Rain fails to dampen spirits at rosary rally for religious freedom

Participants during the rosary rally stand on the football field while leading the praying of a living rosary on Sept. 29. (Submitted photo)

By Sean Gallagher

Despite a steady rainfall, approximately 1,000 Catholics gathered on Sept. 29 to pray the rosary for religious liberty at St. Vincent Health Field on the campus of Marian University in Indianapolis.

The second annual “Eucharistic Rosary Rally for Faith and Freedom” featured a eucharistic procession across the campus to the football stadium, the praying of a living rosary, a homily delivered by Society of Our Lady of the Trinity Father James Kelleher, Benediction and the singing of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

“It was uplifting to see so many people come out in the rain,” said Eric Slaughter, an organizer of the event and a member of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Indianapolis. “I was glad to see that many people. I think one of the important things is that people [simply] wanted to come together to pray the rosary.”

Slaughter also emphasized a broader goal for the rally.

“While the rally was focused on religious freedom, the true goal remained to encourage praying of the rosary for family, faith and freedom,” he said.

Students from several area grade schools, high schools and Marian University participated in the rally. High schools represented included Roncalli, Cathedral, Lumen Christi, Bishop Chatard, Scecina, Cardinal Ritter, North Central and Franklin Central.

Elementary schools represented included Lumen Christi, St. Barnabas, Holy Name and St. Jude. Home-schooled elementary and high school students also participated.

In addition to Father Kelleher, the priests that took part were Father Bryan Eyman, pastor of St. Athanasius the Great Parish, a Byzantine Catholic faith community in Indianapolis; Father Glenn O’Connor, pastor of St. Susanna Parish in Plainfield; Father Michael O’Mara, pastor of St. Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Indianapolis; and Father Robert Robeson, rector of Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis,

The living rosary was prayed in a variety of languages, including Croatian, English, French, German, Latin, Illonggo (which is spoken in the Philippines), Spanish and Tanzanian. †