Each fall for the past three years, thousands of Catholics have streamed into the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., clutching rosaries and lifting their voices in prayer as part of the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage. At the heart of this growing movement is Father Joseph-Anthony Kress, a young Dominican friar whose passion for the Rosary has taken him from the grotto of Lourdes to the streets of the nation’s capital. As the promoter of the Rosary for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph and leader of the Rosary Pilgrimage, Father Kress has become a tireless advocate for reclaiming this ancient devotion as a source of unity, healing and spiritual strength in the modern Church.
Our Sunday Visitor: Father Joseph-Anthony, could you share a little of your own vocation story and how the Rosary has shaped your life as a Dominican?
Father Joseph-Anthony Kress: I first began thinking about the priesthood in high school and continued to discern in college. While studying abroad, I visited Lourdes. It was there, in the sanctuaries of Lourdes, that I had a profound encounter with Our Lady through the Rosary. That experience became a turning point for my vocation. I even purchased the Rosary I wear on my Dominican habit today in Lourdes — it’s a reminder of those beginnings and the Blessed Mother’s role in leading me to her Son.
Our Sunday Visitor: What does it mean to you personally to serve as the promoter of the Rosary for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph?
Father Kress: It’s been a great gift. As men, we can easily focus on work and responsibilities. This assignment has drawn the Rosary out of the background of my day and put it into the forefront of my life. It has helped me to entrust my vocation more deeply to Our Lady and rely on her intercession and protection in a new way.
The heart of Dominican spirituality
Our Sunday Visitor: The Rosary has been at the heart of Dominican spirituality for centuries. How do you see the Order’s charism continuing to bring the devotion to life today?
Father Kress: The Rosary is “ever ancient, ever new.” It’s always central to Dominican life and preaching, but every generation discovers it afresh. I’ve seen how young people and new converts especially cling to the Rosary — not as just a pious activity, but as a way of life. In a world that feels formless, the Rosary provides structure and formation, helping us focus on Christ through Mary.
Our Sunday Visitor: Turning to the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, what has surprised you most about the response of the faithful?
Father Kress: I wasn’t surprised people were interested. What struck me was how many were willing to make sacrifices — taking vacation days, rearranging schedules — to come to Washington, D.C., and join the friars. It’s not just about their personal devotion; they want to be part of something bigger, a visible witness to the Body of Christ.
Our Sunday Visitor: Is there a particular moment from the pilgrimage that encapsulates its fruitfulness for you?
Father Kress: Yes. In the second year, I led an enrollment ceremony in the Rosary Confraternity. Looking out at a packed basilica and hearing the faithful pray the Rosary together — it was a raucous cry to heaven. That moment really struck me with the power and unity of this devotion.
Our Sunday Visitor: Pilgrimages are a familiar part of Catholic life in Europe, but less so in the United States. What role does this pilgrimage play?
Father Kress: Americans often think pilgrimage means traveling to the Holy Land or the Camino de Santiago in Spain. But a pilgrimage can be domestic and accessible, and it reminds us that we are all pilgrims in this earthly life. Bringing people together in Washington for a public witness of devotion to the Rosary not only strengthens faith but helps us live that pilgrim identity. It also takes the Rosary out of the purely private sphere and shows that our devotions can be shared and public, uniting us as the Body of Christ.
Marian devotion in the Church
Our Sunday Visitor: How do you help people move beyond rote prayer into contemplation of the mysteries of Christ?
Father Kress: On the surface, the Rosary looks like repetition. But the repetition is meant to lead us into contemplation. The prayers engage our whole humanity — body and soul, exterior and interior — so that everything in us is conformed to Christ. It’s not empty words; it’s a way of allowing God to shape us fully.
Our Sunday Visitor: The Rosary is sometimes called a weapon for spiritual battle. How does that image help us today?
Father Kress: The Christian is always in a spiritual battle, no matter the age. The Blessed Mother gave the Rosary to St. Dominic as a weapon to defend and proclaim the truth, who is Christ. That’s why Dominicans wear the rosary on the left hip — the place where a soldier carried his sword. It’s not a physical weapon, but a spiritual one. Praying the Rosary prepares us for the battles of daily life, giving us strength and courage.
Our Sunday Visitor: The pilgrimage takes place in Washington, D.C. — a city filled with hope, but also division. How do you see the Rosary as a source of healing for our nation?
Father Kress: Having the pilgrimage in the capital is intentional. Washington is a symbol of our national life. Bringing Our Lady’s intercession and protection into the heart of that space is powerful. It reminds us that our faith and civic life are not separate. By making a public act of devotion in the capital, we witness that faith should guide our civic duties. That’s courageous, evangelical and, ultimately, a source of hope.
Our Sunday Visitor: Looking to the future, what is your greatest hope for the Rosary Pilgrimage and Marian devotion in the Church?
Father Kress: My hope is simple: that more people encounter Jesus through Mary. That’s the victory — each person united to Christ. I don’t want to set narrow goals. I trust that Our Lady, who has led people to her Son for centuries, will continue that work. The pilgrimage is just one way to invite others into that encounter.
