Echoing Blessed Carlo Acutis’ words, Los Angeles Archbishop urges deepening Rosary devotion

Archbishop José H. Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is urging the faithful to deepen their devotion to the Rosary, echoing the words of Blessed Carlo Acutis, who once described the prayer as “the shortest ladder to heaven.”

(...) Archbishop Gomez shared that the rosary, often introduced in childhood, serves as an accessible and profound prayer that connects those who pray it to the mysteries of Christ’s life through the eyes of His mother, Mary. The repetitive nature of the rosary fosters a sense of wonder and contemplation, drawing those praying it into the narrative of salvation, according to the Archbishop.

As the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary approaches on October 7, the Archbishop encouraged the faithful to “use this month to deepen our devotion to this prayer of the children of God.”

He suggested that those already familiar with this prayer delve deeper into their contemplation and “pause before each mystery and place yourself in the ‘scene,’” while newcomers start with just one mystery each day. 

“Choose your most urgent concern and pray your rosary for that intention,” he encouraged, telling readers to “See what happens, especially to your heart.”

Archbishop Gomez also highlighted several saints who were “apostles of the Rosary,” including Blessed Carlo Acutis. 

“Blessed Carlo called the rosary ‘the shortest ladder to go up to heaven,’” Archbishop Gomez wrote. “That’s true. And we should climb that ladder a few rungs every day.”

The Archbishop concluded, “May Our Lady of the Rosary help each of us to love her Son more and more and become the little children that we are made to be.”

Rachel Quackenbush, September 26, 2024

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