Neighbors meet to pray the Rosary

It was an invitation Erin Joerger never expected to receive from a neighbor: “We’re going to watch the Super Bowl and pray the Rosary before. Come over.”

“I kind of thought they were joking,” she said. “I’ve never been invited to someone’s house to pray a Rosary.” But Jennie and Kevin Punswick, members of Holy Spirit Parish in Overland Park, Kansas, were completely serious. The Joergers had recently moved into the neighborhood and were pleasantly surprised by the invitation.

Since then, the Punswicks have continued reaching out to their neighbors to invite them to pray the Rosary on Sunday evenings — and often to stay after for a drink and conversation. Because so many families participate, couples on other streets in the neighborhood have begun leading their own Rosary groups.

Two factors, explained the Punswicks, have helped make it so successful: intentionality and accessibility. “Asking for people’s intentions is a really important piece of the prayer model because it really lets us in on what are the broken pieces in our life — what hurts, and also what should be celebrated,” said Jennie.

“People are coming for Mary,” she added. “They’re coming for friendship, they’re coming for fellowship. They don’t need some big perfect party.”

“The Rosary before this to me felt very overwhelming — it was long and very repetitive. My experience with the Rosary has grown 100% since praying it with the neighborhood.”

Moira Cullings - Catholic News Service, February 6, 2020

Adapted from an article in Catholic Philly