|
Priest inspires faithful at rosary dinner
By Joyce Coronel, The Catholic Sun
April 3, 2008
For nearly a quarter of a century, Radio Family Rosary has broadcast one-hour programs coupling the Marian devotion with spiritual instruction across Valley airwaves.
Nearly 300 supporters of the rosary program gathered March 15 at Mount Claret Center at the foot of Camelback Mountain for their 24th anniversary dinner to benefit the ministry.
The annual dinner is the main fundraiser for the radio program, which has 3,000-5,000 listeners and features the praying of the rosary by various diocesan groups as well as a teaching. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted is often featured on the broadcast.
Bart Tesoriero, who has been designing the program since 2000, said the organization records the bishop’s talks to various groups and that “it’s a great opportunity to get the bishop’s teaching out.”
Tesoriero introduced longtime program supporter Msgr. John McMahon, whom he called “an invaluable aid to the Radio Family Rosary program.”
Msgr. McMahon, in turn, had words of praise for Dorothy Westfall, who for many years has helped lead both the radio program and the annual Rosary Sunday event for the Diocese of Phoenix.
“There’s got to be a deep reward from Our Lord through Our Lady for your long years of promoting devotion to the rosary,” Msgr. McMahon said of Westfall. He went on to “thank the Lord for the Spirit that motivated Dorothy for getting us together all these years.”
Fr. James Kelleher, SOLT, a priest from Bosque, N.M. and the event’s main speaker, talked to the crowd about his recent trips to both Russia and Rwanda. He has been instrumental in organizing massive rosary rallies around the country.
Fr. Kelleher said that Our Lady appeared to three teenage girls in Rwanda in 1981 and warned them that “you must begin to pray and pray a lot. If you do not, a river of blood will run through your country.”
The missionary priest alluded to a future rosary event in Phoenix that would attract “tens of thousands who will worship the King of kings” in one of the Valley’s sports arenas. Fr. Kelleher was instrumental in a rosary and eucharistic adoration event which drew 22,000 to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and more than 50,000 to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
The rosary program can be heard weekdays at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. on KXXT 1010 AM.
|
