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Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

A National Pilgrimage Devoted to Christ and Our Lady

Dominican Friars

Dominican Friars launch new podcast, Contemplata, with Fr. James Brent, O.P.

The Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph are launching a new podcast, Contemplata, A Podcast for Contemplative Souls, with Fr. James Dominic Brent, O.P.. It was an idea that came to Fr. Brent several years ago during the Christmas Octave. “It simply dawned on me that God wants to raise up contemplative souls in the Church—people who have truly heard and take seriously the universal call to contemplative prayer.” That epiphany was confirmed a few months later when he gave a talk on this topic through the lens of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity. People were hungry for more on contemplative prayer.

Fr. Brent notes that Fr. Donald Haggerty has proposed there is a “contemplative revolution” underway right now in the Church, and points to the popularity of the writings of Fathers Thomas Dubay, Jacques Phillippe, and Timothy Gallagher as evidence of this deep hunger for prayer. “In a world of scientism, the human heart still thirsts for a drink from the fountain of Light on high,” said Fr. Brent.

The term “contemplata” is at the heart of our Dominican life and mission of preaching, he said. “Our motto is ‘contemplata aliis tradere’ – normally translated as ‘to give to others the fruits of contemplation.’ Contemplata are things contemplated deeply, the mysteries of God pondered with love and understanding in divine light, and are now ready to be put into words for others to receive.” 

The purpose of this podcast is to provide food for contemplative souls. But it means, first, letting people know there is a universal call to contemplative prayer.  Once they hear the call, people need practical instruction on how to proceed. “They need to learn the pathways to the top of Mount Tabor, so to speak, so that by walking them they might come to behold the radiant face of Christ with the eyes of their hearts.” Second, people need actual food for meditation and prayer. “People need to hear the mysteries of faith all over again, and hear them more deeply than on the level of catechetics or common homilies, and hear them in a manner suitable to contemplative prayer.”

Contemplata, A Podcast for Contemplative Souls will launch March 7. You can watch on Dominican Friars Media at dominicanfriars.org/contemplata or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

What Are You Wearing This Lent?

Today is the first of many Fridays during Lent. Our penances are perhaps being refined and hopefully refining us as well. I would like to propose another aspect of penance, focusing more exteriorly. Have you thought much about the clothes you wear during Lent? Likely not, but it may be more worthwhile than you think. By way of example, Saint Dominic demonstrates the value of religious garb in penitential exercises and, by extension, any apparel worn for religious purposes.

There are numerous testimonies to Dominic’s sanctity, which manifested itself in various forms: never sleeping on a bed (if he even slept), drastically diluting his wine at table, praying through the night, fasting, etc. These details are reported by many witnesses, but there is another detail that is repeatedly mentioned: his religious habit. It was an uncomfortable outfit, which he always slept in. Part of Dominic’s penitential life, which was so salutary for himself and many souls, was his attention to his clothing. By no means did he admit of any disordered concern for his appearance—his habit was reported to be rather tattered. But his clothing was an important part of his austerity because it was both a sign for others and for himself.

Today, the purpose of a religious habit is often defended with only one of these elements in mind: it is a sign to others of our separation from the world and our consecration to God. But we, even religious, often forget the secondary element of the habit: it is a sign for the religious himself. Wearing the habit can be a penitential source of discomfort—both physically and socially. The habit doesn’t breathe well. It is mocked by a world that rejects consecration and its signs. But when these kinds of discomfort quite literally weigh upon his shoulders, the religious is challenged by his habit to remember: “I still belong to the Lord. I have stretched out my hands and been dressed by someone else, and now I must continually be converted to him in my consecration.”

Wearing the religious habit more continuously and intentionally can thus be a significant aspect of a consecrated person’s Lenten practices. But what about everyone else? I suggest that even non-religious men and women can follow the example of St. Dominic. Perhaps you can consider modifying the way you dress during this Lenten season. This is not to say that you should wear sackcloth and ashes to draw undue attention to yourself. But just as the religious wears the habit to remind him of his consecration, so you can use your clothing to remind yourself that you have put on Christ in baptism. 

This Lent, let your clothing be a small penance that turns you away from the things of this world toward Christ crucified. At least for a season, reject what is vain and showy, and instead clothe yourself with a sign of Christ’s humble simplicity. If this sounds daunting, begin by carrying a sign perhaps no one else will see—whether a crucifix, a medal, or a rosary in your pocket—that reminds you alone of your conversion to Christ. By God’s grace, your external appearance will give way to the more noble clothing of the heart, and you will say with the prophet Isaiah: 

I will rejoice heartily in the Lord,
   my being exults in my God;
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation,
    and wrapped me in a robe of justice,
Like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
    as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

This article was originally published on dominicanajournal.org and was written by Br. Bertrand Hebert, O.P..

A 9-Month Novena for the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

Every good thing begins in prayer! And so the Dominican Friars of the Province St. Joseph are beginning a 9-month novena to pray for the success of the second annual Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage. 

The novena starts on Saturday, January 27, 2024, and will be prayed every last Saturday of the month for nine months. We encourage you to subscribe to get the novena prayer card sent to you and to view monthly video reflections on the Rosary by  various friars from the province.

The first Rosary Pilgrimage, held last September at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., “was a resounding success,” said Fr. John Paul Kern, O.P., Executive Director of the Dominican Friars Foundation. “And we want this pilgrimage to grow every year, bringing people together to pray with the friars, and leading more souls to Jesus through Mary.” 

Last year’s inaugural day-long pilgrimage brought 3,200 Catholics from across the country together for a day of praying the Rosary, great preaching by Dominican friars, opportunities for confession, and Holy Mass. 

“There were many graces received that day and Our Lady wants to continue to give us these graces now, more than ever,” said Fr. John Paul. “So, begin praying with us now, every month, for the success of the Dominican Rosary pilgrimage, and then join us for the next Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage which will be held on September 28, 2024.”

Save the Date: 2024 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage!

May the peace of Our Lady be with you on this Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. We know it’s just the first day of the year, but we want to invite you now to join us for the second annual Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage on September 28, 2024 in Washington, DC at the the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

There are many ways you can participate in this great event! And the first way is to start praying for the Rosary Pilgrimage—that many hearts will be led to Jesus through Mary. The Pilgrimage starts (spiritually) with a 9-month novena beginning January 27, 2024. We invite you and your loved ones to pray the Novena prayer found on the 2024 Dominican Rosary prayer card on the last Saturday of each month.

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Please promote the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage and invite your family, friends, fellow parishioners, your pastor, and other ministry leaders to sign up individually or as a ministry on the website.

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Continue to check this site for updates, monthly videos, articles on the Rosary, and other content.

Salve Regina


The following rendition of “Salve Regina” was sung at the 2023 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage.

Latin:

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
ad te clamamus
exsules filii Evae,
ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

English:

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve;
to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.

Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile,
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Pray for us O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.