Children's Rosary December 2025 Newsletter

 

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Children's Rosary® December 2025 Newsletter

Christmas Novena 2025

Prayer to the Miraculous Infant of Prague

In anticipation of Christmas December 25th consider saying this 9 day Novena from December 16th-December 24th.  

O Divine Infant Jesus, Who said: "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you." Through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.

(Make your request.)

O Divine Infant Jesus, Who said: "Unless you become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Grant me the simplicity and wonder, the tenderness and gentleness of a child. Fill me with innocence, hope and love. Grant me the grace that I need.

(Make your request.)

O Divine Infant Jesus, help me know how close You are to me and how powerful is Your embrace. Help me to trust that You hold the whole world in Your hand. I place my every need and care in Your hands. I ask that you fulfill my request according to Your holy will.

(Make your request.)

Miraculous Infant of Prague, have mercy on us.

We humbly ask that you join us in praying this novena and include as one of your intentions: for all those who help the Children's Rosary through time, talent or treasure may they receive Christmas peace and joy. 

This is spiritual gift we would like to share with all those who have supported the Children's Rosary this year. In addition, a Mass will be celebrated for all the members of the Children's Rosary and all who help the Children's Rosary on December 25th.

Visits to Aliwal North, Port Elizabeth and De Aar, South Africa

Asher Kaufman, age 18, set out on June 28 for a yearlong trip to help spread the Children's Rosary in Europe and Africa. He spent the months of July, August and the first two weeks in September in France. He arrived in Uganda on September 15. From Uganda he traveled by car to Rwanda on September 28. After a week in Rwanda there was once more a return for more travel in Uganda. On October 11 he arrived in Tanzania and on October 26 traveled to Kenya. A visit for three weeks to Madagascar followed on November 7. Most recently he arrived in South Africa.

"Upon setting out for Aliwal North, the bus left Johannesburg Park Station in the evening and arrived in Aliwal at about 2:00 a.m. I should say that this visit to Aliwal would not have been possible without Br. Henry Bukenya, the brother who has done so much for the Children's Rosary in Uganda and Rwanda. He knew Bishop Kizito quite well and put us in contact. 

We were picked up by Fr. Mlulami New, a priest of the diocese. Bishop Joseph Kizito had invited me to come with Deacon Alpheus, but he was not able to be there himself. Fr. Mlulami took us to stay at a "youth centre" not far from the diocesan offices. This youth center was a place of retreat, it seemed, with dormitories and large open space outdoor activity. There was a Stations of the Cross path that wound its way up the hill nearby; both Deacon and I wanted to do this but never got around to. 

In Aliwal, we were quite busy; the same morning when we arrived, we had a meeting with not just Fr. Mlulami but also Sr. Gladys (a nun of the diocese), Sr. Petronella from Zimbabwe, and Fr. Joseph Bukenya (another priest of the diocese in charge of children and originally from Uganda). 

After our meeting, we were given a tour of the youth center and were able to see all of the good work they are engaged in, such as providing training courses free of charge to young people to train them in the trades, such as carpentry, plumbing, and welding. They also had much livestock, such as chickens, pigs, cows, and bees. 

The next day, we visited two parishes in Aliwal North. I spoke and we all prayed together at each stop. These were in townships where the parishioners were very poor, and I was able to see how the lifestyle there differed from just a short distance away in town. The children were wonderful to pray with, and they took well to the rosary.

Everyone we spoke with in Aliwal as so supportive of the Children's Rosary that I am very confident about the future of the movement there. 

Soon, however, it was time to leave, and on Thursday evening we took the bus to Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth is one of the most important coastal towns in South Africa, and during our stay there we visited the Oratory of St. Philip in town. 

The Oratories of St. Philip are communities based on the one St. Philip Neri ran in Rome when he was alive. The priests are secular priests who are bound together in community by no formal vows but simply by charity. In Port Elizabeth, there are eleven priests and brothers, though they have many responsibilities, including at the nearby school. There is a wonderful atmosphere of prayer at the oratory, fueled both by the Oratorians and by a core of devout young parishioners who come together for prayer of the Rosary, adoration, and other devotions quite frequently. The parish was engaged in a Triduo to Our Blessed Mother based on the prayers and meditations of St. John Henry Newman. 

Christopher Robinson, a general medicine doctor and parishioner at the Oratory knew Gail well, and that was how we became connected there. (Christopher shown above in the blue shirt)

I ended up addressing some of the young people at a dinner on Friday night and meeting with leaders of the faith formation and a teacher at the school nearby; they were very interested, and we will work together on getting a group going hopefully at both places.

Then deacon and I finished up by attending the parish braai (a South African version of a barbecue) on Sunday after the Mass. 

It was just after this braai that we set off to visit Fr. Collin Bowes, a priest from Nouport, South Africa. He is an exorcist who has dedicated his priestly ministry to fighting the devil; he is an extraordinary man. A number of healings have been reported in the lay press as a result of his work. He is very well known across South Africa. 

I was so happy we had been able to meet with Fr. Collin because not only is he going to try to speak to the bishop about beginning Children's Rosary groups in his diocese of De Aar, but also he agreed to record some testimonial videos for us regarding the importance of the Rosary and his experience working with children in his ministry. 

Fr. Collin is quite a man, now 91 and still very active, building statues and framing images and renovating his property where he lives, not to mention serving more than one church."

To see all of Asher's dispatches from his journey click HERE

Patiently Waiting in Ontario, Canada 2025

 

This Advent Place a Patiently Waiting Sign

 in Your Window

Join the Children's Rosary by putting a sign in your window as a beautiful reminder of where our hearts can be found as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. On Christmas replace the sign with one that reads: Christ is Born.

Christmas Issue of St. Mary's Messenger Features Missionary Journey to Spread the Children's Rosary

 

To see the full issue please visit https://stmarysmessenger.com 

This is a Catholic Magazine for kids ages 7 to 12. 

Patiently Waiting in Ireland 2025

Join the Children's Rosary by putting a "Patiently Waiting" sign in your window as a beautiful reminder of where our hearts can be found as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. On Christmas replace the sign with one that reads, "Christ is Born". This marks the eleventh anniversary of the Children's Rosary Patiently Waiting Campaign. We have been receiving pictures from different countries showing their Patiently Waiting signs. The picture above is from the Derry diocese in Ireland. The pictures below are from the Children's Primary School New Row St Patrick's in Castledawson, Ireland. The school also participated by putting a Patiently Waiting sign in their window.

The video above explains about the Children's Rosary Patiently Waiting Campaign and how to participate. 

First Saturday Conference in Knock, Ireland

The Children's Rosary group leader from Knock Shrine shared, on Saturday 6th December, at the First Saturdays Centenary Conference at Knock Shrine, children from Children’s Rosary groups around Ireland were greatly honoured to lead the Rosary with Bishop John Keenan, Diocese of Paisley, Scotland in front of the Blessed Sacrament in Knock Shrine Basilica. One of the Rosary intentions was that the First Saturday devotion, specifically requested by Our Lady, will spread throughout the world. Bishop John Keenan's presence, as an important shepherd of the Church, and a devoted witness to the Children’s Rosary and Child Consecration, made the occasion even more special and brought great blessings. The celebration continued with Holy Mass, celebrated by Fr Marius O'Reilly, who then led the First Saturday 15-minute meditation. Several hundred faithful joined in this incredible witness of faith.

Bishop Keenan wrote after the event:

It’s a real honour and joy for me to be associated with the Children’s Rosary and with the spread of the Rosary in Scotland.  It is our prayer of Great Hope in these times. We had a very fruitful meeting in Knock in Ireland and I was glad to be able to attend and speak at it.  The Children’s Rosary group led the rosary in the main basilica towards the conclusion of the day, and to great effect. Take care and God bless all the good work, +J

For more information about the first Saturday devotion see below: