The Church, desirous of filling our minds with pious thoughts from the
beginning to the end of the year, has encouraged, and in some cases
designated, certain devotions to be practised, and sets aside a whole
month in which the prevailing thought ought to be centred on a certain
devotion. Not that the Church has by any decree appointed a special
devotion for any particular time, except in the cases of Advent and Lent;
but the universal piety of the people has adopted them; and each month has
its particular devotion.
The Church celebrates the feast of the Sacred Heart in June, and during
this month we may offer our prayers in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
that our souls may be thoroughly imbued with the beauty of this devotion.
The Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Rosary on the first Sunday of
October, and our Holy Father Leo XIII. has ordered that the Rosary be
recited each day during the month.
The feast of the Guardian Angel is celebrated on the second of October;
thus two devotions are practised during this month. The Church has
arranged some special devotion for each month by which our confidence in
God is increased, and our love of holy Church intensified. What a rich
treasure of piety and love for God may a good Catholic not gather from one
year of such holy practices!