The Secret of the Rosary has become one of Catholicism's most beloved books of all time. Many people are unaware of the history behind this captivating little gem, and I would be delighted to share it with you.
In the mid-1960s, my grandmother, Helen Howell, a convert to the Catholic Faith, and her son, J. Bruce Howell, affectionately known as Uncle Bud, read the hardcover book published in 1954 by the Montfort Fathers. They were so impressed by the beautiful message and spiritual power of the Rosary that they wanted to make the book more accessible and affordable for others. It was important to them to get St. Louis de Montfort's message of the Rosary into as many hands as possible, with the hopes that Our Lady of Fatima's specific requests would be honored.
As the proprietor of Christ and Country Books, a small Catholic publishing company in Rockford, Illinois, Bud made the decision to publish The Secret of the Rosary in paperback. Thousands of copies were printed and stored in Grandma's basement before being distributed. The now iconic cover image of Our Lady of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary was chosen from a print Bud found at a rummage sale at St. Thomas School in Rockford. He and Grandma both agreed that it would make the perfect cover for the book, as they both had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under this title.
From 1965 to 1969, five softcover editions of The Secret of the Rosary were printed. My grandmother, Helen, was good friends with the founder of TAN Publisher, Thomas A. Nelson. In October 1970, TAN took over the publishing and released the sixth edition with the same beautiful image of the Blessed Mother on the cover. To date, The Secret of the Rosary has now surpassed its 30th printing and has sold over 5.3 million copies worldwide.
May Grandma Helen and Uncle Bud now enjoy the fruits of their labor of love for Our Lady in Heaven. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
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