The Bishop of Shrewsbury has encouraged Catholics to emulate the Blessed Virgin Mary and to pray the “treasure” of the Holy Rosary constantly.

The Rt Rev. Mark Davies spoke of the personal importance of the Rosary to him at every juncture of his own life and ministry and urged the faithful to rediscover the great power of the prayer.

In a homily at the Mass of Sacred Chrism, he reminded the faithful that when Our Lady always held rosary beads when she appeared to St Bernadette at Lourdes, France, in the mid-19th century.

Through her “unbroken silent prayer” the Virgin Mary was inviting all Catholics to “share the prayers of her Immaculate Heart”, the Bishop explained.

Praying the Rosary leads the petitioner to contemplate Jesus Christ in his Incarnation and his redemption, Bishop Davies said.

“We will find in the Rosary the depth of the Gospel in its entirety and a prayer destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness,’ the Bishop added.

Catholics should pray the prayer of the Rosary not only for themselves but for others too, the Bishop continued, adding: “Pray for your priests and new vocations to the priesthood.”

Bishop Davies, who on February 11 celebrated the 40th anniversary of his own priestly ordination with a pilgrimage to Lourdes, told the congregation in the Church of St Michael and All Saints, Woodchurch, the Wirral, that the Chrism Mass was an occasion to give thanks for the priesthood.

Priestly ministry, the Bishop said, did not exist “for its own sake but for the salvation of souls … we ask that our thanksgiving may never end”.

During the Mass of Sacred Chrism, Bishop Davies blessed the Oil of the Sick, the Oil of the Catechumen and consecrated the Oil of Chrism. These will be used in the administration of the Sacraments.