge of the Lives of Saints, register protests, encourage devotion to the First Friday and First Saturday devotions, and to promote the rosary as “the great weapon of our times.”
Organizers prayed that Our Lady would take this gesture of love and devotion and multiply it a thousandfold for the coming of her Reign.
Bernard Tuffin is the Project Manager at Family Action South Africa.