Three Children's Rosary Groups to Meet on All Saints Day

We are excited to announce that there is a new Children's Rosary forming at St. James Church in Madison, Georgia USA.  This is an old Mission Church in a very historic part of Georgia.  This new group has chosen to hold their monthly Children's Rosary during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The group will meet at 4PM ET in the main Church. 

On this beautiful Feast honoring the Saints we feel so blessed to have three Children's Rosary groups meeting in parishes named after three Saints: St. Joseph, St. Peter and St. James.  In a special way we invite the Saints to accompany us in prayer of the Rosary tomorrow.  Please consider joining the children in prayer either at the Church or from your home.  The Children always pray for all those unifying their prayers with them.

The schedule of meetings:
Friday November 1st 
The Children's Rosary at St. Peter Church in Steubenville, Ohio will meet at 4PM ET in the Church.
The Children's Rosary at St. James Church in Madison, Georgia will meet at 4PM ET in the Church during Eucharistic Adoration.
The Children's Rosary at St. Joseph Church in Adrian, Michigan will meet at 5PM ET. This group has chosen to hold their monthly Children's Rosary during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Frequently asked Questions When Starting a Children's Rosary

Okay you have decided you would like to begin a Children's Rosary...what is the next step.

We have some resources to help folks get started. There is a list of guidelines for beginning a Children's Rosary and also suggestions for your first meeting. Click here for more information.

Some Frequently asked Questions which may help those who would like to begin groups:


Can a Children's Rosary begin in a school?
Yes we have two children's Rosary groups which have already begun in schools and these have gone very well.  We have a third school meeting next week in Texas.  To read some feedback from the first meeting of the Children's Rosary at Trinity Academy click here.


Do the children have to kneel during the Children's Rosary?
Yes, I would recommend that the kneel  unless they have a physical condition preventing this.  If one looks at the apparitions of Fatima and Lourdes we see that the children knelt in prayer of the Rosary.  This clearly shows us that this is pleasing to Our Lady and Our Lord.  On a practical note we have found that when the children kneel this is a cue to them that this is a different time one which is special.  By kneeling they automatically become more attentive and seem to refrain from excess talking.  There is a reverence which seems to naturally flow from having the children kneel.  Rarely have I found a child not fall easily into the semicircle of other children kneeling.  They actually really enjoy being all together shoulder to shoulder in prayer.  A sense of togetherness with other children.  It is actually beautiful to see. 


Where should we hold our Children's Rosary? 
Most of our Children's Rosary groups meet in a Church or chapel but one could meet in another space as well such as an outside grotto or parish center.  Some of our groups exist in schools and if it is not possible to go to a Church the group could meet within the school or on the grounds.  If you have Eucharistic Adoration at your Church it would be wonderful to hold your Children's Rosary during Adoration.  Some parishes have 24 hour Eucharistic Adoration and others offer it on the First Saturday or First Friday.  These would be wonderful times to meet.
If you are meeting in a Church usually the children would gather before the altar in a semi-circle kneeling on the ground. If you have a statue of Our Lady it is nice to place Our Lady before the children.   
No matter what the location there are many blessings being poured down through the prayers of the children.  

How often should we meet? 
This requires some prayer and discernment.  One must decide if you want to meet weekly, bi-monthly or monthly.  Some groups who meet weekly feel that the children form a routine and this helps them to remember to come and it is woven into their weekly prayer life.  Other groups feel that given the number of commitments folks have these days that realistically a monthly frequency is better. Often the frequency is dictated by the availability of the space and the amount of time the person leading the group has available.

When should we meet?
This is probably the most frequently asked question that new group leaders ask.  Many of our group leaders have chosen first Saturday in honor of Our Lady.  Meetings after a Saturday morning Mass have worked well or before the evening vigil.  Others have chosen First Friday in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and chosen to meet at 4 or 5PM. Many others have chosen before or after a Sunday morning Mass.  The advantage of before Mass is the children are fresh and not tired.  The advantage of after Mass is you could offer a little snack or treat after which is not possible before Mass.  Coupling the Rosary before or after Mass is nice as you may find other adults who like to join the children for the Rosary and the children definitely like to see folks in the pews as they lead the Rosary.

Words From the Children Wednesday

ANSWERING THE QUESTION:

 WHY IS THE CHILDREN'S ROSARY IMPORTANT

Recently we introduced a new weekly highlight on the Children's Rosary Blog: Words from the Children Wednesdays. As the Children's Rosary is a prayer movement composed of children and led by children we would like to begin highlighting some of the beautiful feedback we have been getting from the children from our different Children's Rosary groups.  

Recently I reached out to the different Children's Rosary groups and asked for their help.  The Children's Rosary had a booth at the Catholic Marketing Network(CMN) Trade Show in New Jersey USA from August 7th-9th.  It was our hope that the children could provide the voice of the movement by creating visuals and phrases to briefly describe WHY THE CHILDREN'S ROSARY IS IMPORTANT.

The pictures have been coming in by mail from all over the country.  They were all so beautiful in their own unique way it seemed like a perfect way to begin our Words From the Children Wednesdays.  More beautiful original artwork to come over the upcoming weeks.  Please if you are a child and would like to submit a picture or message see our contact information and send it in.  We will be featuring them here.

The drawing above was done by Grace age 7 from Thomaston, Connecticut USA.  Grace is a member of the Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church. Their group has chosen to meet weekly after the Sunday Mass. Grace's picture beautifully captures how much love she feels for the Rosary. No one can mistake the joy behind this drawing.  How pleasing must the prayers that come from this small soul be to Our Lord who waits patiently for these little ones to come to Him.  

On these last days of October, a month dedicated to the Rosary, may we rejoice that there are children that have made their way to Our Lady and the Rosary and have found such love and comfort through these beautiful prayers. Amen.

Monthly Mass Offered Today for All the Members of the Children's Rosary

A Mass is offered on the 25th of every month for all the members of the Children's Rosary and all who help the Children's Rosary.  May Our Lord bless you all abundantly. Amen.

Thank you and God Bless.  

One Word to Describe the Children's Rosary: Hope

Looking at this picture from the first meeting of the Children's Rosary at St. Charles Borromeo School in Destrehan, Louisiana USA there is a beautiful sense of hope that enters the heart.  Seeing children praying especially the prayer Our Blessed Mother taught us: the Holy Rosary brings a smile to ones face.  With so much sadness bombarding up from all directions one must not forget the beauty of our children.  They are open to what they are exposed to and when at an early age we invite them to prayer they so beautifully embrace it.  This is the second school in just over a week to begin a Children's Rosary during the school day.  On Oct 7th a Children's Rosary began in Trinity Academy in Pennsylvania.  The children were invited to invited to attend a Children's Rosary prayer group during recess after lunch.  Fifty two children chose to kneel in prayer of the Rosary instead of running around during recess.  This new Children's Rosary in Louisiana is just another example of children drawn to prayer.  In this time when so many headlines are featuring pictures of children participating in violent crimes the Children's Rosary stands to offset this bleak picture with one full of joy and hope.  May Our Lady and Our Lord help the Children's Rosary to continue to spread allowing more of our children an opportunity to chose prayer as a way to spend time with their friends. Amen.

New Children's Rosary Groups Coming to Louisiana and North Carolina

Over the next four days four Children's Rosary groups will meet.  Two of the groups will meet for the first time. Please consider joining the children in prayer from your home.  The children always pray for all those unifying prayers with them.

Friday October 25th
A new Children's Rosary group will meet in Destrehan, Louisiana USA at the  St. Charles Borromeo School.  The school was built in 1929 and was operated for a period of time by the Sisters of the Most Holy Sacrament. The children will meet tomorrow for the Children's Rosary at 9:45 AM Central time.  This will be the second Children's Rosary group to form in a Parochial School.

Sacred Heart Church in Pinehurst North Carolina

Sunday Oct 27th 
A new Children's Rosary group will meet for the first time at Sacred Heart Church in Pinehurst, North Carolina USA.  The children will meet after the 10:45 AM Mass.

The Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, CT will also meet on Sunday Oct 27th at 11AM ET and the Rosary will be followed by a small reception provided by the Legions of Mary.

Monday October 28th
The Children's Rosary at Trinity Academy in Pennsylvania USA will hold their weekly Children's Rosary at 12:20AM ET.   This was our first Children's Rosary group to meet in a school.  To read the wonderful story of their first meeting click here.

One of the beautiful things I just noticed about the two new groups that will be meeting is that both Sacred Heart Church and St. Charles Borromeo Church both have Perpetual Adoration chapels in their Parishes.  

For those Parishes with Adoration Chapels this is often an ideal location to hold a Children's Rosary.  If your church has Perpetual Adoration please consider this as a possible location to hold a monthly or weekly Children's Rosary.  

A Gift to Pope John Paul II

Photo by ITF/QUEEN/ZUMA Press

Last year on the Feast of Bl. Pope John Paul II, the majority of the Children's Rosary book was written.  The book was dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Our Blessed Mother and in thanksgiving for the intercession of Pope John Paul II.  One year later the Children's Rosary book is being printed in the print shop of the American School for the Deaf with the help of the students.  Our Lady finding the smallest and most vulnerable to help make the Children's Rosary book.  The books are shipped to EWTN Catalogue by my own children carried either by hand or with a red wagon to the post office.  Recently we were excited to have our first copies of the Spanish version of the Children's Rosary book available to order. Subsequently there have been efforts to begin a French translation. Tonight on the Feast of Bl Pope John Paul II there is a desire to give him a gift in thanksgiving. With his own canonization scheduled for Divine Mercy Sunday there is a hope and prayer that we might be able to finish a translation in Pope John Paul's native language of Polish by this beautiful day when he will be recognized as a Saint in Heaven.  If there is anyone who would like to assist in the proofing of the translation into Polish or French, a language Pope John Paul also spoke fluently, please contact Blythe at blythe.kaufman@gmail.com

Thank you all and God Bless!

Those interested in more information about the Children's Rosary book click HERE.

Totus Tuus

"Totally Yours"

Pope John Paul II with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima,
a few weeks after the attempt on his life on May 13, 1981.

Totus Tuus was Pope John Paul's apostolic motto and is a Latin phrase meaning "totally yours" signifying his person consecration to Mary the Mother of God.  Pope John Paul II as a young seminarian read many times the work of St. Louis de Montfort: True Devotion to Mary.  It was within this book that he found the words Totus Tuus.  The complete prayer translated into English, "I belong entirely to you, and all that I have is yours.  I take you for my all. O Mary, give me your heart".

Today on the Feast of Bl. John Paul II there were several times when Pope John Paul's sentiments came to mind. As the sun was setting tonight there was a ring of the door bell.  Quickly there was the sound of small feet running.  There was an unexpected guest at the front door but given the Feast her arrival seemed perfectly timed. 

As I slowly came down the stairs there was a large box being carried in by my daughter.  Surprised by such a large box I wondered if it was really for us.  The children gathered around in excitement at what could be inside.  Upon opening the box the children found it was Our Lady of Fatima.  Among the stuffing a crown which they carefully placed on her head.  The statue was one of three sent to the Children's Rosary as a gift from a Catholic Store owner who had seen the recent Children's Rosary EWTN show and felt called to donate statues of Our Lady.  

It had been four months since the children had packaged a statue of Our Lady and carried her to the post office for a new Children's Rosary group in Timor Leste. 

On this Feast of Bl John Paul II who signed all his letters Totus Tuus ...it was a wonderful grace to find Our Lady unexpectedly at our door.  Pope John Paul has been a wonderful intercessor for the Children's Rosary and this beautiful gift arriving on his feast was just another example of Pope John Paul's tireless efforts to bring young people to Our Heavenly Mother and with her to her Son, Jesus.

Pope Francis Invites Us All to Holiness

Pope Francis blesses a boy as he leaves his general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
(CNS photo/Paul Haring)

In a recent General Audience by Pope Francis on October 2nd the Holy Father speaks simply and beautifully about our universal call to holiness.

A final question: what can I, a weak fragile sinner, do? God says to you: do not be afraid of holiness, do not be afraid to aim high, to let yourself be loved and purified by God, do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Let us be infected by the holiness of God. Every Christian is called to sanctity (cf. Dogmatic Constitution); and sanctity does not consist especially in doing extraordinary things, but in allowing God to act. It is the meeting of our weakness with the strength of his grace, it is having faith in his action that allows us to live in charity, to do everything with joy and humility, for the glory of God and as a service to our neighbour. There is a celebrated saying by the French writer Léon Bloy, who in the last moments of his life, said: “The only real sadness in life is not becoming a saint”. Let us not lose the hope of holiness, let us follow this path. Do we want to be saints? The Lord awaits us, with open arms; he waits to accompany us on the path to sanctity. Let us live in the joy of our faith, let us allow ourselves to be loved by the Lord... let us ask for this gift from God in prayer, for ourselves and for others.

The Holy Father's invitation to us to walk on the path of sanctity with Our Lord is reminiscent of the words Pope John Paul II uttered at the World Youth Day in 2000 when he proclaimed, "Do not be afraid to be the saints of the new Millennium!  If you become who you are, you will set the whole world on fire."

To read a complete transcript of Pope Francis' General Audience from Oct 2nd please click here

You may also like the following posts:
Pope Francis and the Rosary
Pope Francis Urges Families to Pray the Rosary
How to Start a Children's Rosary

Two Children's Rosary Groups to Meet Tomorrow

JOIN US IN PRAYER

Tomorrow two Children's Rosary groups will meet.  The Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, Connecticut USA will hold their weekly Rosary October 20th at 11AM ET.  The Rosary will be followed by a small reception provided by the Legions of Mary.
The Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist in Hopkinton, Massachusetts will hold their monthly Rosary at 11:15 AM ET.  

Please consider joining the Children in prayer either at the Church or from your home.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

A Message From Fr. Apostoli to the Children's Rosary Groups

Fr. Andrew Apostoli, the Vice Postulator for the Cause  for Canonization of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, has been a wonderful supporter of the Children's Rosary from our first meeting at the Little Audrey Santo Eucharistic and Pro-life Conference last spring.  At the conference members of many different Children's Rosary groups came together to lead a Children's Rosary in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  It was a wonderful grace and blessing for the children.  While at the Conference Fr. Apostoli gave us a copy of his new Book Fatima for Today.  Inside the cover he wrote a Message to all the Children's Rosary Groups:

"To the Children's Rosary Groups-
Our Lady of Fatima told us to Pray Her Rosary every day!  May you always do as Our Lady asked, and may She lead you ever closer to Jesus!"
Fr. Andrew Apostoli CRF

Fr. Apostoli has continued his efforts to help spread the Children's Rosary by hosting an interview about the Children's Rosary on his EWTN Show Sunday Night Prime. In the interview Fr. Apostoli echoed the importance of our little children since after all Our Lady of Fatima, who could have appeared to anyone, chose three little children ages 7, 9 and 10 to convery the importance of the Rosary.  
 A link to the recent interview is here.

You may also like the floowing posts:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Signal Graces
Under the Watchful eye of Our Blessed Mother

Words from the Children Wednesday

Answering the Question:

Why is the Children's Rosary Important

Recently we introduced a new weekly highlight on the Children's Rosary Blog: Words from the Children Wednesdays. As the Children's Rosary is a prayer movement composed of children and led by children we would like to begin highlighting some of the beautiful feedback we have been getting from the children from our different Children's Rosary groups.  

Recently I reached out to the different Children's Rosary groups and asked for their help.  The Children's Rosary had a booth at the Catholic Marketing Network(CMN) Trade Show in New Jersey USA from August 7th-9th.  It was our hope that the children could provide the voice of the movement by creating visuals and phrases to briefly describe WHY THE CHILDREN'S ROSARY IS IMPORTANT.
The pictures have been coming in by mail from all over the country.  They were all so beautiful in their own unique way it seemed like a perfect way to begin our Words From the Children Wednesdays.  More beautiful original artwork to come over the upcoming weeks.  Please if you are a child and would like to submit a picture or message see our contact information and send it in.  We will be featuring them here.

The drawing above was done by Maisie Age 4. She is the little angel looking right at the camera.  Her mother told me this past weekend that Maisie was very persistent that she wanted to come to the Children's Rosary this past weekend.  

Maisie's beautiful drawing above has a wonderful exclamation, "Praise the Lord".  This so beautifully sums up what the children are doing when they pray the Rosary.  They are as Pope John Paul II said in his letter on the Rosary, contemplating the face of Jesus in Mary's company.  The excitement and joy in Maisie's picture also reminds me of the scriptural passage which tells us that "God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).  The littlest of children have that innocence and joy which they bring to prayer.  How all Heaven must rejoice to hear such prayers.

Our Children are Open to Prayer They Only Need an Invitation

A Story of Hope

A small Children's Rosary in Hartford CT USA

On the Memorial of the Holy Rosary a new Children’s Rosary group met for the first time  at Trinity Academy in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania USA.  This was the first time a Children’s Rosary group was held at a school.  The response was a bit unexpected.

A Children's Rosary in Timor Leste a country in Asia

News came the following day that the first Children’s Rosary had been attended by 52 children and 4 teachers.  Upon further questioning the magnitude of the success became almost incomprehensible.  The children had not been instructed to attend the Children’s Rosary instead they had been given a choice to meet together in prayer of the Rosary or go to recess after lunch.  Fifty-two children mostly ages 6-10 but some as old as 11-13 had voluntarily given up play time to run around and instead chose to come together and kneel in prayer of the Holy Rosary.  How does this happen.  The story seems too good to be true.  But indeed it is true and suggests a truth many are not aware of: children are very open to prayer especially with other children.  Another truth which Maria Montessori has shown with her model of childhood education: children like to be given the choice to participate in activities and when given the choice they are very committed to what they are doing.

A Children's Rosary in Kenya

The Children’s Rosary began in a parish as a prayer group movement for children. On the Memorial of the Holy Rosary 2013 Our Blessed Mother gave us a gift.  She opened the door of the Children’s Rosary prayer groups to our Parochial Schools and provided a window into how one could function quite seamlessly into the school day.  The new Children’s Rosary at Trinity Academy has chosen to hold their Children’s Rosary weekly at 12:20 PM.  The principal and teachers are very supportive of this addition to the week.  On the first day of the meeting the principal talked to the children about the Rosary and the new prayer group at morning assembly.  The children had a second invitation in their home rooms.  At the end of lunch a third invitation was given to children to meet in the prayer room for the Children’s Rosary.  As it was raining that day the children were not able to go across the street to the Church to hold their prayer group.  

While many of our Children’s Rosary prayer groups meet monthly it is a wonderful blessing to have weekly groups as well.  The school setting actually lends itself wonderfully to more frequently meetings.  On October 25th a second Children’s Rosary will begin in a school in Louisiana and we eagerly await the feedback from this group.  While no pictures were taken at Trinity Academy images from our many other Children’s Rosary prayer groups give us a wonderful example of how open children are to prayer they only need an invitation. 

You may also enjoy the following post:
EWTN Interview about the Children's Rosary

How to Start a Children's Rosary

Children and the Diary of St. Faustina

Blessing your Children

Children in Prayer with Our Blessed Mother

A pile of roses lay at Our Lady's feet
placed by the children

On October 13th Pope Francis Consecrated the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Many miles away little Children's Rosary prayer groups met to pray for Our Holy Father and join him in consecrating themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Four different groups met throughout the day in prayer of the Holy Rosary.  

One of the groups to meet was held in the chapel of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford, CT USA.  Children from all ages and backgrounds came together as a monthly prayer group to pray the Rosary.  The older children helping the younger children.  The tiniest of children toddling up to the statue of Our Lady to place a rose at her feet at the end of each decade.  As each rose was being placed another was saying, "Mary we humbly place this rose at your feet and ask for the grace of hope for the second glorious mystery".  Two of our members with Down's Syndrome beautifully led the fourth glorious mystery: the Assumption of Mary.  The entire chapel was alive with joy seeing such innocent children praying with Our Lady.  Such images strengthen the faith of young and old.  It is not surprising Our Blessed Mother chose to appear to young children in Fatima and Lourdes and encourage the prayer of the Rosary.  

The children in prayer of the Rosary
 and translation of the Rosary by John Sipper into sign language

Pope Francis to Consecrate the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on October 13th

On the Anniversary of the last apparition of Fatima, Pope Francis will consecrate the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The original Statue of Our Lady of Fatima which was given to the Sanctuary of Fatima in 1920 will be brought to Rome for this special Day.  The crown of Our Lady now holds the bullet that struck Bl Pope John Paul II on May 13th 1981.  

As Pope Francis has asked for Rosaries to be said on the days leading up to the Consecration it is with great joy that we have 7 Children's Rosary groups meeting over the next two days.  Two of the groups will be gathering for their first meeting and will be consecrating their groups to the  Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  All of our Children's Rosary groups are consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary in this way they are all under the guidance and protection of Christ and His Mother.

We are so grateful to Our Holy Father for entrusting the world to the Immaculte Heart of Mary.  We continue to pray for him as he leads Our Church here on earth.

Please consider joining the children in prayer of the Holy Rosary either at the Church or from your home.  The children always pray for those unifying their prayers with them.

Schedule:
Saturday Oct 12th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Hartford CT USA 4.00PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Church in Nairobi Kenya 3:00PM local time 8AM ET.
Children's Rosary at St. Peter Claver to hold their first meeting and consecration at 4PM ET.

Sunday Oct 13th
Children's Rosary at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in South Windsor, CT USA 8:45 AM ET.
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford CT USA 9:45 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, CT USA 11AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Paul Church in St. Louis Missouri USA will hold their first meeting of the Children's Rosary and consecration at 6PM CT.

PLEASE CONSIDER CONSECRATING YOUSELF AND YOUR FAMILY TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY ON OCTOBER 13TH.  CLICK HERE FOR CONSECRATION PRAYERS.

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for October

Pope Francis before the icon of Mary at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome  
(Credit:CNS photo/Paul Haring)

General Prayer Intention: "That those feeling so crushed by life that they wish to end it may sense the nearness of God's love." 

Mission intention: "That the celebration of World Mission Day may help all Christians realize that we are not only receivers but proclaimers of God's word."

Words From the Children Wednesday

Answering the Question:

Why is the Children's Rosary Important

Recently we introduced a new weekly highlight on the Children's Rosary Blog: Words from the Children Wednesdays. As the Children's Rosary is a prayer movement composed of children and led by children we would like to begin highlighting some of the beautiful feedback we have been getting from the children from our different Children's Rosary groups.  

Recently I reached out to the different Children's Rosary groups and asked for their help.  The Children's Rosary had a booth at the Catholic Marketing Network(CMN) Trade Show in New Jersey USA from August 7th-9th.  It was our hope that the children could provide the voice of the movement by creating visuals and phrases to briefly describe WHY THE CHILDREN'S ROSARY IS IMPORTANT.

The pictures have been coming in by mail from all over the country.  They were all so beautiful in their own unique way it seemed like a perfect way to begin our Words From the Children Wednesdays.  More beautiful original artwork to come over the upcoming weeks.  Please if you are a child and would like to submit a picture or message see our contact information and send it in.  We will be featuring them here.

The drawing above was done by Anna age 6 who helped begin a Children's Rosary with her older sister at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Hartford, CT USA.  It seemed a beautiful day to highlight Anna's picture as we had two new Children's Rosary groups consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart of Jesus this past Saturday and another new group also met for the first time this past Monday on the Feast of the Holy Rosary.  All the new Children's Rosary groups consecrate their group to the two hearts on their first meeting. In this way they are under the protection and guidance of Christ and His Mother.  We also have many groups who have chosen to hold their monthly meetings on the First Friday or First Saturday in consolation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Thank you Anna for your inspiring drawing.

Signal Graces

One of the 12 promises of the Rosary is that one will receive signal graces.  But what is a signal grace?

One thing I have found over the years is that some questions are answered directly from Our Lord.  As a child who knows nothing, his or her parents teach him slowly the truths.  Bit by bit an understanding emerges and it is hard to put a point on the moment that understanding and knowledge began but rather most often it is a slow gentle process.  It is just so in prayer.  Our Heavenly Father with little bread crumbs leads us and shows us little sign posts to show us we are on the right path.  These little sign posts or gifts are the signal graces which Our Lady is speaking of which come with prayer of the Rosary.  Often these little graces are meant especially for you and others will not understand their significance.  Others may be more generally appreciated by many.  May I humbly share a few that come to mind.  One happened just this weekend and touched me so deeply that it inspired this post.

The Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish
 in Timor Leste on Oct 5th 2013

A new Children's Rosary met on on Saturday October 5th in the country of Timor Leste, which is located in South East Asia, at the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima.  The first correspondence from this group leader came months ago shortly before the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima in May.  The group leader Abel asked if we could send him Rosaries and a statue of Our Lady.  It took some time to gather 100 Rosaries many were made by children and all were donations.  The pastor of my parish actually donated one of our statues for this new Rosary group. 

The 100 Rosaries that were sent to Timor Leste

The package was mailed out on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and quickly made its way to Indonesia where it sat for several months.  A smaller follow-up package with 33 rosaries was sent two months later which made its way there in less than 2 weeks but the original package was still missing.  Many prayers had gone up asking Our Lord to safely deliver Our Lady and the Rosaries but weeks went by with no word.  On September 21st, members of the Children's Rosary made a long journey to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC from Connecticut USA.  A trip which involved leaving the house at 3AM and not returning to the following morning at 3AM.  A grueling day for the children but one done out of love for Our Lady as the children were leading a Children's Rosary for an International Day of Prayer and Fasting.  Just as the children were arriving at Our Lady's Basilica word came that Our Lady had arrived in Timor Leste with her 100 Rosaries.  Our Lady and the children had completed their journey on the same day.  This would be a beautiful signal grace that touched our hearts to their depths.  A gift to the children who had sacrificed out of love.

Our Lady being packaged up for her
Big Trip

The graces would continue.  On Saturday October 5th the Children's Rosary in Timor Leste had their first meeting at 2:30 PM local time in Timor Leste.  As we had several other Children's Rosary groups meeting that day I had not calculated out the exact time of the meeting in Timor Leste but knew it would be in the middle of the night and the children and I would be unable to unify prayers with them due to the time difference.  On Sunday when I awoke I checked the Children's Rosary website that shows the amount of people who have visited the website and the countries they are from.  All of a sudden I noticed a large increase in people on the website during the night.  There was a sharp peak that went up to over 150 people all at once.  The time of the peak was right at 1:30 AM.  I stopped for a moment to think what was going on in the middle of the night to cause this.  

The children carrying Our Lady to the post office

Then I remembered our new Children's Rosary group in Timor Leste at Our Lady of Fatima Parish and calculated out the time difference....there meeting was at 1:30AM our time the exact moment of the peak.  The visitors to the Children's Rosary website were not from Timor Leste but from all over the world.  The group at 1:30 was beginning their first meeting with consecration prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Seeing this peak at the exact moment of consecration left me speechless. This beautiful little signal grace left me in awe and wonder. These children's prayers had moved Heaven to spread the Children's Rosary a bit farther with more people finding our website.  It was a beautiful gift to the children who once again had gathered together out of love for Our Lady and her Son.  

EWTN Interview about the Children's Rosary

If you missed the recent EWTN interview on Sunday Night Prime about the Children's Rosary it can be viewed in its entirety below.  The Children's Rosary is a prayer group movement for children.  It is a way for parents to bring their children to prayer with Our Heavenly Mother in a structured way.  In a time when so many things try to make our children grow up so fast this is a way to help keep our children...children and protect their beautiful purity with the help of the most perfect of Mothers: Our Blessed Mother.

The interview aired on the wonderful Feast of the Archangels and we have asked for their beautiful intercession in spreading this Children's Rosary.  Our Holy Father, Pope Francis recently said "The face of the child is the face of the Lord".

Our Lord has said, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these"(Matthew 10:14).  We therefore bring Our children to their Heavenly Mother in prayer of the Holy Rosary.  With open hearts they walk with Our Lady to her Son and with them may we all follow.

If you are interested in starting a Children's Rosary or have any questions please contact Blythe Kaufman at blythe.kaufman@gmail.com

We also have a Children's Rosary book which explains step by step how to start a Children's Rosary prayer group and also has all the prayers of the Rosary and mysteries with illustrations for the children to use in prayer of the Rosary. Click here for more information.

Watch a recent interview about the Children's Rosary on EWTN with Fr. Apostoli

If your computer does not load the video below then click HERE TO WATCH IT

Feast of the Holy Rosary

Children's Rosary held on October 7th 2012
The Feast of the Holy Rosary

The Children's Rosary began out of love for Our Lady and her Son.  We brought our burdens and worries to Our Mother and as the best of Mothers she has been leading us to her Son where we have found rest.    Over two years ago a small group of children knelt before Our Lady in prayer of the Holy Rosary consecrating the group to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  In this way they were under the protection and guidance of Christ and his Mother.  The little group met for a year and a half in the small chapel of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in West Hartford CT. These little voices going up monthly in prayer of the Holy Rosary.  The children and members of the Children's Rosary also began bombarding heaven with 9 day novenas each to a different saint asking that the Children's Rosary would be the extended hands of Christ and his Mother.  With over 780 Saints invited to help the children it would seem that we had many blessed hands to help.

Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Timor Leste

Then on Oct 7th 2012 on the Feast of the Holy Rosary a door opened.  A beautiful grace poured down on the day honoring Our Blessed Mother and the Holy Rosary.  On that day the Children's Rosary at St. Thomas met but we were not alone.  A second Children's Rosary group would have their first meeting on the same day.  The time not coordinated but upon checking the time difference we realized the meeting would begin at the exact same moment.  The second group to form was in the Parish of St. Francis of Assisi.  The location a small Island off of Washington State on the Pacific coast.  Perfectly mirroring our position on the East coast.  How beautiful to have two groups on opposite sides of the country unify in prayer of the Holy Rosary on Our Lady's Feast.

On that day a door opened and this once small prayer group would now become a national prayer movement.  More new groups would follow.  Many at first in Connecticut but then more forming in other states throughout the US such as Ohio, Massachusetts, Florida and Michigan.  Then the Children's Rosary blew across the Atlantic ocean to Africa.  The first international Children's Rosary was given to us on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on June 8th 2013. The meeting at Holy Trinity Church in Nairobi, Kenya.

Now as we approach the Feast of the Holy Rosary which will be celebrated this Monday Oct 7th there is blessed news.  We have new Children's Rosary groups meeting both close to home and one on the exact opposite side of the world.  A new Children's Rosary group is meeting at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Timor Leste.  They will meet tomorrow on the first Saturday of the month, a day honoring the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  With the prayers of so many children calling out to their Father asking the Lord to use them for the good the door which opened last year has now blown wide open.  The Lord showing us that the stretch of these extended hands is not just across the US it now reaches all the way around the globe.  How beautiful to imagine these little hands extending so far.  How could such a feat happen so quickly...  It is through the beautiful prayer that Our Mother gave us: the Holy Rosary.  When children are coupled with the rosary their is no end to the good which will result.  It is an amazing thought to contemplate but one which is within our grasp.  Through the Children's Rosary families which once wondered how to expose their children to prayer can now find a structured way to introduce their children to prayer with their heavenly Mother and while at the same time with other little ones to support them in this endeavor.

Grotto of Our Lady of Fatima outside the church in Timor Leste
which will hold their first Children's Rosary tomorrow

With each group that forms we have a Mass offered on the day of the first meeting for the individual who starts the new group, their family and the success of the new group.  In that way the group is covered in prayers and grace from the inception.

If you have interest in starting a Children's Rosary group please contact Blythe at blythe.kaufman@gmail.com
Please also know that a Children's Rosary can be very small with only a couple of children or if more interest exists they may be larger but please do not be intimidated by thinking you need to gather many children.  Our Lady so loves the prayers of even one child and will bless you abundantly for all your efforts.

The Children's Rosary book is also designed to outline step by step how to start a Children's Rosary and can be used by the children in prayer of the Rosary with pictures and all of the prayers. Click here for more information about the book which is now available in English and Spanish.

Thank you and God Bless!

You May also enjoy the following posts:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Reflections from the Feast of the Holy Rosary 2012