Letter from the Archbishop
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,
October offers us two powerful reminders as a Church: the strength of prayer through the Most Holy Rosary and that, as Catholics, we are missionary disciples, called to share our faith with others. Observed as the Month of the Rosary,
October also brings World Mission Sunday on October 18th. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the observance, a good opportunity to remember that we are called not simply to live our faith, but to carry the hope of the Gospel to those around us.
At nearly every Confirmation, First Holy Communion, and Baptism I have celebrated, I've been asked to bless rosaries. It always makes me wonder: What happens to those rosaries after they are blessed? Do they become part of someone's daily prayer, or do they eventually find their way into a drawer or hang from a rearview mirror? If your rosary has been sitting in a drawer for a while, I encourage you to find it, take it out, and pray.
This October, I invite you to return to the Rosary. Make time for prayer, allowing it to become an important part of your life, as it is mine. But our prayer should always lead us outward. We pray to move closer to Christ, and from that closeness, we are sent forth to bring Christ to others. This is what it means to be a missionary Church: to serve, to accompany, and to bring the love of Jesus Christ into the world.
This year, World Mission Sunday carries the theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV: “One in Christ, united in mission.” The Blessed Mother is a powerful example of this calling. She received God’s call with an open heart and went forward in service.
When we pray the Rosary, we place ourselves in Mary’s company, allowing her to lead us more deeply to her Son and, like her, to take what we receive in prayer and carry it into the world.
Please know that you are always in my prayers, and I ask that you keep me in yours. And through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary, may God bless you always.
As I remain,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks
Archbishop of New York
