SIGN UP
SIGN UP

Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

A National Pilgrimage Devoted to Christ and Our Lady

Dominican Friars

Join Us for the 2025 Novena & Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

May the peace of Our Lady be with you. As we begin this new year, we invite you to mark your calendars for the third annual Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage on September 27, 2025, in Washington, DC, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

There are many ways to participate in this powerful event! Begin by praying for the Rosary Pilgrimage—that many hearts will be led to Jesus through Mary. Spiritually, the Pilgrimage begins with a 9-month novena starting January 25, 2025. We encourage you and your loved ones to join us by praying the Novena prayer on the last Saturday of each month. You can find the prayer on the 2025 Dominican Rosary prayer card.

card mock up 25
DOWNLOAD CARD
MAIL ME A CARD
DOWNLOAD Spanish Card

Please help us spread the word! Invite your family, friends, fellow parishioners, your pastor, and ministry leaders to sign up individually or as a group on the website.

Follow, like, and share @DominicanRosary on social media to stay connected.

Visit this site regularly for updates, monthly videos, articles on the Rosary, and other inspiring content.

The Joyful Mystery of Christmas: Praying the Rosary with Love

I find it hard to believe that almost three months have passed since the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage on September 28th.  That day was such a joy-filled occasion of God’s grace.  I continue to thank the Lord, and the Dominican organizers, for the opportunity to be the principal preacher for the day but I realize too keenly that none of the day would have been possible if it were not for all the sacrifices of our many benefactors and all the organizing done behind the scenes.

It is this theme of “behind the scenes” preparation that can help us celebrate Christmas with joy this year in a new way—not because it is going to be a perfect Christmas with all the presents arriving and wrapped on time, or because the pork crown roast was the best we’d ever had—but rather because this Christmas we are going to meditate on all the “behind the scenes” work that God accomplished so that his Son could be born for our salvation.

In the Joyful Mysteries we meditate on the primacy of the Incarnation; from the Annunciation all the way to the Finding in the Temple, it is about the importance of our Christian belief that an individual human nature was taken up by the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity and He made it his own.  Christ’s human nature is particularly revealed to us by his body and his human Soul.  He truly became one of us, and remains one with us today.

"The Adoration of the Shepherds" by Domenico Ghirlandaio

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas this year and even more as we pray the Joyful Mystery of the Lord’s Nativity throughout the year, especially on Mondays and Saturdays, we call to mind all that God did to bring about that Birth:

    • The oracles of the prophets echoing through the centuries pointing to the Messiah.
    • The kings of Israel and Judah who reveal the blessings bestowed upon the faithful and the harsh judgment meted out to those who abandon God.
    • The great figures of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who longed to become a nation great in the sight of the Lord, more numerous that the sands of the shoreline.

And through these figures and every event of the Old Testament God prepared the world to receive his Son—not as a conquering hero—but as a little baby boy—who simply wants to be held in the arms of each believer.

Christmas is a joyful mystery not because of those presents or the pork crown roast but because of what God has already done!  He invites us into his joy by praying the Rosary with love for Him.

I heard a Christmas hymn this year that I never heard before—it’s called “Nativity Carol” by the famous British composer, John Rutter.  The last verse captures the joy of Christmas:

Love in that stable was born
Into our hearts to flow;
Innocent dreaming babe,
Make me thy love to know.

Christmas joy is found in that stable, not in anything that we do.  God opens our hearts to receive Him, and if it seems at times that He is using a crowbar or a jackhammer to crack us open, it’s only because we have become stubborn and closed to his will.  We need his love in order to survive.  The innocence of this Christ Child draws us into the one dream we share with Him, to be with God forever in heaven.

“Make me thy love to know” is not just a mystery for Christmas, but of each day of our lives ahead. 

Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year!  See you at the next Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage on September 27, 2025!

Fr. James Sullivan, O.P.

Written by Fr. James Mary Sullivan, O.P.
Fr. James was the principal preacher at the 2024 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage. He is a Dominican priest of the Province of Saint Joseph (eastern United States). Fr. James holds a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Dominican House of Studies and a Licentiate in Philosophy from The Catholic University of America, both in Washington, DC. Fr. James has served as Prior and Pastor at Saint Dominic’s Church in Youngstown, Ohio and at Saint Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He has taught systematic theology at Saint Joseph’s Seminary—Dunwoodie, in Yonkers, New York, and homiletics at Mount Saint Mary Seminary of the West in Cincinnati, Ohio. After being Novice Master for his Province for four years and for 65 novices, in 2014 he went to Rome to serve as the Director of the Institute for Continuing Theological Education at the Pontifical North American College. Since 2018, he has served as a Spiritual Director at Saint John’s Seminary in Brighton, Massachusetts, as Pastor of Saint Pius V Church in Providence, Rhode Island, and as Director of Spiritual Formation at Our Lady of Providence Seminary, also in Providence. At present, Fr. James is Prior of Saint Dominic’s Priory in Washington, DC.

A Moment of Grace: The Salve Regina

Experience the beauty of the Salve Regina as sung by the Dominican Friars during the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage. This hymn, a timeless tribute to Our Lady, reflects the heart of our mission: drawing souls closer to Christ through Mary.

Your support makes this possible. By donating today, you help sustain the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage and bring the light of the Rosary to more hearts.

Together, let us continue to honor Our Lady and spread the beauty of the Rosary.

Reflecting on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the singular grace given to the Blessed Virgin Mary: her preservation from original sin from the moment of her conception. Chosen to bear the Savior, Mary was uniquely prepared to bring Christ into the world, her life marked by both extraordinary privilege and profound humility.

As Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., reflects, “In the midst of these exalted graces, she manages to disappear, always promoting our Lord Jesus Christ.” Even in her most glorious moments, Mary turns our gaze to Christ, teaching us to see God’s work in every grace and blessing.

Her “yes” at the Annunciation, her faith at Cana, and her steadfast presence at the Cross show us what it means to live entirely for God. Mary’s life is not about herself; it is a witness to the redemptive power of Christ, inviting us to do the same.

On this solemnity, we honor Mary not simply for what she received but for how she responded—with perfect humility and unwavering trust in God’s will. May her example inspire us to embrace God’s grace in our lives and lead others to Christ.

2024 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage Highlights

The 2024 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage was a day marked by profound prayer, community, and devotion. Pilgrims gathered together, united by the Rosary and a shared mission to grow closer to God.

In his conference, Fr. James Sullivan, O.P., reminded us that the Pilgrimage was not merely an event, but the beginning of a lifelong journey toward God. “The Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage really is just beginning today. This is the start of it. Us being here together begins now, a new one for the rest of our life.”

The day was filled with beautiful moments, including prayer, adoration, confession, and Mass. Nearly 400 pilgrims were enrolled in the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary, further strengthening our commitment to the Rosary.

For those who were unable to attend, or who wish to relive the day, you can watch the livestream video. We hope you can join us for the next Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, taking place on September 27, 2025, or to pray with us spiritually through the nine-month novena beginning on January 25, 2025.

Thank you to all who participated and supported this year’s pilgrimage. May the graces we received inspire us all to deepen our commitment to prayer and continue our journey of faith, living Godward in everything we do.