A Million Roses for the World

In 2011, as Family Rosary Crusade prepared for the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Fatima, Ambassador Howard Dee inspired a bold vision: to pray for all 200 nations of the world. Despite health challenges, I was tasked to lead the campaign. With the support of Fr. Roque D’Costa, dedicated partners like Mely Diaz, and many volunteers, the plan came alive.

From October 2011 to May 2012, Catholics across the Philippines prayed the Rosary daily for one nation at a time. Prayer booklets, song recordings, and materials were sent to thousands of schools and parishes. Media figures and Church leaders amplified the call. Massive gatherings of students, mothers, families, and even persons deprived of liberty prayed together, while communities abroad—from Chile to Belgium, Moscow to California—joined in unity.

The movement culminated in June 2012 at the Araneta Coliseum, where 8,000 students filled the dome with songs, dances, and prayers before the image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. The energy of love and faith was overwhelming—a chain of “roses” linking people worldwide in supplication for peace.

More than a campaign, A Million Roses for the World became a testimony to the power of prayer. Many shared stories of healing and renewed devotion. For me, it also meant renewed life: my “six-month warranty” has stretched to thirteen years, still holding fast to the Rosary’s powerful chain of love and hope.