8/6/2009
Rosary Bowl to celebrate priests
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SALEM — Families, prayer and priesthood gather under one roof Saturday, Oct. 3.
Oregon Catholics and guests convene to pray the rosary, remember priests and nurture vocations during the third Rosary Bowl set for 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. that day at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion.
In June, Pope Benedict declared a “Year for Priests” celebrating the theme: Faithfulness of Christ, Faithfulness of Priests. The year also recognizes the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, the patron saint of pastors.
The Rosary Bowl, an annual family prayer event, promotes the motto popularized by Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, a Holy Cross priest who founded a family rosary crusade in the 1940s: “The family that prays together stays together,” said the priest, who also said, “A world at prayer is a world at peace.”
The Rosary Bowl mission is to promote and encourage families to pray together, especially the daily family rosary. This year the specialintentions include prayers for peace, for the family and for priests.
This year the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary will be offered with special intentions for priests and vocations.
The Rosary Bowl Northwest began as a public recitation at Volcanoes Baseball Stadium in Keizer in 2007.
With the possibility of adverse weather conditions, the committee decided to bring the event indoors, promoting greater attendance and expanding the program.
The crowd will be able to make confessions starting at 9 a.m. This year’s event includes, for the first time, Mass with Auxiliary Bishop Kenneth Steiner at 10:30 a.m.; recitation of the rosary, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and benediction at 12:30 p.m.; guest speaker and musician Michael John Poirier at 2 p.m.; and a Divine Mercy Hour featuring the chaplet and music by Donna Cori Gibson at 3 p.m.
This year, music director and composer David Phillips of St. Mary Parish in Eugene is seeking to assemble a choir of volunteers for Mass and other prayer.
“The idea of adding Holy Mass to the Rosary Bowl is awesome,” says Phillips. “If we can fill the pavilion with beautiful music to honor our lord Jesus in the most precious Sacrament of the Eucharist it will be the best gift we can offer his blessed mother Mary.”
He is inviting parish choir directors and choir members to “bring your talents to the Rosary Bowl to glorify the Lord.” Anyone interested in applying to be a volunteer choir member is asked to download the application from the Web site www.rosarybowlnw.org and mail in the application by Sept. 14. Questions regarding the volunteer choir can be directed to: dmarie@kbvm.fm.
Rosary Bowl NW became a non-profit organization in 2008 with a mission to offer a rosary day annually to encourage and promote daily family prayer of the rosary. The event has been endorsed by the Archdiocese of Portland and both the rosary and Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Steiner.
People from all faith backgrounds who wish to pray for peace, the family and clergy are encouraged to attend, especially youth groups, church groups and families of all ages. Food concessions will be available and a community resource area will be open to explore prayer, family and faith resources.
More than 200 volunteers from local Knights of Columbus councils including the Fourth Degree Honor Guard will be assisting in the event.
Parking and admission to the Rosary Bowl NW is free. However, in order to offset the expenses of the venue and an expanded program, donations are being taken before and during the event.
Donations can be made at any time on the Web site www.rosarybowlnw.org or by mail to: Rosary Bowl NW, PO Box 20023, Keizer, Oregon 97307.
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