A Tennessee high school senior received a reply from Pope Leo XIV after sending him a letter. The response included a rosary blessed by the Pope, delivered with a letter from Cardinal Christophe Pierre. Selena Mullinax, the student, wrote to the Pope in September and was surprised to receive a response. The rosary features white beads and a pendant with the Vatican crest and a portrait of Mary and Jesus.
19 days ago
Selena Mullinax, an 18-year-old senior at Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, wrote a letter to Pope Leo XIV in September 2025.1
The idea stemmed from a lighthearted senior prank or "surprise," where she and her friends hoped to invite the Pope to visit their school.1
She sent the letter through Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville, who had recently spoken at the school.1
Mullinax received an envelope from Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States.1
It contained a letter explaining that while a papal visit was not possible, the students' prayers were a "real source of strength" for the Pope's ministry.1
The package included a blessed rosary in a navy pouch, made of white beads with a pendant featuring the Vatican crest and an image of Mary holding the infant Jesus, plus a photograph of Pope Leo XIV.1
Mullinax described feeling "in shock" upon receiving the gift, initially too overwhelmed to hold the rosary.1
She prayed with it the next night, calling it "really beautiful" and noting it boosted her confidence in her faith during a stressful period.1
The experience reinforced her trust in God, as she had surrendered the outcome, viewing the Pope as a source of closeness.1
Bishop Beckman expressed delight, calling the response "fantastic" and a "testament of her faith."1
Mullinax's parents, who converted from Baptist to Catholic before adopting her, were shocked and supportive; her father smiled throughout reading the letter.1
She credits her Catholic family for nurturing her early faith and feels grateful for the opportunity.1
Mullinax plans to maintain communication, possibly sending a graduation invitation to the Pope.1
She aims to attend the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga or East Tennessee State University in 2026, undecided between accounting, international business, political science, but committed to "doing good."1
The letter's Vatican filing number excited her, knowing it's archived alongside other correspondences.1
Pope Leo XIV’s rosary blessings affirm Catholic youth engagement
In an era where young people navigate profound spiritual, social, and cultural challenges, Pope Leo XIV has consistently highlighted the Rosary as a powerful instrument for fostering deeper faith and active participation in the Church. Through his messages, blessings, and entrustments, the Holy Father not only revives this ancient devotion but positions it as a bridge for Catholic youth to engage meaningfully with their faith, community, and the world. Drawing from papal tradition and contemporary exhortations, Leo XIV's approach underscores the Rosary's role in cultivating fraternity, hope, and missionary zeal among the young, affirming their indispensable place in the Church's mission.
The Rosary has long been a cornerstone of Catholic spirituality, particularly emphasized by popes as a means of contemplation, intercession, and protection. Pope Leo XIII, known as the "Rosary Pope," issued numerous encyclicals promoting its recitation, viewing it as a "sweet chain that links us to God" through Mary. In Octobri Mense (1891), he invoked the intercession of the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, bestowing an Apostolic Benediction upon the faithful to strengthen their pastoral efforts against societal evils. This tradition continued with Pope Pius XI, who, in a 1938 radio message, encouraged fervent Rosary devotion during October, concluding with a Trinitarian blessing that extended to the entire Catholic family amid global tribulations.
Subsequent pontiffs built on this foundation. Pope John Paul II, in addresses to the sick and youth, urged holding the Rosary as a source of comfort and transformation, linking it to victories over evil and the exaltation of the Church. He established the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary in honor of St. Pius V's legacy, emphasizing its efficacy in obtaining graces and promoting peace. The Church's liturgical framework further formalizes this through the Book of Blessings, which dedicates a rite to blessing Rosary beads and those who pray them. This ritual begins with a greeting of grace and peace from God the Father, through the Son born of the Virgin, and includes an exhortation on Mary's predestination as Mother of the Redeemer. It highlights the Rosary's role in meditating on salvation's mysteries, culminating in a special blessing that enriches crowns and devotees alike, so that "with Mary and through Mary" praises may be offered to God.
These historical elements provide the bedrock for Pope Leo XIV's initiatives. By invoking such blessings, he connects contemporary youth to a timeless devotion, affirming their engagement as a continuation of the Church's living tradition rather than a peripheral activity.
Pope Leo XIV, elected in 2025, has made youth a focal point of his pontificate, integrating the Rosary into messages that address their unique aspirations and struggles. In his Message for the 40th World Youth Day (October 7, 2025), issued on the Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, he urges young people to persevere amid persecution and division, echoing St. Paul's call to "overcome evil with good" (Rom 12:21). He portrays fraternity as arising from friendship with Christ, enabled by the Holy Spirit, which transforms indifference into compassionate action. Crucially, Leo XIV invites youth to cultivate this bond with Mary through Rosary prayer: "I invite you to welcome this holy bond with Mary, a mother full of affection and understanding, and to cultivate it in particular by praying the Rosary. That way, in every situation of our life, we will experience that we are never alone, for as children we are always loved, forgiven and encouraged by God." This entrustment positions the Rosary not as rote recitation but as a daily encounter that equips youth to witness joyfully, bridging personal faith with communal peace-building.
This theme recurs in his Video Message to young people gathered before the Cathedral of Košice on November 8, 2025. Addressing an international youth assembly as a "tangible sign of fraternity and peace," Leo XIV calls them to be "witnesses of communion, builders of bridges and sowers of trust" in a divided world. He quotes his own World Youth Day message, reinforcing the assurance of God's constant love, and entrusts them to Mary's protection as Mother of the Church and Queen of Peace. The message concludes with his Apostolic Blessing: "With affection, I impart to you my Apostolic Blessing... And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come upon you and remain with you always." Such blessings, infused with Marian intercession, affirm youth engagement by empowering them to carry Christ's light into families, schools, and communities, echoing the Rosary's meditative focus on redemption's mysteries.
Even in broader contexts, like the Jubilee of Youth Homily at Tor Vergata on August 3, 2025, Leo XIV weaves youth's "thirst for more" into an invitation to Eucharistic and Marian devotion. Reflecting on human fragility—like withering grass (Ps 90:5-6)—he encourages opening hearts to God, who knocks on the soul's window (Rev 3:20). While not explicitly mentioning the Rosary here, the homily's emphasis on renewal through self-gift aligns with its prayerful structure, preparing youth for active Church life during the Jubilee Year of Hope.
What distinguishes Leo XIV's approach is the integration of Rosary blessings as affirmative acts that propel youth from contemplation to action. In the Book of Blessings, the rite disposes participants by recalling Mary's cooperation in salvation, commending the Rosary as a prayer exalted by Church pastors. Leo XIV adapts this in his messages, where blessings serve as "pledges" of heavenly gifts, much like Leo XIII's invocations. For youth facing suspicion and inequality, these blessings—entrusting them to Mary—counter spiritual laziness, fostering "political charity" and reconciliation.
This affirmation counters potential disengagement by making the Rosary accessible and transformative. As John Paul II noted, its "intelligent devotion" assimilates Christ's mystery, motivating responsible engagement with worldly problems (cf. Rosarium Virginis Mariae, n. 40). Leo XIV's blessings thus validate youth as "missionaries of hope," especially migrants whose devotions revitalize parishes. In a Jubilee Year emphasizing hope, such gestures ensure young Catholics feel seen, loved, and called to build dignified communities.
While sources unanimously praise the Rosary's efficacy, nuances arise in adapting it for modern youth. Historical documents stress its role against "mali" (evils) like war, but Leo XIV extends this to contemporary issues like migration and abuse prevention, urging dialogue and mercy. Where older texts focus on protection, his emphasize proactive fraternity, addressing potential divergences by prioritizing recent teachings on synodality and inclusion. If sources like the Book of Blessings provide ritual structure, Leo XIV's messages make it relational, cautioning against superficiality while encouraging its use in daily life.
In areas of controversy, such as declining youth participation, Leo XIV's blessings offer a cautious yet hopeful response: they do not overpromise miracles but ground engagement in Mary's intercession, aligning with canon law's emphasis on devotional freedom (cf. Canon 1186-1188 on sacramentals).
In summary, Pope Leo XIV's Rosary blessings powerfully affirm Catholic youth engagement by rooting them in tradition while orienting them toward mission. Through entrustments and Apostolic Benedictions, he invites young people to pray, witness, and build peace, ensuring the Church's youthful face shines brightly. This devotion, as a compendium of the Gospel, equips them to overcome evil with good, fostering a vibrant, hopeful faith for the third millennium.