Many people, in recent years, have taken to celebrating their birthdays not for one day but for an extended period of time. Some celebrate, like the Church, for an octave, that is an eight-day period, while still others celebrate for a whole month. The Church has been celebrating like this for a long time. The Church celebrates October as the Month of the Rosary. This is due, in part, to October 7th being the Feast Day of the Most Holy Rosary. Pope Pius V instituted the day as a feast in 1571 after the victory at the Battle of Lepanto. Many believe and have experienced that Mary intercedes lovingly on behalf of her children who call upon her name. So this month, I invite you to join one of the many rosaries prayed by our parish organizations, to pray as a family, or to simply pray on your own. Even if you can’t get through an entire rosary, start with just one decade a day. Let’s celebrate our Mother’s Month remembering she is a “Mother, ever ready to help us.”