Students and staff of St. William of York School in Stafford joined in prayer Oct. 7 at the parish’s newly renovated grotto for a rosary in honor of the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Father Will Nyce, parochial vicar, told students about the Battle of Lepanto, which took place that day more than 451 years ago. He told of how the fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Catholics arranged by Pope Pius V, inflicted a major defeat on the fleet of the Ottoman Empire, sparing Europe through fervent prayers to the Virgin Mary through the rosary.
The grotto honors Our Lady of Guadalupe. Father Nyce noted that Admiral Andrea Doria, a fleet commander during the Battle of Lepanto, kept a copy of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe given to him by King Philip II of Spain in his ship’s state room. In honor of Our Lady’s intercession and the subsequent victory by the Holy League, Pope Pius V instituted a new Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Victory now celebrated the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
“It was truly a blessing to see so many children and staff praying together on this important feast day,” said Principal Jen Schiller. “It is important for our students to realize that the spiritual battle they fight every day in prayer is no less important than the physical battles fought for the faith so many years ago.”
