Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-02
FEAST OF HOLY ROSARY
OBSERVED AT ST. VIBIANA
RT. REV. HARNETT EXPLAINS
MEANING OF TERM
Commentaries Double Defeat of Turk
Ish Hordes by Christian Soldiers
When MohammedanIsm Was at Its
Zenith and Threatened Europe

The feast Of the Holy Rosary was OBJ
served yesterday morning at the Cath
edral of st. Vibiana with solemn mass.
Rt Rev. Mgr. Harnett, V. G., preached
an eloquent sermon, dwelling on the
history of the feast and the devotion of
the rosary. He said:
1.-THE feast of the Holy Rosary is to-
day celebrated throughout the Catholic
world This simple poem of prayer,
wherein we mediate on the mysteries
Of our Lords life and of His blessed
mothers, and recite a certain number
of Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and
Gloria Patris,' had it's origin in the
days of st. Dominic. The Albigensian
heresy was devastating the church of
God in southern France and northern
Italy. 1t denied such fundamental doc
trines as the incarnation, the divine ma
ternity, the necessity of repentance, the
sanctity of marriage, The condition of
society was appalling and the sons of
st. Bernard wept.
ITO stem the torrent of vice, God
raised up the great st. Dominic, He
taught the people to pray to the Blessed
Virgin and implore her intercession. He
went through the length and breadth of
the land, and everywhere wrought Won
ders for the church of God.
"In the year 1871 western Europe was
threatened with an invasion of the
Turks. The forces of Europe were
united against them. A victory on the
part of the Mohammedan hordes would
mean the destruction of European
Christian civilization. The fate of
Europe was in the balance. The vicar
of Christ, mindful of the danger, be-
sought the Rosary socialists to pray
with him to the mother of God for as
sistance. The consequence was that
while supplication was being made the
Christians, under Don Juan of Austria,
were victorious at Lepanto.
Turks Twice Defeated
Nearly two hundred years later the
same enemy endeavored to effect a
similar purpose Charles VI, united
and commanded the Christian armies.
The church known as Mary Majors in
Rome was being dedicated. Again the
vicar of Christ summoned the people
to implore the mother of God, through
the rosary, to come to the aid of the
people of God and again was the
Christian army victorious.
"To commemorate these victories the
feast OF the Holy Rosary was instituted.
By saying the rosary we honor the
mother of God and implore her inter-
cession. Christ, who honored his bless
ed mother, cannot be displeased when
we honor her. He who honors a mother
church for st. Peter, when in prison,
were of avail; If the prayers of st. Paul
were beneficial to his disciples; If we
commend the prayers of st. Stephen
for his prosecutors; if the elders of the
Apocalypse present the prayers of the
saints before the throne of God, we GER
tainly ought not despise the prayers of
the blessed mother of God.
I'VE glory in our civilization. 1t is
Christian. If it be not Mohammedan, let
us thank the mother of God, who saved
our forefathers from being obliged to
bear the Saracen yoke.
Christ is the way, the truth and the
life. To Mary are applied the words of
Ecclesiasticus by the church: I am the
grace of the way and of the truth; am
the, hope of life and virtue. l have
fructified as the rose planted by the
running waters"