Praying for the World: The Rosary Team Brings Mary’s Message to the Margins

(Photo provided)

By Teresa Rodriguez

Each May, Catholics around the world turn their hearts toward the Blessed Virgin Mary, honoring her with flowers, prayers, and devotions. This month also marks the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima on May 13 — a powerful reminder of Mary’s call to prayer, penance and peace.

In 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, with a simple yet profound request: “Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war.” Over a century later, that call still echoes — and inspires.

It’s this message that fuels the work of The Rosary Team, a growing ministry that brings the Rosary into nursing homes and care facilities across the country. Each week, volunteers like Joyce Pfaffinger in Fort Collins carry rosaries and love into the lives of residents who are often isolated, lonely or suffering memory loss.

“We’ve seen residents who struggle with memory, but as soon as we begin the Hail Mary, they pray it perfectly,” Pfaffinger said. “It’s as if their soul remembers, even when their minds forget.”

What began as a simple act of prayer has blossomed into something more. Inspired by the deep spiritual hunger among the residents, Pfaffinger’s teammate, Anne Marie Whitaker, became a Eucharistic Minister. Now, not only do they lead residents in prayer — they bring them the Real Presence of Christ.

“It’s beautiful to see the Rosary leading to deeper encounters with the Sacraments,” Pfaffinger said.

The Rosary Team is more than a ministry; it’s a spiritual community.

“I’ve met parishioners I never would have met otherwise,” Pfaffinger said. “Now I have friends from my parish and other churches in the area, and we support each other through prayer. It’s a gift.”

This grassroots apostolate is growing rapidly. With over 500 volunteers in 18 states, The Rosary Team leads group Rosaries in nursing homes, offering companionship and faith to those who may feel forgotten. Yet with more than 50,000 nursing homes in the U.S. alone, the need for volunteers and support remains vast.

The work of The Rosary Team is deeply rooted in the legacy of the Church. As Catholics celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, many look to the example of Pope Leo XIII, known as the “Pope of the Rosary.” In his 1893 encyclical Laetitiae Sanctae, he praised the Rosary as:

“The most excellent form of prayer and the most efficacious means to attain eternal life. It is the remedy for all our evils, the root of all our blessings. There is no more excellent way of praying.”

May Pope Leo XIV continue that legacy, boldly promoting the Rosary as a spiritual lifeline in a weary world.

In Fatima, Mary revealed that true peace would not come from worldly powers, but through humble, persevering prayer. The volunteers of The Rosary Team live that truth each time they walk into a care facility, rosary in hand, bringing hope where it’s most needed.

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To support The Rosary Team's mission, the team also sells handmade gemstone rosaries and commissioned artwork of the Mysteries of the Rosary. Proceeds help fund the ministry and spread Mary’s message even further.

To learn more, volunteer or donate, visit The Rosary Team’s official website.