The Catholic Church traditionally dedicates each month of the year to special devotions, helping faithful Catholics focus on specific mysteries of faith, saints, or aspects of Jesus and Mary's lives to deepen their spiritual life throughout the liturgical year.

October: Dedicated to the Holy Rosary

The dedication of October to the Holy Rosary is a rich tradition that opens our hearts to consider the beauty and efficacy of a prayer given to us by Our Lady, Herself.

“Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world . . . “Our Lady to the Children of Fatima. 

October is a month rich in liturgical celebrations. Some of the notable feast days in October include:

October 1 – The Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux - honours the Doctor of the Church who promised to spend her time in Heaven showering down roses upon Earth. St. Therese had a deep devotion to Our Lady from her early childhood. 

October 2 - The Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels - honours those whom God has placed over us to protect, guide, and spur us on to love and good works till we reach our spiritual Home.  

October 4 – The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

October 5 – The Feast of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska

October 7 – The Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary - commemorates the victory at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. 

October 12 – Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of The Church

October 17 – The Feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch

October 22 – The Feast of St. John Paul II - commemorates a recent pope and champion of the Holy Rosary. Devoted to this prayer from his youth, John Paul II promoted it throughout his religious life, and as pope, he particularly called for the family recitation of the Rosary. He added the Luminous Mysteries to further the Faithful’s catechetical meditation on the life of Christ. 

October 24 – St. Mary Claret - honours the founder of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and fervent devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Anthony is known to have begun every sermon with instructions on how to pray the Rosary, and he prayed three Rosaries every day. 

October 28 – The Feasts of St. Simon and St. Jude

Pope's Monthly Prayer Intentions for October - For mental health ministry
Let us pray that the mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.