Rosary Society

ROSARY ALTAR SOCIETY MISSION STATEMENT

The Rosary Altar Society’s main mission is to spread devotion to Mary through recitation of the Rosary, works of charity, and dissemination of Rosary pamphlets and Rosary beads. Monthly, at meetings different members volunteer to share their devotion to Mary through a presentation to the membership on their “connection” to Our Blessed Mother. We also have a member remind us of Mary’s feasts for the month and how we can additionally praise her and God. We are presently encouraging one another to attend the first Saturday Eucharistic Celebration, 9 AM Mass, which is followed by the Novena to Our Blessed Mother and recitation of the Rosary.

An additional mission of this ministry is to supply needed articles for the decoration and maintenance of our sanctuary, including the laundering and purchasing of altar linens. At Christmas and Easter, members assist with floral arrangements and decoration of the upper and lower Church.

Once a woman becomes a Rosarian, she remains so through life and death. Fellow Rosarians will attend the wake of a Rosarian and pray the Rosary.

Our works of charity & annual events include: 

– Providing Novena pamphlets to First Saturday participants
– Supplying food to our St. Vincent de Paul Pantry
– Communion Breakfast with Guest Speaker in autumn
– Adopting a family for Christmas
– Collecting and distributing Cookies for Shut-ins
– Altar care
– Baby gifts for Respect Life
– Palm Sunday Sale
– Assistance at the Parish Feast
– Assisting with the 4th grade Rosary program at St. Christopher’s School

ROSARY ALTAR SOCIETY MEETINGS

We meet on the first Monday following the first Sunday of the month at 7:30 PM in McGoldrick Hall on the stage. Our meetings always begin with the Rosary, followed by business, the planning of upcoming events, and then a social activity. Father Sylvester celebrates Mass with us before most of our meetings. On our calendar we plan three spiritual meetings or retreats/days of recollection a year.

The Rosary Altar Society has just celebrated its 60th Anniversary. Looking back, the Society has always been a vibrant organization. In the early days, Father Gorman, the originator of the Rosary Society in our parish, allowed the formation of only two organizations: The Rosary Society and The Holy Name Society.

Membership numbers have fluctuated considerably and new members are few, with so many different groups reaching out for our parishioners. We have to try to have women realize the importance of including spiritual enrichment in their lives.

OUR HISTORY

In 1946, The Rosary Society was begun at St. Christopher’s by Father Gorman. The first president was Jenny Lawrence. Not much is known of the early days. Through speaking to long-time members, we know that meetings were held in the New Pine Room, in part of what is now Monsignor Lawlor Hall. At this time, the Society paid for flowers, which decorated the altars at Christmas, Easter, Feast Days of the Blessed Mother, and other special days.

In 1977, at the Feast, Phoebe Krug was known as the “frankfurter lady”. Bingo was a regular program at meetings. Also around this time, meetings began with a Corporate Mass and a calendar of events looked something like this: Chinese Auction, Dinner, Theatre Party, Card Party, Crazy Hat Contest, Wine Tasting, Historical bus trip and luncheon, Communion Brunch, May crowning, CPR Demonstration, and Days of Retreat. Meetings were held in the school cafeteria.

The 1980’s were the evolving years. There were speakers a-plenty. Programs were changed, added, or altered: Cake sale, Cookies for Shut-ins, Day of Recollection, “Red Rosary Committee”, “Luncheon is Served”, Lady Luck Luncheon, Outlet Shopping, and Julia Benben’s compilation of the Rosary Altar Society’s cookbook, with the help of Susan and Margaret Noble. Meeting attendance soared to over 100, which I guess precipitated a change in venue -the newly renovated Monsignor Lawlor Hall.

In 1986 it was published in the Courier that the Rosary Altar Society was one of the largest, most active organizations in the parish and the calendar was extremely busy.

Monsignor Lawlor and Father Robert Brown were regular attendees at the Rosary Altar Society’s meetings during their years at St. Christopher’s.

Contributors to this history: Mary Bachman, Doris Noble, Mary Caridi, Marie Breen, and Rose Schenone

If you can add anything to this brief history, please contact Lynda Stevenson through the Rectory.