Welcome to the St. Jose Maria Institute podcast.

On today's podcast, October, the month of the Holy Rosary.

Father Peter Armenio, a priest of Opus Day, explains why we should meditate on the life of Christ through the mysteries of the rosary,

so that Mary can facilitate our growth in holiness, our sanctity, and our charity.

He also shows how Mary is a shortcut to the work of evangelization.

As we fix our attention on Jesus, truly present with us in the Blessed Sacrament,

we ask him to aid us and assist us with the help of the guardian angels in making a fruitful time of prayer.

And our topic of conversation is the traditional theme of October. There's two months of the year that are devoted to the

Blessed Mother. May, with a special focus on Mary's motherhood, October, special focus on the devotion of the rosary.

Traditionally, October is devoted to Mary, but vis-a-vis the rosary.

And this topic reminds me of this excursion I went on a number of years ago to, I think,

Starved Rock, it doesn't matter, but probably Starved Rock.

Not exactly Mount Everest, not exactly London or Paris, Star Brock.

That's the best we could do then.

And I was driving and shortly into the ride.

I said, okay boys, it was a van full of teenage boys.

All right, let's say the rosary.

And one of the boys had a knee-jerk reaction of protest.

Why do we always have to say the rosary when we go on these trips?

Can't we just listen to music in peace?

And I was ready to react, perhaps without in-depth theological explanations.

And another kid chimed in, he beat me.

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