Block rosary: a devotion that unites the community

Courtesy photo/Fr. Rene Rodillas

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The St. Olaf Parish family rosary ministry this year culminated with the devotion at the Gruer's residence in Magna.

BOUNTIFUL — The block rosary is a devotion in which an image of the Virgin Mary visits the home of a family, who hosts a fellowship dinner for those parishioners who come to recite the rosary.

The devotion in Utah started in October 2008 at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley through the initiative of several Filipino families, including the families of Romel Hipolito and Cecil and Rico Tan, Carmela and Leo Pandero, Luna Batangan, Gertrudez Poindexter, Elizabeth Johnstun, Virgie Martinez and Hector Anna Bergonia.

This initiative was moved to St. Olaf Parish in 2011, when Fr. Rene Rodillas was transferred there from Sts. Peter and Paul Parish. Since then, St. Olaf parishioners have held the devotion every October.

In the Catholic Church, October is dedicated to the holy rosary in part because the Battle of Lepanto was fought on Oct. 7, 1571.

The Battle of Lepanto pitted the naval forces of the Ottoman Empire against the Holy League, whose forces included those of the Venetian and Spanish empires. Before the battle, Pope Pius V encouraged the Catholic faithful of Rome to recite the rosary and ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for the Holy League. After the victory, the pope declared Oct. 7 to be the day of the feast of Our Lady of Victory; the name was changed to the Feast of the Holy Rosary in 1573 by Pope Gregory XIII.

About the rosary, Pope Gregory XIII wrote: “We must believe (in pious faith) that the public prayer and processions of the members of the confraternity of the holy rosary were largely responsible for the great victory over the Turkish Navy at Lepanto, which the Almighty God granted to Christians on the first Sunday of October 1571.”

The block rosary is a Filipino tradition, and the prayers and songs are in Tagalog.

“It gives joy and happiness to our family every time that we host the rosary. It brings us closer to home,” said Cleo Mota, who has been participating in the block rosary since 2008.

“Prayer is more heartfelt when rendered in one’s cultural context. … Filipino prayers give more comfort, peace, strength and the feeling of communion with God for a Filipino,” said Fr. Rodillas.

This year St. Olaf Parish’s block rosary culminated Oct. 31 at the Bruers’ residence in Magna. Previous homes in Layton, West Valley, Clearfield, Bountiful, Wood Cross, Taylorsville and Salt Lake City, as well as St. Olaf Church, had welcomed the image of the Virgin and those who wished to pray the rosary as part of this devotion, which has the motto “A family that prays together stays together.”

Angie Woodard, one of those who hosted the block rosary at her home, saw more than 30 people gathered for the devotion.

“Many people, many blessings,” she said.

A similar feeling was shared by Mark Anthony Rodriguez Madrid, who hosted the rosary one night last year.

“That was the most people I have ever had over at my place,” he said. “I was very blessed to have spent the night in prayer with my brethren in the spirit of faith.”

Each night, the devotion ritual starts with a Marian song and recitation of the rosary. Other prayers include a litany, Hail Holy Queen, and an Act of Entrustment of the Home.

“The block rosary is an opportunity for Filipino Catholics to enjoy prayer, food and fellowship,” Fr. Rodillas said. “This is a remarkable movement which might well be an instrument of evangelization.”