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Post Falls Catholic parish launches Rosary Society to build faith and fellowship
Post Falls’ St. George Parish launches a Rosary Society, bringing parishioners together through prayer, fellowship and devotion to the Blessed Mother.
By Lisa Ormond | FāVS News Reporter
POST FALLS, Idaho — When the Rev. Sleeva Madanu asked his parishioners in May to help start a rosary society at St. George Catholic Church, more than a dozen volunteered.
Since its launch in June, the St. George Rosary Society has led the rosary before weekend Masses and hosted public feast day gatherings honoring the Virgin Mary.
Madanu, who has a longtime devotion to Mary, said he hoped the group would deepen parishioners’ faith and build connections within the parish and the wider community.
“The Rosary Society is a wonderful testament to the deep faith of our people,” said Madanu. “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who has stepped up to lead our parish in honoring the Blessed Mother.”
For the love of Mary
In May, after the new Post Falls Great Hall and narthex were completed at St. George, Madanu asked his church assembly to bring their faithful energies to develop and launch a rosary society that would shepherd this spiritual effort.
Over a dozen parishioners answered Madanu’s initial call and are serving in this special Ministry of Mary role. The numbers continue to grow since it went live in June.
“This ministry is a blessing to our parish, and I pray that it inspires many more to join the group,” Madanu.
Longtime St. George parishioner Jane Gootherts coordinates the group. She said she has long felt drawn to honoring Mary, whose name has ties to her own family.
“This is a fellowship or group of Christians gathering together to pray the life of Christ on a calendar day that honors Mary, the mother of Jesus,” she said. “Jesus spent his entire life with his mother Mary and together they shared many life’s moments, which we honor.”
The group follows the Catholic teachings of the rosary as a meditation on the life of Christ through the eyes of Mary. It combines vocal prayer (the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be) with mental prayer, using the beads as a counting device to allow a person the freedom to focus on the mysteries.
“I feel so good about what we are doing!” Gootherts said.
Madanu explained that he was “deeply moved” already by what he has witnessed in a few short months since the Rosary Society’s inception.
“To see our community come together — not just to lead us in prayer before Mass, but to build genuine fellowship and lift one another up during times of trial — is a profound blessing,” he said. “The Blessed Mother always brings us closer to her Son, and this ministry is already bearing beautiful fruit in the spiritual life of St. George.”
Public gatherings
During the summer months of August and September, the members sponsored and led two public Marian Feast Day events, the Queenship of Mary on Aug. 22 and the Most Holy Name of Mary on Sept. 12, in a local park near the church. Over a dozen individuals and families participated.
Christy Dion, a 20-year St. George parishioner, attended the monthly event, which included not only praying the rosary as a group publicly, but also focused on fostering friendship over a shared potluck meal.
“As a community, we prayed for Father’s Sleeva’s brother who passed away last week,” said Dion. “The society is such a great idea, and it is so important to have people praying together. I pray the rosary everyday myself.”
Dedicated prayer warriors
Parishioner Mike Loutsis is a proud member of the newly-formed rosary society and signed up when Madanu put out the call for helpers. He regularly leads the rosary meditation 30 minutes before the start of Mass.
“For over 25 years, I was involved in the Legion of Mary,” he shared. “My parents as a couple joined the Legion together and were members for over 50 years and profoundly committed to saying the rosary in our home and in their church community.”
The Legion is a world-wide organization of the lay apostolate of Catholic men, women and youth who sanctify themselves through prayer and apostolic work to unify in devotion to the Blessed Mother. The Legion of Mary was first organized in Dublin, Ireland, on Sept. 7, 1921.
Loutsis’ mother Virginia, 89, and several of his family members have attended St. George parish for over 30 years, and as a family, he said his family has loyal bonds to the Blessed Mother. Loutsis and his mother still pray the rosary daily together.
“Saying the rosary is just in my blood,” said Loutsis. “I was happy to raise my hand when Father put the call out to serve in this society.”
Loutsis encouraged others to consider volunteering and join their holy ranks.
“There is always an open invitation for anyone to join the Rosary Society at St. George and come meet up with us in prayer to honor the Blessed Mother.”
The mystery and beauty
Rosary society member Dominik Guidice said his volunteer efforts are a definite priority for his church body and others.
“I carried a rosary for several years and had gone to church but never said it,” Guidice said. “Then one day, when I was 22, I was working in a Colorado mine and carpooling daily. The Blessed Mother spoke to me and told me, ‘You need to do this’ (pray the rosary). And from that day forward, I haven’t missed a day saying the rosary, maybe 10 times at most in my whole life.”
Guidice is now 73 and unwavering in his personal pledge and promise to this ancient Catholic tradition.
“You get so much out of the rosary,” he shared. “That was the prayer our Blessed Virgin Mary gave us; it is as simple as that. We need to pray the rosary.”
Madanu shared that a church community joined in consistent prayer has divine ripples beyond the words spoken.
“Our new Rosary Society has quickly become a beautiful source of spiritual strength for St. George,” he said. “Seeing our families pray together and support one another through the intercession of the Blessed Mother fills my heart with so much joy.”
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