The Rosary Bowl - 'A World At Prayer Is A World At Peace'

By Hope Frances


Picture this - 90,000 adoring fans gathered at the Rose Bowl Stadium plus countless thousands watching from home on their television set. Sounds like a description of the famous football game played there every January. However, instead of team spirit, they're filled with the Holy Spirit.

They're celebrating their Catholic faith and devotion to the rosary at the Rosary Bowl.
On May 19, 2007 from 6 - 9 pm Holy Cross Family Ministries and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will host the Rosary Bowl at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.

According to Fr. Willy Raymond, Co-Director of the Rosary Bowl, the choice of the Rose Bowl as site for the event was a "no-brainer." "The Rose Bowl was always the favorite because of its name - Rose." The rose has been the symbol for the Virgin Mother for many centuries.
History of the Event

The concept of the rosary rally dates back to 1947 when Fr. Patrick Peyton started spreading devotion to Mary through publicly reciting the rosary as he traveled across the world. The crowds drawn to the rallies rapidly grew in number, with some rallies topping a million people.

"He saw these as an opportunity for the local churches to gather together and give praise to God and celebrate the important role that Mary plays as the mother of God and the mother of the church," said Fr. Willy.

And thus was the inspiration for the rosary rally at the Rose Bowl.

"We were looking for a way to revive the practice that Fr. Peyton had of these large celebrations of the Catholic faith."

Family Prayer

The main purpose of the Rosary Bowl is to promote prayer in the family. After all, Fr. Peyton made famous the phrase, The Family That Prays Together Stays Together.

And, there are plenty of families in Los Angeles, as it is the largest archdiocese in the country.

"I think it is the best place in the country to begin reviving with a fresh and new look this tradition of coming together to celebrate our faith in large numbers," said Fr. Willy.

The three-hour event promises to be youthful and contemporary.

"We're drawing on a lot of artists and people in the entertainment industry, athletes and others to come and share their faith."

The first half of the evening will be comprised of song and personal testimony. The second half will include exposition and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament followed by Benediction.

"Young people will be making up the living rosary out on the playing field. Each bead will be made up of 10 young people in the archdiocese. Every ethnic group in the archdiocese will be represented in their national costume and will be leading some portion of the rosary."

Becoming a Part of History

The Rosary Bowl is an event young and old will not want to miss. The celebration is sure to be an unforgettable evening filled with the Holy Spirit. What a beautiful way to share your faith and spread God's Word across the world!

Indeed, God shines brighter than all the stars in Hollywood.

For ticket information on the Rosary Bowl, please visit the website at www.rosarybowl.org

Sylvester Stallone and Hollywood finding their way back to the Catholic Church

Sylvester Stallone has found his way back to God again. He has admitted in a news article to being a revitalized Catholic.

In Hollywood, this kind of a public admission can be a career-threatening move. We commend Stallone for coming out in public to proclaim his faith to the entire world. Whatever people may think his motives could be - he just recently released his new Rocky movie - this is a good thing. It's just another manifestation that Hollywood is indeed starting to come around to God.

In the past year, we have seen more and more Hollywood stars come out from the closet to make public their belief and devotion to God. We see this as part of a Catholic renaissance that is going on in Hollywood today.

And that is a good thing because the entertainment industry is once again starting to realize that God truly shines brighter than all the stars in Hollywood.

Amen.

Click the link below to read his re-conversion story.
~ ‘Rocky’ Stallone back in church as new movie in theaters

"From The Sinai Desert To The Hollywood Hills"

by Hope Frances

In Hollywood the word "icon" usually refers a silver screen legend such as Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn or Marlon Brando. But recently, the word "icon" has taken on a whole new role in this celebrity-filled city.

From now until March 4, 2007, the Getty Center in Los Angeles will serve as home to over 50 religious icons in the exhibit entitled, "Holy Image, Hallowed Ground: Icons from Sinai."

THE JOURNEY TO LOS ANGELES

The road to Los Angeles was an amazing feat considering that many of these pieces of religious artwork have never left their home, St. Catherine's Monastery, prior to this exhibition. It is located in the Sinai desert where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Built in the sixth century, St. Catherine's is the oldest working Christian monastery in the world. Named after the martyr St. Catherine of Alexandria, it is also known as the Monastery of the Transfiguration.

In order to preserve the icons during their journey across the world from the Sinai Desert to Los Angeles, custom made shipping crates were built to prevent any damage from humidity that the artwork might undergo due to changes in climate. Monks from St. Catherine's traveled across the world with the artwork and will stay in Los Angeles during the four-month long exhibit at the Getty.

SURVIVING THE TEST OF TIME

The word icon comes from the Greek "eikon" also known as "image." Some of these images on display date back to the fifth century. Not only is it incredible that the quality of the artwork has stood the test of time, they have miraculously survived the era of Iconoclasm. During the eighth century, from 730 - 787, and then again in the ninth century, from 814 - 842, Byzantine emperors ordered the destruction of icons. The emperors considered religious paintings and the like a form of idolatry. They prohibited the creating of icons representing Jesus or any saint. However, Christians felt that it was a way to pay respect to the figure represented in the icon rather than to the image itself.

So, despite the widespread destruction of icons during the period of Iconoclasm the images at St. Catherine's monastery remained unharmed. That is primarily due to the remoteness of this monastery.

IMAGES ON DISPLAY

The exhibit is nothing short of amazing. These works were truly created in prayer. Each piece is handcrafted with such detail that even the non-believer could be touched by such a work of art. Tempera and either gold or silver leaf were the mediums primarily used to create the icons.

"The Heavenly Ladder" portrays the treatise on monastic life written by John Climacus, abbot at Sinai in the early seventh century. The painting shows the 30 steps to spiritual salvation, the number 30 being symbolic to the age that Jesus began his ministry. It also depicts the temptations that monks face on their journey towards heaven.

Among other icons of note is the painting of St. Theodosia holding a gold cross. She was martyred for her staunch defense of these sacred images. And now her image can be seen throughout the city of angels on billboards advertising the exhibit.

Yet again, God shines brighter than all the stars in Hollywood.