October is Month of the Holy Rosary and parishioners from all over the Diocese of Corpus Christi attended a "Rosaryfest" at Our Lady of the Rosary Church on Tuesday, Oct. 7. The event began at 8 a.m. with hourly praying of novena prayers and rosaries by groups from Our Lady of the Rosary and other parishes.
In the evening a live rosary was held outside the church with parishioners praying and singing aloud around strips of ribbon with pink and blue balloons, which were blessed by Deacon Eluterio Farias from St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles Parish. The balloons represented beads of the rosary and afterwards were released into the sky.
"The balloons are symbolic, like incense, they represent our prayers rising to heaven," said Jaime Reyna, diocesan director from the Office of Youth Ministry, who also helped coordinate the live rosary and spread word of the event to youth throughout the diocese.
A Mariachi Mass followed the live rosary and Msgr. Lawrence White, pastor of Ss. Cyril and Methodius Parish, gave the homily, which was a testament of his own faith-filled journey of healing. After 17 operations and 3 trips to Our Lady of Lourdes, he explained that often healing does not occur when you want, but later, in God's time.
He spoke of his unfailing faith and his relationship with Mary, the Blessed Mother, which grew even though his health had continued to deteriorate and he could no longer walk.
The doctor found that in treating his back his hips had deteriorated. His hips were replaced and with therapy he is able to walk today. Msgr. White attributes his ability to walk to Mary, "interceding for me in God's time," he said.
Other priests who concelebrated Mass with Msgr. White were Father Paul Peter Antony, pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Parish in Vattman; Father Gabriel Coelho, PhD, LPC-S, pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary; Father Dan Estes, SOLT from Our Lady of Corpus Christi; Father Juan Fernando Gamez; Msgr. Marcos Martinez, pastor of Our Lady of Pilar Parish; Father Gerard Sheehan, SOLT, from St. John Nepomucene Parish in Robstown; and Father O. Dominic Zimmerman, SOLT. Deacon Jesse Hinojosa from Corpus Christi Cathedral assisted at the Mass.
After Mass everyone gathered for fellowship and dinner in the parish hall.