Welcome to our daily rosary meditation. Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen. Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

Happy 10th anniversary to Father Josh Johnson,

Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Baton Rouge.

Father Josh is a true apostle of the Rosary and he's encouraging his parishioners and the

seminarians to pray the podcast and to form Rosary prayer groups.

Father Josh we thank God for your priesthood and if you're one of

his parishioners then you need to take Father Josh out for lunch or supper today.

Today is the feast of the visitation, the second joyful mystery.

One of the distinctive features of Catholicism is how much we celebrate and

venerate Mary. The fact that we're praying the Rosary right now saying,

Hail Mary, Holy Mary, over and over, like a mantra, shows how important

she is to us.

Many other Christians and even non-Christians say,

why do you make such a big deal out of Mary?

Why is she so central to the understanding and the practice of your faith they ask.

Well there are probably a lot of ways to answer the question of what makes Mary so important to us,

but probably the most fundamental answer to that question and actually the answer

the church gave at the very beginning of Christianity. I mean right after the

apostles is that Mary is the New Eve.

Our Father who art in heaven, hallow would be your name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us a stare daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver

...