First Saturday Parish Rosary at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 3/5/2016

The Day Chapel at St. Anthony of Padua
Church decorated for Lent 2016.

Perhaps it was because the Church is currently celebrating Lent, but the line for confession overflowed from the small Blessed Sacrament Chapel (where the confessional for St. Anthony of Padua Church is located) into the larger Day Chapel where we pray the First Saturday Rosary.  In the past five+ years that we've been holding these monthly rosary meetings, I've never seen the confessional as busy as this - it was awesome!  And what made things even better was the fact that many of the penitents came into the Day Chapel after their confession and joined us for the Rosary, making for a well-attended prayer meeting this month!

The mood is generally serious whenever we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries, which is normal given the nature of the reflections... but Lent tends to amplify the somber mood.  This time around, though, I also recognized another "vibe" in the chapel while we prayed - it was a powerful sense of what I can only describe as relief.  I knew that it was directly related to the exceptional number of penitents sitting among us, who had just come from the confessional. Many were receiving healing in their souls, which includes the lifting of heavy spiritual burdens that had been carried for whatever period of time.  Release!  

I don't know why these people decided to stay and pray - I didn't recognize most of them - but I sure am glad they did.  I believe most of them were glad, too, because many did leave looking relieved - "lighter" - than when they first came into the chapel... but, at the same time, it seemed as though most of them were unexpectedly discovering, for the very first time, the healing power of the Rosary Prayer (in addition to Confession) despite the fact that it's something that Our Lady has been trying to telling us all along, via her many appearances throughout the world. I hope these people will continue to come and pray with us...

The next First Saturday Rosary for Peace will be prayed on April 2nd in the Day Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Kailua Town. All are welcome to make a confession prior to praying the Rosary at 4:30pm.