At this time of the coronavirus outbreak, Pope
Francis is encouraging Catholics in Italy to pray the rosary at the same
hour on March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph. Catholics round the world
can also pray the rosary together at that recommended time. In his
message, the Holy Father wrote:
“Tomorrow we wiall celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. In life,
in work, in the family, in joy and in sorrow, he always sought and loved
the Lord, meriting Scripture’s praise as a just and wise man. Invoke
him always with trust, especially in difficult moments, and entrust your
existence to this great saint.
“I make my own the appeal of the Italian bishops who in this health
emergency have promoted a moment of prayer for the whole country. Every
family, every faithful, every religious community, all united
spiritually tomorrow at 9:00 p.m. (4 p.m. Eastern time for the
Washington, D.C., area) for the recitation of the rosary, with the
Mysteries of Light. I will accompany you from here.
“Mary, Mother of God, Health of the Sick, leads us to the luminous
and transfigured face of Jesus Christ and to His Heart. We turn to her
with the prayer of the rosary, under the loving gaze of St. Joseph,
custodian of the Holy Family and of our families. And we ask him to
guard our family, our families, in a special way, in particular the sick
and the persons taking care of the sick: the doctors, the men and women
nurses, the volunteers, who risk their lives in this service.”