Parish Groups » Marian Devotion Group

The Rosa Mystica Prayer Group is focused on prayer, sacrifice and atonement. Prayers of fatih, love, benediction and petition. We pray for the Church, vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, and for conversion within our own families.

Every Wednesday, at the conclusion of Mass (9:45am), we have Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in our Church. Quiet time and reflective music is followed by the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. All Parishioners are welcome to spend some time or stay for the hour to pray for the many intentions and needs of our Parish, our families and our community of St. Thomas More.

The Group also gathers to pray before the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday night from 7:15 pm to 8:30 pm (except during winter months). Mass is celebrated for the Group on the second Thursday of each month (excluding winter), at 7:30 pm.

The Group extends a warm welcome to all wishing to join us in prayer, and anyone who would like the Pilgrim Madonna statue for one week in their home can contact Jos Gobel on 5971 3103 or 0438 712 766.

BACKGROUND
In 1986, a Marian Prayer Group was formed at a private home in Mornington, but soon after moved to a nearby Convent Chapel in Grange Rd. The Group attrached both Mornington and Mt Eliza Parishioners.

In 1988, Mr Bruce Wright introduced the Mary Rosa Mystica Pilgrim statue to the Prayer Group. Devotion to Mary Rosa Mystica began in 1911 in Northern Italy, after reports of apparitions, miracles, cures and weeping statues. Bruce actively promoted devotion to Our Lady by taking the Pilgrim statue to over 200 family homes.

Every year, these families are invited by the Prayer Group to an annual Maria Rosa Mystica Feast Day Mass. After the Mass, a collection is taken up to fund the purchase of a Rosa Mystica Pilgrim Statue. By late 2006, Mr Klaus Winkel, a member of the Prayer Group, will have been responsible for the distribution of 20 statues to overseas countries. In this small way, the Prayer Group is hoping to spread devotion to Our Lady across the world.

When Bruce Wright became ill in early 1998, the group continued on in the mission that he began 10 years earlier. Bruce -- a gentle and inspiring devotee of Our Lady -- died on 26th of October 1998.

In 1999, the Group moved to the Church of St. Thomas More in Mt Eliza. Since then, the Pilgrim Madonna statue has been present there every Thursday evening between 7:15 and 8:30 pm.

We are grateful to the 10 or more priests who have supported our Group over the last 20 years, and to our current spiritual leader, Rev. Fr. Phil Gambin from Norlane, who for the last 8 years has celebrated Mass for the group every second Thursday of each month.

We also thank Rev. Fr. Peter Fulton and our Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Laurie Pearson for having us meet at St. Thomas More Church in Mt Eliza, and allowing us the privilege of praying every Thursday evening before the Blessed Sacrament.