Greater New Orleans Rosary Congress to be held Oct. 7-13

The 27th Annual Greater New Orleans Rosary Congress, celebrating the centennial of Our Lady of Fatima, will be held Oct. 7-13 at St. Rita Church in Harahan, 7100 Jefferson Highway.

The rosary congress, dedicated to the intention of life, reparation and peace in the city, nation and world, has been held in the Archdiocese of New Orleans since 1990. It originated in Poland during the pontificate of Pope John Paul II and was held for the first time in the U.S. in 1988 at the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

With the exception of the opening Mass on Oct. 7, music will begin each night at 7 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. Mass.

The schedule at St. Rita Church is as follows:

• Oct. 7: 8:30 a.m. Mass with the United Nations Pilgrim Statue of the World Apostolate of Fatima; 2:30 p.m., rosary procession; 4 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Steve Bruno, pastor of St. Rita, with music by St. Rita Adult Choir; 5 p.m., exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
• Oct. 8: 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 Masses; 7:30 Youth Mass celebrated by Father Matthew Johnston, parochial vicar of St. Joan of Arc in LaPlace, with music by the St. Rita Youth Choir.
• Oct. 9: Noon Mass celebrated by Father Joseph Krafft, director of pastoral formation at Notre Dame Seminary, with music by St. Pius X Children’s Choir; 7:30 p.m. Mass celebrated by Dominican Father John Restrepo, pastor of St. Dominic in New Orleans, with music by Lorraine Hess and Jamie Diliberto.
• Oct. 10: Noon Mass celebrated by Father Sidney Speaks, parochial vicar of St. Matthew the Apostle in River Ridge, with music by the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Children’s Choir; 7:30 p.m. Mass celebrated by Houma-Thibodaux Bishop Shelton Fabre, with music by the St. Dominic Contemporary Choir.
• Oct. 11: Noon Mass celebrated by Father Ken Smith, parochial vicar of St. Rita, with music by the St. Louis King of France School Choir; 1 p.m., performance by St. Michael Special School Bell Choir; 7:30 p.m. Mass (bilingual) celebrated by Father José Lavastida, pastor of Blessed Francis X. Seelos in New Orleans, with music by the Blessed Seelos Parish Choir.
• Oct. 12: Noon Mass celebrated by Father Joseph Palermo, director of spiritual formation at Notre Dame Seminary, with music by the St. Rita School Choir; 7:30 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Bruno, followed by candlelight outdoor eucharistic procession, with music by the St. Philip Neri Adult Choir.
• Oct. 13: Noon Mass celebrated by Father Minh Phan, director of the pre-theology program at Notre Dame Seminary, with music by the St. Dominic Children’s Choir; 7:30 p.m. Mass celebrated by Father Anthony Odiong, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Luling, with music by the Mater Dolorosa Parish Choir.

For more information, call 508-7100 or go to www.rosarycongress.org.