Turning to Mary

"I turn to Mary and ask her to obtain for me the grace to imitate Our Lord’s Heart. I saw how perfectly her Heart copied His." -St Anthony Mary Claret

Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart Parish Middleboro, Massachusetts

March 1st First Saturday
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Corvallis, Oregon to meet at 9AM Pacific time
Children's Rosary at St. Agnes Church in Naples, Florida to meet at 9:30 AM EST
Children's Rosary to meet at Our Lady of LaSalette Parish in Sulphur, Louisiana at 9:30 AM
Children's Rosary at St. Peter the Apostle Church in Rushden Northants England 3PM GMT or 10 AM EST 
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Parish in Syracuse, NY to meet at 10 AM EST at the Daughters of St Mary Chapel
Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart Church in East Berlin, CT to meet at 10AM EST
Children's Rosary at ST. Pius Church in Wolcott CT to meet at 10:00 AM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Bridget Church in Cheshire CT 1:00 PM EST
Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart Parish in Middleboro, MA to meet at 2PM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Becket Church in Cheshire CT 3PM EST
Children's Rosary at the Immaculate Conception Basilica to meet at 3:30 PM EST
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Hartford CT to meet at 5PM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Luke's Church in Ogallala, Nebraska 4:30 PM Central Time. 
Children's Rosary at St. Edward the Confessor Church in Richmond, Virginia to meet at 4PM

March 2nd 
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Church in Nottingham, England to meet at 9AM GMT (4AM EST)
Children's Rosary at Assumption of Mary Parish in Umoja Kenya 2PM local time 6AM EST (FIRST MEETING)
Children's Rosary at St. Luke's Church in Ogallala Nebraska 9:30 Central Time
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas in Thomaston, CT 11AM EST
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Church in Harlan, Kentucky 11:30 AM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Bernard Church in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania 2:00PM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Lorain, Ohio 3PM EST in Adoration Chapel

March 3rd (St. Katherine Drexel)
Children's Rosary at Trinity Academy in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania to meet at 12:20 EST. 
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist in Mahopac, NY at 4:30 PM EST during Adoration

This weekend we have a new Children's Rosary meeting for the first time at Assumption of Mary Parish in Umoja Kenya.  This will be our second Children's Rosary group in Kenya. We thank Our Lady for such wonderful blessings.

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.

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for March

Pope Francis on Sunday January 26th
Photo Credit:ALESSANDRO BIANCHI/REUTERS

Universal Prayer Intention: "that all cultures may respect the rights and dignity of women”.

Prayer Intention for Evangelization: "that many young people may accept the Lord’s invitation to consecrate their lives to proclaiming the Gospel".

Children's Rosary Today!

Children's Rosary at St. Mary's in Orange TX

The Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Orange, Texas will meet today at 7:05 AM Central time.  Please consider joining the children in prayer.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

These little children faithfully meet every Friday morning bright and early before schools.  It is beautiful to reflect on the reading from Mass today in which we are told of the happiness one finds in steadfastness to the Lord and such faithfulness brings down the compassion and Mercy of God.  

"Behold, we call those happy who were steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful."(James 5:11)

Recent Article in the Catholic Transcript

Today the Catholic Transcript, which is the official newspaper for the Archdiocese of Hartford Connecticut, featured a story about the Children's Rosary hosting the traveling Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa.  

Please read the article in its entirety by clicking here.

New Children's Rosary in Brentwood, California

There is a new Children's Rosary at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Brentwood, California.  This new group will meet  February 27th at 3:30 PM PST.  This group has chosen to meet weekly on Thursdays in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  

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.

All the Children's Rosary groups are Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Thus they are under the protection and guidance of Christ and His Mother.

"The most efficacious way to have devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is through the Immaculate Heart of Mary." (St. Margaret Mary Alocoque)

Mass Offered Today for Members of the Children's Rosary

John Paul II during Mass in New Orleans, USA 1987
 photo credit: Times Picayune

A Mass was offered today by the Capuchin Friars for all the members of the Children's Rosary and all those who help the Children's Rosary.  We continue to have a Mass said for the this intention on the 25th of each month.

Thank you all for your efforts with the Children's Rosary.  May Our Lord bless you all!

Join the Children in Prayer

First Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Becket Church
in Cheshire Connecticut

Please consider joining the children in prayer of the Rosary from your home.
The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

February 22nd (Chair of St. Peter)
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Corvallis, Oregon to meet at 9AM Pacific time

February 23rd
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Church in Nottingham, England to meet at 9AM GMT (4AM EST)
Children's Rosary at St. Margaret Church in Waterbury, Connecticut 10AM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas in Thomaston, Connecticut 11AM EST
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Hopkinton, MA 11:15 AM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Lorain, Ohio 3PM EST

February 24th
Children's Rosary at Trinity Academy 12:20 PM EST 
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist in Mahopac NY at 4:30 PM EST during Adoration

"Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children."            -St. John Vianney

Reaching the Age of Reason

Over the years I have asked our youngest son to offer up prayers for certain special intentions or those that have been sick.   In asking him I would also let him know that his prayers are very special to God as Our Lord so loves the prayers of children.  My son would ask why does He love the prayers of children?  In my attempt to answer such a question well too profound for me, I simply said that little children under the age of reason are innocent and pure and thus such prayers from such a soul touch Our Lord in a special way.  He naturally asked me when is the age of reason?  I told him seven.  As this is what I had grown up understanding to be true.  

Well as our youngest son grew he never seemed to forget this fact.  As his 7th birthday approached he often mentioned that he had better do some extra prayers for people while he still had innocent prayers.  Many times he mentioned his birthday approaching and his desire not to lose his purity.  I consoled him saying that these early years are times when one practices the virtues and that he should just continue to do what he had been practicing. Well recently he confided that he had been praying very hard to God to keep his purity and he seemed to think he had an answer.  He said prayer saves.  He was all happy and had a new resolve to pray more and all would be well.  Today on Asher’s 7th birthday I had a thought that I wanted to see what the catechism said about the age of reason.  In doing some research I came across canon law 97 which stated only that on completion of the seventh year a minor is presumed to have reached the age of reason. 

I contemplated a great deal sharing this little personal story from our family.  Yet there was something sweet about it that seemed to speak so beautifully about the hearts of children.  The world is full of harshness and raising a little one we want only the best for our children.  We should pray for them that they are protected as there will be many times we will not be there physically to guard them.  Just as important as our prayers for our children are the prayers of children themselves, something so often overlooked.  Children have a large capacity to pray as we see through such wonderful saints as St. Bernadette or little Blessed Jacinta from Fatima. While it may seem strange for a child to be thinking so much of their purity in fact a knowledge of ones purity and a desire to protect it moving forward through life is something important for our young people.  I am reminded of something Our Lady shared with little Jacinta, that more souls are lost due to sins of impurity then any other.  It is not that these sins are worse than others it is just that they are more common. Our Blessed Mother has come to help all her children even the big ones who have children and grandchildren of their own.  Through prayer of the Rosary we receive grace to help strengthen the virtues. The fruit of the second sorrowful mystery of the Rosary is purity.

As a mother who struggles daily with raising children it is such a consolation to know that Our Blessed Mother is there to help us.  By bringing our children to prayer with her in the Rosary she makes up for so many of our deficiencies as parents and helps lead our children in holiness.

Blesseds Jacinta and Francisco Marto

Bl. Jacinta and Bl Francisco are two of the three children who received apparitions in Fatima.  Before the apparitions of Fatima these two siblings spent their days as shepherds in Portugal.  Yesterday we celebrated their Feast day.  It is beautiful to reflect on some of the messages given to these little children who were just 7 and 9 when Our Lady began appearing to them.  One might also contemplate Our Lady's choice of these simple children to share her urgent call to pray the Rosary!

When Our Lady first appeared to the children on May 13th 1917.  She asked them a question, "Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and of supplication for the conversion of sinners."  

Bl Jacinta

Such a request underscores both the importance of suffering and our invitation to participate and assist in God's Plan.  We are always invited to use our free will to choose God and to assist Him in His plans.  The children respond, "Yes we are willing".

Our Lady goes on to share one of the main messages of Fatima "Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world, and the end of the war."  This request to pray the Rosary for peace was the only request made in all six of the apparitions to the visionaries.

As we reflect on Our Lady's beautiful call through these little ones may we consider joining our children today in prayer.  We have several Children's Rosary groups meeting today. The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Friday February 21st 
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Orange, Texas 7:05 AM Central time (8:05 EST)
Children's Rosary at St. Marguerite Parish in Brookfield, Connecticut 4PM EST

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Novena to Bl. Jacinta

Children's Rosary Today!

The Children's Rosary at Resurrection Parish in Rye, New York will meet today at 5PM EST.  Please consider joining the children in prayer.  The Children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

"Love Our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle."
-St. Josemaria Escriva

"One cannot recite the Rosary without feeling caught up in a clear commitment to advancing peace"

Three siblings leading a decade during a Children's Rosary

To rediscover the Rosary means to immerse oneself in contemplation of the mystery of Christ who “is our peace”, since he made “the two of us one, and broke down the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph2:14). Consequently, one cannot recite the Rosary without feeling caught up in a clear commitment to advancing peace.  (Excerpt from Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Marieae)

Please consider joining the children in prayer today.  The Children's Rosary at St. Patrick's Parish in Angel's Camp, California will meet today at 4PM Pacific time (7PM EST).  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Encountering Trials and Adversities

The first readings from yesterday and today were from James and so beautifully speak to the importance of trials in our life.  I included the readings below.  I am always struck by the portions of Scripture that keep asking us to pray with full faith that our prayers will be answered.  This approach is very much how a child would pray and we are told to come to Jesus like a child.  So let us not give up in our prayer and also take more resolve that everything we ask for will be given and more. 

Peace Rose Planted for Our Lady

 by the Children's Rosary on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima 2012

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 

Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away". 

For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass: its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him"(James 1:2-12)

I also love this little part from the Diary of St. Faustina which also speaks of adversities and how we should approach them:

“You should not worry too much about adversities. The world is not as powerful as it seems to be; its strength is strictly limited.. Know, my daughter, that if your soul is filled with the fire of My pure love, then all difficulties dissipate like fog before the sun's rays and dare not touch the soul. All adversaries are afraid to start a quarrel with such a soul, because they sense that it is stronger than the whole world...”(Diary of St. Faustina 1643)

Relics of the Passion

Our Blessed Mother is always pointing at her Son.  She is always leading us to the foot of the Cross where she herself stood.  As we approach Lent and we look toward Calvary it is a wonderful thing to spend more time in contemplation of the Passion.  A wonderful Apostolate exists called the Apostolate for Holy Relics.  They have a traveling relic exhibit called the Relics of the Passion.  It includes two small splinters from the Cross on which Jesus died and a piece of the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus’ head.  In addition they have a fragment from the column where Jesus was flogged and a piece of a bone from the body of the centurion who pierced Jesus’ side with a lance.  There are 8 relics in total.  Parishes are encouraged to invite this traveling exhibit to their Church.  There is no cost to the visit they ask only to place a good will offering basket out for donations to cover travel expenses.  The coordinator of the exhibit can explain all the details with anyone who is interested.

Last year we hosted the exhibit at our parish of St. Thomas the Apostle in West Hartford Connecticut.  Some of the members of the Children’s Rosary attended and both children and adults found it particularly moving.  It is difficult to wrap ones mind around the fact that such precious artifacts still exist and can come to our parishes.  While the exhibit mostly travels along the East Coast of the United States all are encouraged to contact the organizer Denise Serafini as the relics have been carried all over the US and abroad in the past few years.  Many dates this spring are available.  A few of the locations the relics will be visiting are included below:

April 9th Assumption Church Manchester, CT USA
April 10th St. Matthew's Church Forestville, CT USA
April 14th Our Lady of Mt Carmel Waterbury, CT USA
The relics are also scheduled to travel to Florida as well.

Those interested in further information please contact Denise Serafini who organizes  the Relics of the Passion denise@relictour.com

To read an article about the exhibit written last spring in the Catholic Transcript click here.

More Snow...

Picture from our second floor window today

Today we are once again snowed in with approximately 12 inches of snow predicted and 35 mile per hour winds here in Connecticut.  School is closed and the children are home making Valentine cards for the children in their class.  The storm is predicted to extend into Friday. Yet with so many families tucked inside with the snow it is a nice time to unify prayers with Children's Rosary groups meeting around the world.  Today we have one group meeting this evening in Fenton, Missouri USA. In a special way we pray for all those suffering from the affects of inclement weather all over the world.  Here in the US more than 700,000 are without power in temperatures at or below freezing.  This is a dangerous situation.  As power outages may occur here in the next 24 hours with ice also in the forecast it seemed prudent to post the upcoming Children's Rosary groups meeting over the next few days in the event our power here at home goes out.  
February 13
Children's Rosary at St. Paul's Church in Fenton, Missouri 7PM (CST)

February 14th (St. Cyril and St. Methodius)
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Orange Texas 7:05  AM (CST)

February 15th
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Corvallis, Oregon to meet at 9AM Pacific time

February 16th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Church in Nottingham, England to meet at 9AM GMT (4AM EST)
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas in Thomaston, CT 11AM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Joseph Church in Hanover PA 4PM EST
February 17th(Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order)
Children's Rosary at Trinity Academy 12:20 PM EST 
Children's Rosary at St. Patrick Parish in Murphys California 4PM Pacific Time
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist in Mahopac NY at 4:30 PM EST during Adoration

Please consider joining these children in prayer from your home.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Pope Francis' Prayer Intentions for February 2014

Photograph Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP

General Intention: “That the Church and society may respect the wisdom and experience of older people.”

Missionary intention: “That priests, religious, and lay people may work together with generosity for evangelization."

At the end of every meeting of the Children's Rosary we ask that the group together prays an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for the intentions of Our Holy Father the Pope.  

Pope Francis since the time of his inauguration has repeatedly asked that we all pray for him.  As Supreme Pontiff such prayers are most needed.  The importance of these prayers is so great that the Church has actually required that one pray for the Holy Father's intentions in order to receive a plenary indulgence from the Church. 

A plenary indulgence is removal of all of the temporal punishment due to sin. (Catechism 1471)

How Does one Obtain a Plenary Indulgence?

According to the Enchiridion of Indulgences 1968:

To acquire a plenary indulgence it is necessary to perform the work to which the indulgence is attached and to fulfill three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion and prayer for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff. It is further required that all attachment to sin, even to venial sin, be absent.

The three conditions may be fulfilled several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work; nevertheless it is fitting that Communion be received and the prayers for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff be said the same day the work is performed.

The condition of praying for the Supreme Pontiff's intentions is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless the individual faithful are free to recite any other prayer according to their own piety and devotion toward the Supreme Pontiff.

If this disposition is in any way less than complete, or if the Prescribed three conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence will only be partial, except for the provisions contained in No. 11 for those who are "impeded."

For additional information, see Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Constitution on Indulgences (Indulgentiarum Doctrina) by clicking here.

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JOIN US IN PRAYER

The Children's Rosary at St. Patrick's Parish in Angel's Camp, California will meet today at 4PM Pacific time (7PM EST).  Please consider joining the children in prayer.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

"The Rosary is my favourite prayer. A marvellous prayer! Marvellous in its simplicity and in its depth. . .the simple prayer of the Rosary beats the rhythm of human life."

-Pope John Paul II.

St. Apollonia

St. Apollonia is the patron saint of dentists.  This was a piece of information I learned in 2005 when I was traveling with my husband to attend an International Dental conference in Baltimore.  It was then that we visited the National Museum of Dentistry.  Upon entering we came upon a large stained glass window depicting St. Apollonia and under her picture it stated she was the patron saint of dentists and her feast day is February 9th.  This was a surprised to both my husband and I as this is my birthday and I am a dentist.  At that phase of my life, I was just finishing residency training in endodontics and was looking forward to a career practicing dentistry.  As it would turn out my path would not lead far from this beautiful saint as the specialty office I joined was under a general dentist's office named: Apollonia Dental. 

A little over a year later I would find that practicing dentistry was no longer possible through a series of joint dislocations in my hands and a new diagnosis of a genetic condition affecting the joints among other things.  As my professional career as a practicing endodontist came to an early end I found myself often thinking of St. Apollonia.  It seemed a wonderful consolation to me that although I had a short career treating patients maybe my career path had somehow been blessed from the beginning.  Through wonderful blessings from Our Lord and the intercession of St. Apollonia despite the deterioration of my hands I still am able to teach part-time in the Endodontic Division at our State Dental School.  

Not a great deal is known about St. Apollonia but it is believed that she suffered torture which included blows that broke her teeth.  Yet despite such cruel torture St. Apollonia refused to renounce her faith.  She was martyred in 249.  She is also considered the patron saint of dental disease.  Today at the end of our Children's Rosary one of the adult members of our group approached me with a dental question.  He shared with me that he had just suffered a broken tooth.  He was concerned about it and a possible dental infection.  It then came to mind that today was the Feast of St. Apollonia and that maybe St. Apollonia who suffered from many fractured teeth might be of help.  

Tonight as her Feast day comes to a close I would like to pray in a special way to St. Apollonia for our Children's Rosary intention. I invite others to pray to her as well.  This is an old prayer to St. Apollonia for her intercession:

0 Glorious Apollonia, patron saint of dentistry and refuge to all those suffering from diseases of the teeth, I consecrate myself to thee, beseeching thee to number me among thy clients. Assist me by your intercession with God in my daily work and intercede with Him to obtain for me a happy death. Pray that my heart like thine may be inflamed with the love of Jesus and Mary, through Christ our Lord. Amen. 0 My God, bring me safe through temptation and strengthen me as thou didst our own patron Apollonia, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Prayer to St. Apollonia, a Catholic prayer card.)

The Children's Rosary intention is included below.  Tonight I will begin a 9 day novena to St. Apollonia all are welcome to join as well.

May the Children’s Rosary, their families, those associated with the Children’s Rosary including our priests, our Bishop, our Holy Father the Pope be the extended hands of Our Blessed Mother and her Son.  May we gather a great many souls especially young people for the Lord.  May we experience renewal of family prayer and spread it across the globe. In a special way we ask Saint Apollonia to choose an individual, family, or priest associated with our Children’s Rosary group to lead in their spiritual journey.  Dear Saint pray for our extended group that we may embody the virtues you exemplified here on earth. Amen.

Let Us Unify Our Prayers with These Little Ones...

February 7th First Friday 
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Orange Texas 7:05 AM Central Time
Children's Rosary at St. Stephen the Martyr in Lilburn, Georgia at 6PM EST.
Children's Rosary at St. Peter's Church in Steubenville, Ohio 4:30 PM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Joseph Church in Adrian, Michigan to meet at 5PM in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Children's Rosary at Epiphany Church in Cheshire Connecticut to meet at 6:30PM EST

February 8th (St.Jerome Emiliani, St Josephine Bakhita)
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Corvallis, Oregon to meet at 9AM Pacific time
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Church in Nairobi, Kenya 2:30 PM Local time.
Children's Rosary at St. Peter Claver Church in West Hartford Connecticut 3PM EST

February 9th 
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Church in Nottingham, England to meet at 9AM local time in England
Children's Rosary at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in South Windsor, Connecticut 8:45 AM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas the Apostle Church West Hartford Connecticut 9:45 AM ESTChildren's Rosary at St. Thomas in Thomaston, Connecticut 11AM EST

February 10th(St. Scholastica)
Children's Rosary at Trinity Academy 12:20 PM EST
Children's Rosary at St. Patrick's Parish in Murphys California 4PM Pacific Time
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist in Mahopac, New York 4:30 PM EST during Adoration.
Children's Rosary at St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother in Adondale, Pennsylvania 6PM EST

Please consider joining the Children in Prayer.  They always pray for those unifying prayers with them.