St. Rita, Harahan, to host Oct. 5-11 Rosary Congress

The 29th annual Greater New Orleans Rosary Congress for Life, Reparation and Peace in Our City, Nation and World will enable local faithful to enter in and out of seven seamless days of prayer, Mass, choir singing and eucharistic adoration.

This year’s Congress, one of 27 nationwide in 20 dioceses in 15 states, will take place Oct. 5-11 at St. Rita Church in Harahan, 7100 Jefferson Hwy.

The 2019 Congress will honor St. Joseph, Guardian of the Redeemer. A prayer to St. Joseph, written by St. Pope John Paul II, will be recited at each Mass.

The Congress features 24-hour eucharistic adoration; an hourly rosary and Chaplet of Restoration; and daily Masses, the majority of them scheduled at noon and 7:30 p.m. School and adult choirs from around the Archdiocese of New Orleans will provide music at the liturgies, and confession will be available one hour before each Rosary Congress Mass.

Mass celebrants will include both diocesan and religious priests, among them, Archbishop Gregory Aymond, who will celebrate the 7:30 p.m. Mass to Honor the Family on Oct. 8. At that liturgy, families of all sizes and ages will receive a special blessing from the archbishop.

The daily schedule for the 2019 Rosary Congress includes the following events:

 Saturday, Oct. 5: First Saturday Mass, 10:30 a.m.; followed by prayer, adoration and confession until 12:30 p.m. Dominican Father Scott Daniels, celebrant, accompanied by Prayer Warriors of St. Joan of Arc. Outdoor rosary procession outside St. Rita Church, 2:30 p.m.; Opening Mass with banner procession, 4 p.m. Father Steven Bruno, celebrant, with music by the St. Rita (Harahan) Adult Choir. Adoration and hourly rosaries will begin after this Mass.

Sunday, Oct. 6: Regular St. Rita Parish Masses at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose Program, 3 p.m., presented by the Knights of Columbus. Mass at 7:30 p.m., celebrated by Father Ken Smith, with music by the Ave Maria Vietnamese Choir of St. Joseph.

Monday, Oct. 7 (Feast of the Most Holy Rosary): Mass at noon celebrated by Father Damien Zablocki, with music by the St. Pius X School Choir. Mass at 7:30 p.m., celebrated by Dominican Father Scott Daniels, with music by the Divine Mercy Church Choir.

Tuesday, Oct. 8: Mass at noon celebrated by Father Sidney Speaks, with music by the St. Dominic School Choir. Live radio rosary broadcast on WVOG-600 AM at 6 p.m., sponsored by the archdiocesan Holy Name Society. Mass to Honor the Family at 7:30 p.m., celebrated by Archbishop Aymond, with music by The Contemporaries, St. Dominic Church Choir.

Wednesday, Oct. 9: Mass at noon celebrated by Father Minh Phan, with music by the St. Michael Special School Choir. Hispanic Mass at 7:30 p.m. celebrated by Dominican Father Manuel Solorzano, with music by Ministerio de musica del Apostolado Hispanic.

Thursday, Oct. 10: Mass at noon celebrated by Josephite Father Joseph Doyle, with music by the St. Louis King of France School Choir. Mass at 7:30 p.m. celebrated by Father Colm Cahill, with music by the St. Dominic Adult Choir. A candlelight outdoor eucharistic procession will follow the Mass, with trumpet music by Charlie Monnot. Holy Hour for Peace at 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 11: Mass at noon celebrated by Father Lawrence Murori, with music by Lorraine Hess. Healing Mass at 7:30 p.m. celebrated by Father Anthony Odiong, with music by Tongues of Fire.

For more on the Greater New Orleans Rosary Congress, call 508-7100 or visit www.rosarycongress.org. For national Rosary Congress news, visit rosarycongressusa.org.