Prayer network at St. James the Just asks for Our Lady's intercession

Friday, May. 01, 2020

UTAH — When the directive from the Diocese of Salt Lake City about social distancing and the closure of public events due to the COVID-19 pandemic went into effect, Fr. Renato Rodillas, pastor of Saint James the Just Parish in Ogden, began a rosary online.

“Everyone was doing the online Masses, and I started talking about starting an online rosary for everybody, but especially for our frontliners and for the end of this global crisis,” Fr. Rodillas said.

“I have always believed that the intercession of the Blessed Mother is so great and it is so important,” he said. “We are praying to her and we are praying for her intercession.” 

Originally the online rosary was going to take place only on Sunday evenings, “but I started receiving several messages asking if I was going to have a rosary every evening,” he said. “Since I received several requests, on March 24 I started having it every evening at 7:30 p.m.”

The effort has been a success – the rosary has drawn up to 400 participants a night. These include Fr. Rodillas’ friends from the Philippines, Germany, California and different parishes in the Salt Lake diocese

“My prayer partners are very faithful and joining me every evening,” he said.

The rosary is held through Fr. Rodillas’ Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/frrene.slcdiocese.

Anybody in the Diocese of Salt Lake City and beyond is invited to participate in the rosary online.

“Some of our friends host a watch party, so their friends are joining in the devotion,” Fr. Rodillas said.

One of the participants at the online rosary who logs on every evening is St. Olaf parishioner Mary Schwab, who said she is grateful to Fr. Rodillas for his effort.

“Thank you for leading this devotion to the Blessed Mother. I look forward to it each evening,” she said.

With the calendar turning to May, the importance of praying the rosary has increased. The month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and this year Pope Francis has invited the faithful to renew their love for the rosary.

Praying the rosary “will make us even more united as a spiritual family and will help us overcome this time of trial”, said Pope Francis in a Letter for the Month of May, published on the feast of St Mark the Evangelist (25 April).  

The pope concluded his letter with the promise that he is praying for all, “especially those suffering most greatly.”