The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. According to an account by fifteenth-century Dominican, Alan de la Roch, Mary appeared to St. Dominic in 1206 after he had been praying and doing severe penances because of his lack of success in combating the Albigensian heresy. Mary praised him for his valiant fight against the heretics and then gave him the Rosary as a mighty weapon, explained its uses and efficacy, and told him to preach it to others.
"Since the prayers of the Rosary come from such excellent sources — from Our Lord Himself, from inspired Scripture, and from the Church — it is not surprising that the Rosary is so dear to our Blessed Mother and so powerful with heaven.
"If we consider the power of the Rosary as seen in its effects, we find a great abundance of proofs of its wonderful value. Many are the favors granted to private individuals through its devout recitation: there are few devoted users of the Rosary who cannot testify to experiencing its power in their own lives. If we turn to history, we see many great triumphs of the Rosary. Early tradition attributes the defeat of the Albigensians at the Battle of Muret in 1213 to the Rosary. But even those who do not accept this tradition will admit that St. Pius V attributed the great defeat of the Turkish fleet on the first Sunday of October, 1571, to the fact that at the same time the Rosary confraternities at Rome and elsewhere were holding their processions. Accordingly, he ordered a commemoration of the Rosary to be made on that day. Two years later, Gregory XIII allowed the celebration of a feast of the Rosary in churches having an altar dedicated to the Rosary. In 1671, Clement X extended the feast to all Spain. A second great victory over the Turks, who once, like the Russians, threatened the ruin of Christian civilization, occurred on August 5, 1716, when Prince Eugene defeated them at Peterwardein in Hungary. Thereupon Clement XI extended the feast of the Rosary to the whole Church.
"Today, when dangers far greater than those of the ancient Turks threaten not only Christianity but all civilization, we are urged by our Blessed Mother to turn again to the Rosary for help. If men in sufficient numbers do this, and at the same time carry out the other conditions that she has laid down, we have the greater reason for confidence that we will be delivered from our dangers." -- Mary in our Life by Fr. William G. Most
About St Francis Xavier Church
St Francis Xavier Church, Bejai established in the year 1912 is in the heart of Mangalore city in the South Canara District of Karnataka State in India. It is situated at a distance of 2 kms from the Diocesan headquarters and is surrounded by Bendore, Bondel, Milagres and Derebail parishes.
Bejai was once a part of the Cathedral Church. Because of the long distance from the church and the difficulties experienced by the people here, a land measuring 5.37 acres was obtained from the government in 1670 for a cemetery and a mortuary chapel was raised on the plot. The priests from the cathedral offered Sunday masses here.
On March 22, 1912 Bishop Perini, S.J., gave Bejai a resident chaplain. He was Fr Sebastian Noronha. His successor Fr Joseph Peter Fernandes built a portion of the presbytery. The present church was built in 1924 by Fr A. E. Colaco who had succeeded Fr Fernandes. He also completed the presbytery and panned the belfry. Fr Leo Saldanha completed it in 1937. Fr Robert L. M. Pinto renovated the church.
Fr Bernard L. D'Souza put up the huge shopping complex and also the Hall as income generating assets to the church. Later lot of developmental works took place under the visionary leadership of Fr Joseph Peter Tauro. Presently Rev Fr. Wilson L Vitus D Souza serves as the parish priest of Bejai church. As on today the parish has 24 wards, 1225 families and 5012 parishioners. Under the patronage of great missionary St Francis Xavier the church strives to become a vibrant Christian community and be a witness to the Kingdom of God.
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