Friday, October 4, 2013

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

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