The Rosary Altar Society
The Rosary Altar Society was one of the first Ministries established within St. James Parish. Its primary purpose is "to praise and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary and to secure her patronage by the recitation of the Rosary."
The Rosary Altar Society is a Confraternity established by the Church.
We are an organization of women from all age groups which, following Mary's example of service to our Lord, have both a devotional and service aim. The only obligation of the members of this Confraternity is to recite the twenty mysteries of the Rosary once a week -- either alone or with other members. Placing our trust in Mary, we pray the Rosary for Peace in the Chapel every Monday at 7:30 p.m.
On October 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II wrote an apostolic letter, "Rosarium Virginis Mariae" -- "The Rosary of the Virgin Mary" that added 5 Luminous Mysteries to this time-honored devotion that enriches the mysteries by focusing on Christ's own ministry on earth. Pope John Paul II said in the Oct. 29, 2003 General Audience that "In the face of war, violence and tension, praying the Rosary is a conscious expression of faith: Meditating on Christ, we implore the gift of peace through the intercession of Mary, and we ask her for the strength to be peacemakers, especially in the home. I encourage you all to continue to pray the Rosary along the path of holiness. There you will find the peace of Christ."
As mentioned, the Rosary Altar Society provides an important service function to St. James by providing and maintaining many aspects of the altar. We coordinate the weekly, Christmas and Easter altar flowers, as well as provide and maintain the altar linens and holy wash. Members of the society also maintain the priest's albs, the altar boys' cassocks and make the baptismal bibs. In addition, we organize fund-raisers in order to finance our service activities.
We feel blessed to be a ministry that keeps the altar of our Lord -- the most precious area of our Church -- clean and befitting the presence of our God. The holy wash, in particular, may still have our Lord's presence -- if tiny fragments of Host remain -- and special care is given to these linens.
The Society also provides a means through which women of the parish may meet, socialize and provide support for one another. Our scheduled meetings are usually the first Monday after the first Sunday of the month. We have a varied program which often contains outside speakers or local community groups. These meetings are open to all women of the parish and are publicized in the Sunday bulletin.
Meeting Schedule
Online Schedule: RosaryLetter_-_2008_sched.doc
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If you are interested in becoming a Rosarian or would like more information, please feel free to contact Karen Gorczakowski (766-9292) walker610@aol.com or Georgiana Paril (766-6754) geoandgeo@att.net who lead our membership committee or any of the officers listed below.
| 2008-2009 Officers | |
| President | Mary Corbet 908-766-0888, ext. 3 |
| Vice President | Ada Dougherty 908-647-7262 |
| Secretary | Sonia Longo |
| Treasurer | Cathy Sorge |
The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Rosary
- Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the rosary, shall receive signal graces.
- I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the rosary.
- The rosary shall be a powerful armour against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
- It will cause virtue and good works to flourish: it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
- The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the rosary, shall not perish.
- Whoever shall recite the rosary devoutly, applying themselves to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God and become worthy of eternal life.
- Whoever shall have a true devotion for the rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.
- Those who are faithful to recite the rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death, they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.
- I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the rosary.
- The faithful children of the rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.
- You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the rosary.
- All those who propagate the holy rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.
- I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.
- All who recite the rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only son Jesus Christ.
- Devotion of my rosary is a great sign of predestination.
(Given to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan) Imprimatur +PATRICK J. HAYES, D.D. Archbishop of NY
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