Praying The Rosary

Each year the Catholic Church celebrates October as the month of the Most Holy Rosary.

But this year, Jesuit students have been making an extra effort to break out their beads and come together as a group to pray.

Every day right after school since early September, a dedicated group of students walks the campus and prays the Rosary. Led by director of campus ministry Jimmy Mitchell, the daily praying of the Rosary started for the intention of Mason Salustro ’23, a Jesuit student recovering from serious injury after being struck by lightning on Labor Day.

The first prayer session, on Tuesday, September 8, was the day after Salustro was hospitalized, and 15 students stayed after school to pray for him. Since then, the students have offered up each subsequent Rosary for Salustro in addition to bringing personal intentions.

They take the same route every day: starting in front of the Chapel of the Holy Cross, processing to Corral Memorial Stadium and taking a lap around the track, then walking toward Hyer Family Park before crossing Garcia Bridge and concluding in front of the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto.

On October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, in a student-led initiative, nearly 100 Jesuit students prayed on campus in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary.

“It was a beautiful reminder that holiness is an ordinary, everyday endeavor,” Mitchell said. “No fanfare, no production. Just ordinary faithfulness leading to extraordinary holiness.”

In addition, every Tuesday morning this month students involved in Peer Ministry are praying the Rosary. Led by assistant directors of campus ministry Matt Kuizon ’11 and Dan Angel, the peer ministers meet in the student commons behind the Chapel of the Holy Cross every Tuesday at 7:15am, praying the Rosary in celebration of this holy month. The students lead the prayer, and a group of mothers has provided breakfast beforehand. Kuizon said that the number of participants ballooned to about 25 on Oct. 13.   

“It brings deep joy to me, especially as an alum, seeing the desire in the hearts of students to go and pray,” Kuizon said. “It inspires me and my own faith and my walk with Christ, especially in the way that they cling to the Blessed Mother.”