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July 11, 2017Many might consider the upcoming Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade to be an audacious event for a smaller diocese like Spokane to undertake; however, this kind of large public Marian event is nothing new for Spokane.
In 1954 as part of the local celebrations for the Holy Year, celebrating 100 years since the proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, Bishop Charles White celebrated a Mass at the Spokane Coliseum. The Coliseum, the predecessor of the Spokane Arena, had recently been completed and had a seating capacity of around 8,000. The diocese hoped to fill the Coliseum, and were surprised by the turnout; 12,000 packed the venue and thousands more were turned away.
Featured below is an article from the Inland Register Archives.
While the Rosary Crusade might seem like a unique event it continues a great tradition of unashamed Marian devotion in our diocese, which holds as our patroness Our Lady of Lourdes.On July 23 at 7pm please join Bishop Thomas Daly and Crusade founder Fr. James Kelleher at Avista Stadium, in honoring Our Lady of Fatima on this 100-year Anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions, and to pray for peace in the world, in the family, and for our youth.
The evening will begin with a 60-person choir leading us in praise and worship. There will be an entrance procession of several hundred people led by Bishop Daly, including 100 First Communicants in their white garments. After the exposed Eucharist is placed on the altar for all to adore, 59 bilingual beads will form a Global Living Rosary with each decade representing a different continent. Each “living bead” will pray the first part of the Hail Mary in a foreign language and the congregation will respond in English.
Speak with your pastor or visit RosarySpokane.com for more details. To recieve texts or emails about the Rosary Crusade text CRUSADE to 84576.
From the Archives: “12,000 Jam Coliseum for Mary Demonstration”
12,000 Jam Coliseum for Mary Demonstration
Archbishop, Bishop in High Praise of Tremendous Tribute
December 10, 1954The largest crowd ever assembled in Spokane for a Catholic religious event filled Spokane's new Coliseum December 5 when Bishop Charles D. White offered Solemn Pontifical Mass at 7:15 p.m. as a diocesan observance of the Marian Year.
Built to seat 8,000 persons, the Coliseum was crowded with 12,000 in every available space of the huge auditorium. Outside, many more thousands had to be turned away. Traffic became so congested in the section of town surrounding the Coliseum that radio and TV stations pleaded for people to refrain from entering that area of city. Police estimated that 6,000 persons were refused admittance. Other estimates ranged as high as 18,000 persons excluded.
Said Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly, of the Seattle Province, in a comment to the clergy after the ceremony: "This is the greatest thing I have ever seen or ever hope to see in the state of Washington."
Approximately 1,500 persons received Communion.
Bishop Charles D. White said after the Mass: "I am particularly grateful to all the individuals and groups who I worked together in giving honor to God and glorification to His Blessed Mother in this public observance of the Marian Year. Pastors, school teachers, ushers, students, workmen, members of the faithful, I wish to thank them all.”
The promptness and energy of, Bishop White, in launching a program of prayer and penance for the Marian Year in the Diocese of Spokane were praised by Archbishop Connolly when he addressed the crowd in the Coliseum.
Pointing out that Bishop White a year ago had acted in accordance with the Holy Father's directive in instituting Marian Year activities, the Archbishop said:
"In unison with Catholics the world over, you have participated with enthusiastically sincere devotion in the campaign instituted by your devoted Shepherd, a spiritual campaign that has its stirring and impressive climax this evening in this magnificent demonstration of love for and loyalty to the Blessed Mother of God.
World Makes Dark Scene"As we look out over the world today we see little in which man may take pride. The world, indeed, presents a dismal picture. Hunger, disease, and death stalk over lands that were once happy and prosperous. Millions of people are held in virtual slavery; the forces of atheistic totalitarianism, as heartless as those of pagan times, threaten our Christian civilization. More people are subscribing to their faith with their blood today than during the early persecutions of the Church. A large section of the world, by deliberately rejecting Christ's authority, has produced dissension, confusion, and anarchy.
"War has been with us, in one form or another, in fighting or trying to avoid further fighting as well as in the harsh economic conditions produced by war, since 1914. A whole generation has had its thinking about life and itself disturbed by these confused and confusing events. How long must this discouraging and disheartening condition persist? How long will a harried and fearful mankind be made to suffer? When will this situation of confusion and bewilderment be resolved into a just and lasting peace for all men and nations?Pope Preaches Crusade
"Our Holy Father, from his watchtower in the Vatican, is acutely conscious of the afflictions of a suffering humanity. It seems as but yesterday he called for a spiritual mobilization of all the faithful to invoke the intercession of the Mother of God for Divine guidance, favor, and protection, He utilized the approaching centennial of the definition of the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception to call the world to the only crusade that could save it from disaster, a Crusade of Prayer, a Marian Year, in which all the faithful throughout the world were urged to conform their lives to the image of the Mother of God.
In his beautiful and inspiring encyclical the Sovereign Pontiff brought into prominence the Divine Maternity of the Virgin Mary. This is the supreme privilege and the fount of all her other gifts and honors. It distinguishes her from all the sons of Adam and makes her preeminent in sanctity above all other creatures," the Archbishop said.
Touching upon the circumstances of the promulgation of the Immaculate Conception dogma, His Excellency went, on to tell the principal Marian events which have occurred in the century since that time. He said that the events prove ours to be the Age of Mary.
Marian Inspiration to Continue“Although the Marian Year itself will soon become a cherished memory," the Archbishop continued, “it is our duty as children of Mary to provide for the continuation of its spirit and its influence." The speaker named the qualities of mind and heart that characterized the life of Mary and which all the faithful may well emulate as the apostles they are expected to be.
In concluding the Archbishop said: “Let us, then, through prayer, constant, unceasing, unremitting prayer, beg Our Gracious Lady, Queen of Heaven, to intercede with her Divine Son that He will once again come to the world's salvation; enliven men with love, quicken them with truth, inspire them with justice, instill within them mercy, that peace may come to dwell within their hearts and reign supreme on earth.
May Our Immaculate Mother guard with loving care this country, dedicated to her. As she is the refuge of all sinners, this country is the refuge of the exiled and oppressed. May it, never forget its high vocation to teach all the nations of the world, by word and example, the principles of God-given liberty and reverence for the rights of man. May she restore and preserve it in the way of peace and watch over its institutions. May her purity keep it pure; her faith enkindle in all hearts faith and confidence; her love increase in all a tender and courageous love of God and country.”