7October is the month of the Holy Rosary. Pious tradition tells us that Our Lady herself gave the concept of the Rosary as we recite it now to St. Dominic in an apparition in 1214. For hundreds of years, the Rosary has been recommended by popes, saints, and Our Lady in further apparitions.Although it often feels difficult-impossible even-to say the Rosary well, especially in a family, it is ALWAYS worth the attempt. I take great solace in this quote from Fr. Mark Kirby: "The devil, of course, hates the Rosary, precisely because it changes hearts, detaches from sin, attaches to the all-pure Mother of God, and leads to conversion. One of the ploys he uses to deter people from praying it is to suggest that unless one can pray it well, i.e. perfectly, one shouldn't pray it at all. I would suggest, rather, that the Rosary, even prayed badly, is better than no Rosary at all." The current Manual of Indulgences encourages the recitation of the Rosary by offering a plenary indulgence, subject to the usual conditions, available to the faithful every day of the year. To gain it, the Rosary must be recited in a church, a family, a religious community, or a group of friends. The five decades must be recited without interruption, and meditation on the mysteries of the Rosary must be added to the vocal prayers. Otherwise, the indulgence becomes partial.In this month's booklet, you'll find instructions and all the necessary prayers for the Rosary, as well as prayers and Bible readings in honor of October saints including St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Guardian Angels, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Luke, and Pope St. John Paul II. For Halloween a.k.a All Hallows Eve, which kicks off next month's devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, you'll find prayers and poems, perfect for families and friends who want to revel in the macabre Truths of the long Catholic tradition of Halloween . . . that we will each die, and should live our lives accordingly.