Feast of Bl Francisco and Jacinta

Today the Church remembers two children who were named Blesseds by Pope John Paul II on May 13th 2000.  The cause for their canonization remains open. 

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.  Today as we celebrate 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." 
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.

Over the next week we have many children gathering to pray the Rosary in Children's Rosary prayer groups around the world.   Bl Francisco and Jacinta are a wonderful example of holiness for our children of today.  It is beautiful to see little children from around the world responding to the call of their Heavenly Mother to pray the Rosary.  In a special way Our Heavenly Mother sought the help of children almost one hundred years ago.  One can imagine she needs them like never before today.  
Recently the Children's Rosary received a beautiful letter from Sr. Angela de Fatima Coelho, asm; Postulator of the cause of canonization of Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and Vice Postulator for the cause of canonization of Sr. Lucia.  In the letter she shared, "The movement of the Children's Rosary seems to have captured one of the central calls of the message of Fatima, which is the prayer of the Rosary."

May we humbly invite those of you reading this post to consider starting a Children's Rosary in your parish or sharing this prayer group movement with friends and family.  As Fr. Andrew Apostoli CFR said once of the Children's Rosary, if we do not plant seeds today there will be no harvest later.  Recently we also received a beautiful letter from 

Thank you all for being a part of the Children's Rosary please know we are praying for you.

Friday February 20th
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Orange TX 7:05 AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Pontiac, IL at 9AM CT 
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Saturday Febraury 21st
Children's Rosary of St. Michael the Archangel Parish and held in the Kibera slum in Langatta Nairobi Kenya 10 local time
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Corvallis, Oregon 12 PM PT
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Charity Convent in Bridgeport, CT 2:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Peter Claver Church in West Hartford, CT 3:45 PM ET
Sunday February 22nd
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and st. Patrick's Parish in Nottingham, England 9AM local
Children's Rosary at Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Nairobi, Kenya 6AM ET

Children's Rosary at Assumption Church in Umoja, Kenya 7AM ET

Children's Rosary at St. Margaret Church in Waterbury, CT 10AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, CT 11AM ET

Children's Rosary at St. JOhn the Evangelist in Hopkinton, MA 11:15 AM

Children's Rosary at St. Patrick's Church in Tacoma, WA 11:30 AM PST

Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Charity Convent in Bridgeport, CT 2:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Lorain, Ohio 3PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament

Monday February 23rd

Children's Rosary at St. Joseph Church in Wakefield, MA 9:30 AM ET

Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Grace Home for Children in Meru, Kenya 10AM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Academy in Shenandoah, PA 12:20 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lago Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Church in Gladstone Michigan 4:30PM  ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac, New York 4:30 PM 

Tuesday February 24th
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate, Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET

Children's Rosary at Holy Redeemer Parish in Menominee, Michigan 6PM ET

Wednesday February 25th
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate, Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Immaculate Conception Church in Shelbyville, IL 4:30 PM CTThursday Febraury 26th
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos Nigeria 1PM ET

The Children's Rosary at St. Martin Church in Kingsville, Texas will meet at 6:30 PM

The Cause for Canonization for Bl Jacinta and Francisco is open. Please send details of any favors received through the intercession of Blessed Francisco and Jacinta to: Secretariodo dos Pastorinhos, 
Apartado 6, P-2496-908 FATIMA, Portugal

Other posts you may enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Children's Rosary Book
Children are Open to Prayer they Only Need an Invitation