Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC
In my youth, I was fascinated with the Seven Wonders of the World presented in my science and history books. The descriptions and images of the wonders made me want to travel the world and see them in person. What a disappointment it was to learn that six of the wonders had been destroyed centuries ago — the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt, is the only one that remains.
Today, people and organizations around the world have put together new lists of wonders. Many of these wonders are places that people can still experience firsthand. The numbers given for the wonders vary, but the lists usually provide anywhere from seven to 10 wonders. The lists include destinations where people can see such wonders as the Great Wall of China, the Grand Canyon, the Colosseum in Rome, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. There are also lists of wonders that focus on specific aspects of nature or particular geographical regions: for example, the Seven Natural Wonders of the World; the Seven Wonders of the Underwater World; the 10 Wonders of Croatia; and so on.
In light of these lists, I thought to myself, “Why not create a list of wonders that describes some of the many fruits from one of the most loved devotional practices in Catholicism — the rosary? It would make for a fascinating book!”
As I continued to ponder this question, I asked myself, “How many wonders does the rosary actually have? Seven? 10? 100?” In all honesty, the number is probably infinite. Yet, after much prayer and research, I discerned that 10 was a good number to focus on. Presenting 100 or more wonders of the rosary would require a book of encyclopedic proportions. For this reason, my new book on the rosary is titled 10 Wonders of the Rosary.
The Foreword to the book is written by Bishop Athanasius Schneider. He is a great defender of the faith and an inspiration to Catholics around the world. In the Foreword, he states the following about the book:
“Fr. Calloway’s 10 Wonders of the Rosary has been written to help you rediscover the spiritual power and theological richness of the rosary. Read it, reference it, and spread it around the world! I pray that this book is widely distributed and has long-lasting effects. Catholics around the world need to take up the rosary again and be fearless in holy combat against the forces of darkness!”
The 10 wonders presented in the book are, I believe, the most significant and important wonders of the rosary. What I love about the 10 wonders is that, unlike the majority of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the 10 wonders of the rosary will never collapse, fall into ruin, or be destroyed. The 10 wonders of the rosary are everlasting and indestructible! Sure, a particular rosary may break and fall apart (it happens to my rosaries all the time), but the essence of the rosary can never be destroyed. This aspect alone makes the rosary one of the greatest wonders ever to come into existence! Okay, so what are the 10 wonders of the rosary? Here is the list:
- The Rosary is of Divine Origin
- The Rosary is a Spiritual Weapon
- The Rosary is Feared by Satan
- The Rosary Crowns Mary with Spiritual Roses
- The Rosary Brings about Conversion
- The Rosary is the Favored Marian Devotion of Popes
- The Rosary is Always Prayed by Saints
- The Rosary Changes History and Brings Peace
- The Rosary Overcomes Radical Islam
- The Rosary is an Indulgenced Prayer
As you might guess, 10 Wonders of the Rosary has 10 chapters. Each chapter expounds on a particular wonder and contains four sections offering insights into the wonder:
- a short story about the wonder,
- an explanation of the wonder,
- an example of the wonder in action, and
- words of wonder from popes and saints.
At the end of the book, I include a bonus wonder about how praying the rosary makes reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Hopefully, you’ll agree that the book is short and sweet, just like the rosary itself.
I pray that this book blesses your life.
Long live the rosary in all its wonders!