Today, as we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, Anne O’Brien, reads from the Gospel of Luke (1:26-38) in which the angel Gabriel visits Mary in Nazareth, and says to her ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Anne says the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is the observance that commemorates and honors Mary, specifically in her role as the Lady of the Rosary. The Rosary is a very special prayer which helps us meditate on key events in the lives of Jesus Christ and Our Lady. The Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is particularly associated with the Battle of Lepanto, a naval battle fought on October 7, 1571, in which the Christian Holy League, led by the Papal States and supported by the Spanish Empire, defeated the Ottoman Empire. Pope Pius V attributed the victory to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the Rosary, and he established the feast of Our Lady of Victory to honor her. Later, Pope Gregory XIII changed the name of the feast to the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. The date, 7 October, was chosen for this memorial to commemorate the Battle of Lepanto. On this day, Catholics are encouraged to pray the Rosary and reflect on the life of Jesus and Mary, seeking their intercession for personal intentions. It’s a day to promote our awareness to the Rosary as a powerful way to pray and spend time in spiritual reflection. Today Anne invites to prayer the special prayer to Our Lady the Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen