Barb Patterson, who I know from Facebook and other online sites, offered to share about her rosary group when I posted an offer for people to guest post on my blog about the rosary in October. In many ways, what she talks about here is what I’d love to see in my own local group of moms. Another friend of mine, Pat Gohn, has lovely stories about the rosary group she participated in for years and years. I hope you find this as inspiring and motivational as I did! Thanks, Barb, for sharing your experience with us!
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In my spiritual life I have followed the very well-worn path of the cradle Catholic. By the time I was in college, I only espoused those beliefs that still let me live the way I wanted without having to struggle too hard. Thanks to some silent prayer warriors in my life, I did manage to meet and marry a wonderful Catholic man who was pretty much on the same path as I was.
After the birth of our first daughter, I began to feel little pin pricks to my conscience. What was I going to tell her I believed in when she was old enough to ask? I decided that if I was going to tell her that I was a Catholic I needed to be a truly practicing Catholic or else I needed to find some other faith that I could believe in fully.
This began my trip back into full communion with the Catholic Church. No more cafeteria attitude for me. It was amazing how quickly I could again hear our Lord speaking to me as I prayed. I felt that I was back on the right path.
When my kids were quite small, I got an invitation to join a Mothers’ Rosary group. I pictured mothers on their knees praying devoutly as their children prayed next to them. I figured that with my three under the age of 5, we’d be asked to leave pretty quickly.
What I found in this group was a wonderful group of women, all struggling with the same things I struggled with; all very accepting and welcoming of the craziness and activity that comes with children; all with the conviction that praying these prayers to Jesus and His Mother and meditating on His life would help us to become closer to Him.
We could sit around sometimes for an hour (getting up now and then to chase down an errant child or two) and talk about all the things we needed to pray for and about that week, and then lay it all at the feet of Our Lady, with full confidence that she would ask her Son to help us in our struggles. I always leave Rosary group feeling consolation in my heart and peace in my mind.
The group has changed over the past 12 years. I am the only original member left. The original kids are all off at school and a new batch of babies and toddlers scurry around us as we pray.
Sometimes my life doesn’t allow me to attend the weekly group for months at a time, but I know it goes on, and I can always go back to it. I do go back often. Meditating on the life of Christ with my dear friends helps keep me on the right path.
Barb–loved your post! Thanks to our pal Sarah for running it. Since Sarah mentioned my history with rosary-styled prayer groups for Moms, I thought I’d offer a quick link on the subject:
http://resources.rosary.com/187/colored-beads-and-coffee-beans/
I recommend Moms going to “Momma Mary” and asking her to show you just one friend or acquaintance who may be open to praying the rosary with you once a week. Then see what happens!
Barb – wonderful.
As a cradle Catholic, too, I am forever discovering how faith isn’t just a noun but a verb as well.
Conversion is a lifelong journey – no matter when/how you became Catholic.
Marianne