Dear Friends, Family, Sisters and Brothers,

The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on Oct. 7. Throughout this month we will focus on the importance of Mary and the Rosary in the spiritual life of the Church.  

The Rosary has a special place in my daily prayers. As I pray the Rosary, I am able to focus my spiritual and physical attention on God and to celebrate Jesus Our Lord. Praying the Rosary as I walk the VCS track or in the SSMO cemetery allows me to find calm and focus as I roll the Rosary beads through my fingers. The mental, spiritual and kinetic experiences shed stress and tension from my body.     

The Sisters have been reading “An Introduction to Prayer,” by Bishop Robert Barron. Bishop Barron explains that the Rosary is a meditative practice using a series of short, well-known prayers, specifically “The Apostles’ Creed,” “Our Father,” “Glory Be,” and “Hail Mary.” The mysteries that we ponder while we pray the Rosary center on the life of Jesus, Our Lord. We follow Jesus through the Joyful Mysteries, Luminous Mysteries, Sorrowful Mysteries and Glorious Mysteries. As Bishop Barron clarifies, “The Rosary – a concretizing, quieting, savoring prayer – has enormous spiritual power.”

I can come to a peace that only God can give through this particular way of prayer. Each Sister in the SSMO community is committed to prayer. We pray for you, your families, and the needs of the world. We give thanks for all of you and what you mean to our entire SSMO campus community. Your support for the Sisters and the entire SSMO campus community is reflected in the 2023-24 Annual Report. From the teachers, caregivers and staff members who manage our sponsored ministries each day to the donors, parents, alumni, supporters, friends, students and Maryville residents who uphold our mission – we are grateful for you and your support. 

We depend on Jesus and Mary, Mother of God, to help us to be women of prayer living in sisterly love and to be compassionate, joyful servants of the Lord.   

Let me know if you have special intentions for which we can pray for on your behalf. 

Yours in Christ,

Sister Michael Francine Duncan

SSMO Superior General