The Catholic Defender: The Rosary Patrol salutes
The Virgin Mary at Fatima told the children, “Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war... If they do what I tell you, many souls will be saved, and there will be peace. The war is going to end [World War I]. But if they do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI... When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that it is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its crimes by means of war, of hunger, and of persecution of the Church and of the Holy Father." The Rosary is one of the most identifiable devotions in the world. It is a very visible sign that has had a huge impact on the world. With all the chaos everywhere, can you imagine what it would be like without the Rosary? What it would be without the many devoted to praying the family Rosary? The Rosary Patrol was born in Iraq when I would go to the Chapel to pray the Rosary everyday. I would pray the Rosary at 11:30 before going to lunch. In time, I would have other Soldiers join me. In time, we had people around the United States praying with us spiritually. Then this would branch out to all over the world as people praying the Rosary would tie in with us. The Rosary Patrol's devotion was dedicated to the Soldiers going outside the wire, for the families having to be separated due to deployment. Then we opened it up to everyone in the group, which included the prayer requests asked of us from the "Defenders of the Catholic Faith". We have been graced to see miracles of safety, healing, conversion in some very powerful ways. This growth was largely because of the "Defenders of the Catholic Faith" (DCF) and Steven Ray's Message Board. The Moderator (Siggy), has always been excellent in running DCF ensuring that the Catholic Faith was always seen in the light of Christ. In the DCF Archives, you can read the daily posts of 27 months in Iraq. Much of this story is still seen and preserved. What a blessing it is to be able to go back in there and retrace those events that changed peoples lives forever. Coming home from Iraq for the last time in 2011, John Benko and I have continued the idea of "The Rosary Patrol" and setting up a Rosary which we have devoted Monday evening to pray the Rosary. John put together a Facebook page dedicated entirely for those who would like prayer support from the Rosary Patrol. We continue to see good fruit coming from the devotion of the Rosary. Because of the importance that DCF gave to the Rosary Patrol in following the stories of the Catholic Defender, we want to give a "Rosary Patrol Salute" to the Family of DCF, there are many great testimonies there. Steven Ray, a convert to the Catholic Faith, is the founder of the website and you can go to this site from our own home page. We want to encourage everyone to pray the Rosary for sinners as Our Lady of Fatima requested. At a time when many are busy trying to make ends meet, many more falling into the trap of sin and vice, people need to rediscover their prayer life. If you have been away from the Catholic Faith for awhile, we want to encourage you and welcome you home. You do matter, the Lord, Jesus Christ loves you and wants you to follow him. Matthew 16:24-27 states, "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct". The virgin Mary reminds the children of Fatima that men “must amend their lives and ask forgiveness for their sins,” and that they “offend the Lord God no more, for He is already much offended”. This is intended to be for the whole Church. Praying the family Rosary is a great sign of predestination. By praying the daily Rosary and offering their prayers and their sacrifices dedicated for the building up the Kingdom of God, we restore the temporal order in Christ.