Do good, be inspired. Join a small group of men who will be gathering virtually in a zoom meeting to say the rosary in the Precious Life format about which I briefly spoke in our virtual meeting Saturday.
If you prefer to participate by watching only (not praying the rosary) that is perfectly fine. What you will hear and see, either way, is the Precious Life rosary.
Here's the link to the zoom meeting being hosted by Mark K: https://cengage.zoom.us/j/3874902084 ;
If this link doesn't work, simply copy/paste it into your browser. Thank you Mark!
Below is the document which was circulated at our March meeting, it a description of my proposal that we evaluate hosting, with the St. Bridget's Knights of Columbus Council, Mr. Mike Skinner for a program in the fall. Mike is the founder of Gratia Reflections and developed the Precious Life Rosary.
Hope to pray the rosary with you this Tuesday,
Wayne S
Speaker & Program Idea: St. Bridget’s Knights of Columbus Council and Men’s Ministry jointly host:
Mike Skinner, Founder, Gratia Reflections from Baltimore, MD
WHY: The Story
• Malvern Retreat House, Malvern, PA (https://www.malvernretreat.com/): longest serving, largest Catholic retreat house in the U.S. (men’s, women’s, and family’s retreats)
• For six or seven years, a small group of St. Bridget men have annually attended the retreat house’s early January Our Lady of Fatima weekend retreat (Patrick G, Charlie G, Andy C, Greg S, Harry S, and more recently, Mark K, Scott F, Frank R, Wayne S, Bruce S)
• Mike Skinner has been a lay presenter at the Malvern retreat for two or three years now (and apparently keeps getting asked to come back); he’s been an annual retreatant at Malvern for four or five years running.
• Two years ago, Wayne witnessed Mike’s talk at Malvern about the Men of Virtue rosary (“there’s never been a more important time for good men.”) This rosary, prayed by men, appeals heavily to the divine intervention of the Blessed Virgin. It features five mysteries for men: Zeal, Courage, Gallantry, Humility, & Loyalty. I was struck by its power, including the power of praying this rosary with a large group of men.
- Upon returning to Richmond from the 2019 Malvern retreat, the St. Bridget Men of Malvern chose to meet monthly at St. Bridget to pray the Men of Virtue Rosary
• This year (January 2020), 11 St. Bridget men attended the Malvern Retreat. Once again Mike Skinner presented a program customized for the Malvern Retreat, where he introduced an additional special rosary, the Precious Life rosary. It’s five mysteries are Marriage, Conception, Design, Posterity, & Salvation. The talk, and the subsequent gathering of 300 men at the Lady of Fatima grotto at Malvern to pray together this rosary was quite moving and powerful. The St. Bridget Men of Malvern are now meeting monthly to pray this rosary. We did so Tuesday evening (March 3rd).
• Wayne approached Mike Skinner at this year’s retreat and has since spoken with him at length about the possibility of his presenting a talk (talks?) at St. Bridget similar to what he has done at Malvern. He embraced the idea and is, with some planning, ready to come. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljskinner/)
NEXT? I propose our St. Bridget’s Men’s Ministry and Knights of Columbus council host Mike Skinner this fall, and possibly again next January, to present talks, followed by the praying of these special rosaries, for men of St. Bridget.
• October 2020: Mass for Deceased Knights of St. Bridget’s Council: Men of Virtue rosary. If this well received, follow with
• January 2021: in conjunction with St. Bridget Respect Life Holy Hour: Precious Life rosary
PLEASE DO THIS:
• Go to https://www.gratiareflections.com/, see Mike Skinner’s site, read about his personal story, explore the site, listen to the saying of this rosary, watch the EWTN broadcast where Mike was interviewed about his “conversion” and inspiration for these rosaries.
• Come next month prepared to discuss and decide whether our two groups want to own such an event!