I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Fr. Donald H. Calloway, MIC about his newest book: Champions of the Rosary.
Donna-Marie: Why a book on the Rosary now?
Fr. Calloway: The reason I wrote this book is because the Church and the world need to be reminded of the power of the rosary and how it has been used by popes and saints over the last 800 years as a spiritual weapon against falsehoods and evil. In the early 18th century, St. Louis de Montfort wrote The Secret of the Rosary to remind the people of his time, especially priests, that the rosary had been given to us by heaven as a powerful weapon. Sadly, most of the people of his era were not open to his message and, along with many of his writings, The Secret of the Rosary was buried in a field in France during the French Revolution. In our crazy times, we need a book that serves as a follow-up to his rosary masterpiece, informing our modern age of the wonders and glories of the rosary. It needs to be a book that retells the story of the origins of the rosary, the many battles, victories, and miracles that have occurred as a result of people praying it, and highlight the numerous champions and heroes who have used it. These are some of the reasons I wrote Champions of the Rosary.
Donna-Marie: Thank you for explaining all of that. Your book is quite beautiful and extensive. How long did it take you to write it?
Fr. Calloway: It took me over two years to put Champions of the Rosary together. Before I even began writing, I conducted extensive research in libraries and monasteries around the world. Thanks to the generosity of many Dominican priests and sisters in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, I was able to gather incredible information and historical facts that would serve as the skeleton for the book. Once the information was gathered, I had to earnestly pray about how to organize all the information into a book that flowed well and was not too academic. To do this, I prayed a 54-day rosary novena to ask the guidance of Our Lady. She came through and gave me the structure for the entire book. Then, I decided that as I was writing it, I would make a novena to every single saint, blessed, venerable, and servant of God that was to appear in the book. There are so many that I had to group them together and do 3 novenas at a time! Praying a novena to every holy person in the book took me a year and a half.
Donna-Marie: Wow. That’s wonderful, Fr. Calloway!
You have many endorsements from Dominicans for your book. Why did you feel it was important to show their support?
Fr. Calloway: The rosary was first given to St. Dominic in the 13th century and it is the spiritual sons and daughters of St. Dominic who are the custodians of the great gift of the rosary. However, over the centuries there have been many who have tried to deny the tradition that Our Lady gave the rosary to St. Dominic, even within the Dominican Order itself. Therefore, in order to lend support for my research and writing, I wanted to have as many Dominicans behind me as I could. Incredibly, I was able to get endorsements from the Master General of the Dominicans, the General Promoter of the rosary, 10 Dominican bishops, and numerous Dominican provincials and theologians from around the world. I truly love the Dominicans and believe that they have been entrusted with one of the greatest treasures of the Church.
Donna-Marie: You’ve broken your book up into three parts. What are they and what is their importance?
Fr. Calloway: The first part contains a thoroughly researched history of the origins of the rosary. To my knowledge, this is the most thorough presentation of the history of the rosary ever written. It begins by presenting the antecedent elements that went into the making of the Dominican rosary, then moves into a century-by-century presentation of battles, victories, miracles, and popes and saints who have promoted it. The second part of the book contains 26 of the greatest champions of the rosary throughout history. There have been many more than 26, but these are the ones who are particularly known for having made it a major part of their life and apostolate. In the third part of the book I present the practical steps of how to pray the rosary (and how not to pray the rosary), how to become a champion of the rosary, and the indulgences offered by the Church for those who pray the rosary. Lastly, in an appendix, is contained a 36-page color section of the rosary in classical art. I even had 4 images commissioned for the book!
Donna-Marie: That is really amazing!
Your book is a treasury of history and wisdom on the Rosary as well as stories and Rosary gems the reader can take to his or her heart. You have even included many Apostles and defenders of the Rosary along with photographs. What do you say to the person who might feel intimidated to read this book in light of all of the material?
Fr. Calloway: I really believe that this book can be read by anyone. I intentionally asked Our Lady to kiss the book and make it enjoyable for both the academic and the pious non-academic. I even took the entire manuscript to the tomb of St. Dominic in Bologna, Italy, and asked St. Dominic to let the whole world read this book. I’m quite positive that once a person starts reading the book, they will not be able to put it down. Some of the Dominican bishops who endorsed it called it an encyclopedia and a summa of the rosary. It is truly meant for everyone, and every person who reads it will get something from it.
Donna-Marie: I wholeheartedly agree!
You share what you call “the three keys” to unlocking the power of the Rosary. Can the average Rosary pray-er unlock the power of the Rosary?
Fr. Calloway: The “three keys” are easy. They are 1) understanding the rosary as a spiritual weapon, especially a spiritual sword; 2) respecting the pious tradition that states that St. Dominic is the founder; and 3) acknowledging that the rosary has had both antecedents and developments throughout history. With this in mind, the power of the rosary can be unlocked by anyone and everyone; from young children to the aged, infirm, and those in prison. The book is intended to make of everyone who reads it a champion of the rosary!
Donna-Marie:That is really great.
Finally, what is your deepest desire for this book?
Fr. Calloway: My greatest desire is that people return to the saving mysteries of the God-Man and grow in virtue. Only by doing these things will things change in our crazy world. I consider this book to be our marching-orders for the trials that are ahead of us. Peace will not come from man-made concords and edicts. True peace will only come when we return to the fundamentals of Divine Revelation as encapsulated in the sacred mysteries of the rosary!
Donna-Marie: Amen, Fr. Calloway! Thank you very much for your time, Fr. Calloway.
Please visit Fr. Calloway’s website to see more about his ministry and to order his beautiful book.
I recently visited with Jerry and Debbie on EWTN’s “Take 2 with Jerry and Debbie.”
Distinct details of meeting Blessed Teresa of Calcutta the first time remain etched in my memory. Her height, or lack thereof, especially struck me. Being short in stature and hunched over, she appeared a bit frail. But I was totally convinced that this “little” woman was a passionate powerhouse of faith, hope and love! I knew that along with God’s grace, she was responsible for incredible transformations in the lives of the “poorest of the poor,” all over the world.
Blessed Teresa never mothered a child biologically, but she in so many ways spiritually mothered countless people all around the globe. She indeed became a mother to me. Mother Teresa begged for all unwanted babies whose mothers contemplated abortion and said she’d care for them herself. She opened our eyes and hearts to the needy around us whom we should “mother.”
