Pope Francis praying at the Chapel of the Apparitions at Ireland’s Knock Shrine. Photo: CNS /Paul Haring An estimated 13,000 visitors travelled to Knock Shrine last Saturday for the 41st All-Ireland Rosary Rally. This made it the largest gathering of Catholics in Ireland since Pope Francis’ visit in 2018.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Cork secondary school teacher and MC for the event Christine O’Hara explained why the rally drew the interest of so many, and discussed themes that appeared in the talks from Archbishop Eamon Martin, Bishop Oliver Doeme from Nigeria, and Sr Angela de Fatima Coelho, among others.
“We’ve seen the numbers growing the last couple of years, I think it’s just people are going and having a powerful experience and it is gathering momentum. People are coming home and feeling uplifted,” said Ms O’Hara, who has brought her own students to the rally in the past. “They’re going back to their friends and relatives and saying, ‘this is an amazing event’.”
She noted that Bishop Doeme “spoke very powerfully about the First Saturday devotion and its power over evil in his diocese in Nigeria.” Speaking after the rally, Archbishop Martin echoed the Nigerian bishop, explaining that introducing the First Saturday devotion to parishes “would be in fulfilment of our Blessed Mother’s own wish, but it would also provide a new and further structure for parishes to gather, to pray the rosary, to have adoration, to have the sacrament of reconciliation available.”
The archbishop highlighted the strong contingent of young people present at Knock, “including the children’s rosary group, who made a very important and beautiful contribution to the day.”