Stu Kohlin knows many people, perhaps most, who feel at a loss and says it's easy to understand why. He also believes in one sure way to deal with the sense of a world spinning out of control.

“There’s power in prayer, there’s power in numbers, there’s power in the numbers of people’s prayers,” Kohlin told Wisconsin Catholic Tribune. “The year 2020 has put a lot on people’s plate. Huge issues, COVID-19, shutdowns, riots, fires, the elections, it’s overwhelming. As we begin all good things, we pray first.”

These are the motivations as helps coordinate a rosary procession and patriotic rally Sunday, Oct. 11, on the at Sacred Heart Parish Church grounds, 321 S. Main St. in Shawano, Wisconsin.

It’s part of the Unite Our Nation movement, which seeks to bring people for a peaceful, prayerful event to show support for each other and the country.

Kohlin, the commander of the Shawano AMVETS, said he was intrigued when he first learned about Unite Our Nation.

“I saw Father Richard Heilman’s Men of Christ’s Facebook post on the first Madison, Wisconsin, rosary walk, and wanted to do something, anything, to show marches can actually be peaceful,” he said. 

“With so much in this world, country and state of Wisconsin going on at once, where does one begin to solve them? Prayer, prayer to our Blessed Mother for our country. The patriotic rally puts our state and country under her mantle. Let Mary take it to Jesus.”

Kohlin said he received some help to get the event moving forward.

“Since a lady friend knew I went to Madison for the rosary, she saw a Facebook post on ‘America Needs Fatima,’ a great organization, however one I wasn’t familiar with,” Kohlin said. “Margaret Brunker was excited to do a rosary rally and it changed to one we were more comfortable with, an event fitting for the times we’re in. A simple tap on the shoulder from a friend.”

Unite the Nation was the brainchild of two Wisconsin men, Patrick Ciriacks and Kevin O’Brien, who wanted to show support for their country in a peaceful, nonpartisan manner. They at first dubbed their group Unite Wisconsin, but after realizing there was interest across the country, it was renamed Unite Our Nation.

The first Eucharistic procession and patriotic rosary rally was held in Madison on Aug. 15 to coincide with the Feast of the Assumption. The goal was 1,000 people – and almost three times that many showed up.

More of the peaceful, patriotic processions and rallies have occurred or are being planned in other states. Kohlin thinks he knows why.

“Simple answer is Unite the Nation is organized,” he said. “Over the last several years the Wisconsin Catholic men’s and women’s groups have been growing and organizing. This enables us to collect contact information to get our message to the people. Since we have started the Unite Shawano event, we are able to plug into resources already available, making it easier to organize several Unified events.”

Kohlin said it matches with the feelings of the people who are joining the effort.

“Emotionally people – Catholics – want to support law and order, peace and prayer in a powerful way,” he said. “To show we support prayer, UniteOurNation.net makes it easy to show up and support in numbers.”

He said the philosophy does bring people together.

“Unity. A sense of purpose and knowing there are countless others who no longer want to be silent,” Kohlin said. “Show that Catholics can get out and pray, too.”

How can people join in?

“Grab your weapon – the rosary – and just be a part of a large gathering," he said. "Be another voice, another strand of string that makes a mighty rope. It’ll take little effort to march three blocks, sing, recite the patriotic rosary and return home knowing that effort was seen by our Blessed Mother.”

The rosary walk will start at 2:30 p.m.

“From there we will process with rosary in hand to the rally/rosary site on the Main Street side of Memorial Park,” Kohlin said. “The patriotic rosary will be recited [around] 3:15. Those unable to walk to approximate four blocks, please meet at Memorial Park site on Main Street. [There is] plenty of parking.”