Every Victory is Won by....

This morning my son and I were listening to the King of the Golden City audio book.  This is an allegory for children.  One we have listened to many times.  Yet every time we hear it there are so many parts that seem fresh and new and speak to the heart.  Today these two lines caught my heart.  
I share them humbly below:

"The worse the war the younger are the soldiers that are called out to fight."

"Every victory is won by prayer."

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Join Us for the 24th International Week of Prayer and Fasting

Children's Rosary held at the 21st International Week and of Prayer
and Fasting Vigil at the National Shrine  of the Immaculate Conception in DC 2013

Consider joining us in this years 24th International Week of Prayer and Fasting.  This week of prayer and fasting for Peace, the Protection of life and the conversion of Nations has received support and blessings from such individuals as St. John Paul II, St Teresa of Calcutta and Pope Francis.  

The Children's Rosary has participated for the past three years.  Beginning in 2013 with a group of children traveling by bus to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC to lead a Children's Rosary at the kick off vigil.  We have continued our involvement by participating each year in the prayers and fasting.  

This week of prayer and fasting will extend from October 2 -10. We hope many of the members of the Children's Rosary will consider being a part of this.  

We would like to humbly ask you to include two additional intentions for your week of prayer and fasting:

May Our Lady's plan for you, your family, the Children's Rosary and how the Children's Rosary affects the world be realized.
May the Children's Rosary, their families, those associated with the Children's Rosary including our priests, Bishops and 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.

While many will be fasting on bread and water individuals especially children may consider smaller renunciations that are age appropriate such as sweets or other little sacrifices.

We have found over the past few years more and more members of the Children's Rosary participating.  Families have written that both parents and children have joined in for the week of prayer and fasting.

Pope's have also spoken of the benefits of the holy practice of fasting:

Pope Benedict XVI spoke about the value of fasting in his message for Lent on Feb 25th 2009

The faithful practice of fasting contributes, moreover, to conferring unity to the whole person, body and soul, helping to avoid sin and grow in intimacy with the Lord.

Fasting certainly bring benefits to physical well-being, but for believers, it is, in the first place, a “therapy” to heal all that prevents them from conformity to the will of God.

By freely embracing an act of self-denial for the sake of another, we make a statement that our brother or sister in need is not a stranger.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
Reflections from the International Prayer Vigil 2013
Beautiful Gifts We Received Following the Week of Prayer and Fasting 2014

A Spiritual Gift for the Children's Rosary

Today the Children's Rosary received a wonderful gift.  A card arrived from our Children's Rosary group leader in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania.  She had enrolled the Children's Rosary into a special Novena of Masses offered through the Capuchin Missions. The Children's Rosary is being remembered in a Novena of Nine Hundred Masses offered in honor of St. Pio beginning on September 23 and concluding on October 1st 2016.

In thinking about this gift to the Children's Rosary a Scripture quote comes to mind:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
(Matthew 6:19-21)

We are very grateful for this generous gift.  More and more there is a yearning to turn our full attention to our true home which is heaven. It does not make sense to focus on earthly riches. Instead it is gifts like this that are the post precious.

Through the Children's Rosary and this tapestry of prayer it is our hope that all the members of the Children's Rosary will be sanctified and assisted spiritually in getting to their true home in heaven. 

A special thank you to the group leader who shared this gift with all of us. We are all weak and need grace to help us. To have others praying and offering gifts such as these helps each one of us on our journey. 

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Mass Offered on September 25th 2016 for all the Members of the Children's Rosary

On the 25th of every month a Mass is offered for all members of the Children's Rosary and all those who help the Children's Rosary.  It is a small thank you to the many who have helped this prayer movement.  

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us so beautifully the importance of the Holy Eucharist:
The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life. The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch." (Catechism 1324)

The picture above is of one of our new Children's Rosary groups in Hardupur, Pakistan. This was their first meeting on June 26th 2016. They meet weekly on Wednesdays from 4-5PM local time in Pakistan.

A special thank you to all the members of the Children's Rosary and all who help the Children's Rosary. May Our Lord bless you. Amen.

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Special Prayers for the Members of the Children's Rosary on the Feast of St. Padre Pio

The Children's Rosary received a beautiful grace today.  On this Feast of St. Pio of Peitrelcina our Children's Rosary group leader in Vietnam was able to venerate a first class relic of St. Pio while praying for all the members of the Children's Rosary and all who help the Children's Rosary.  He also prayed for all the families of the members of the Children's Rosary.

We are very grateful for these special prayers. The group leader wrote that the relic of St. Padre Pio "is a piece of cloth that was used to clean his wounds. On the cloth there is a little blood of St. Pio".

St. Padre Pio is known as a stigmatic and mystic but also one who carried a heavy cross of suffering.

"In order to attract us, the Lord grants us many graces that we believe can easily obtain Heaven for us. We do not know, however, that in order to grow, we need hard bread: the cross, humiliation, trials and denials." (St. Padre Pio)

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Praying with the Saints

The Children's Rosary in an orphanage in Bien Hoa City, Vietnam which met for the first time last Sunday, had a wonderful grace. On the day Mother Teresa was canonized they were able to meet before a first class relic of Mother Teresa.  

These children who were meeting for the first time knelt in prayer before their Blessed Mother. After their prayers each child had a turn venerating the relics.  The little boy pictured right seems taken with a picture of Mother Teresa. These little ones were not alive when she was working with the poorest of the poor. Yet on the day when her life was honored they were holding her relic.  It seemed perfect that little hands should be so close to Mother Teresa. Little hands that have not had it easy yet ones that now know the motion of praying a Rosary. These little children are innocent little souls just learning the ways of the world. To have such saints so close is indeed a great blessing.  Seeing these pictures last Sunday morning brought joy as we ourselves headed to the Church to hold a Children's Rosary.  Maybe it was these images of the children praying with the saints that were still lingering but when my children and I were praying in the quiet time before the Children's Rosary an idea came.  Maybe we too could invite the saints to pray with us. We became excited and thought, yes, I am sure they will come to pray with us if we invite them.  And so my son began inviting aloud a great many saints. He became very excited.  
He invited St. John Paul II, St. Faustina, St. Patrick, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. John the Baptist, St. Gabriel, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. Matthew. St. Peter Claver, St. Brigid, St. Peter, St. James, St. Paul, St. Kolbe, St. Catherine of Siena, St. John Bosco, St. Therese the Little Flower, St. Augustine. Then my daughter jumped in to invite more: St. Constantine, St. Margaret Mary, St. John Vianney, St. Bernadette.  For my small part I invited some saints too: St. Raphael, St. Xavier, St. Thomas Moore, St. Thomas Becket, St. Anthony, St. Francis, St. Padre Pio, St. Pius X.  This list is not complete.  
We finished by inviting the angels to fill any open space.  While we were still finishing our invites a stream of musicians and singers who are part of our Church choir arrived.  With an unplanned move of Mass to the lower Church with summer heat still lingering it seemed that two things were planned for the same space: choir rehearsal and the Children's Rosary.  As we had far less things it seemed to make the most sense for us to go upstairs and allow the musicians the space.  As we hurried to move everything upstairs we found another member of the Children's Rosary coming into the Church.  In total there were four of us for the Children's Rosary.  A small group and yet we were moving up to the large Church above that can seat hundreds of people. To hold our little Children's Rosary group in such a large space one could feel a little silly. Yet we have always felt in our heart that numbers do not matter. Even if no children come we always ask the group leader to stay and pray the Rosary. With our small group of four we were still happy.  A thought came as the children quickly placed the statue of Our Lady before them as they were kneeling.  Maybe it was Divine Providence that we had been moved to the larger space. In the smaller lower Church maybe there was not enough space for all the Saints we had invited to pray with us.  Indeed maybe as we looked at the large church largely empty save for two adults and two children we were actually looking at full pews.  Such were the joyful thoughts as the children took turns leading the Rosary at the podium. Every once and a while I leaned over to ask one of them to speak a bit louder. I reminded them that their voices had to be heard in the back of the Church. Nothing more needed to be said they lifted their voices just a bit more in hopes everyone could hear.  

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Children's Rosary Group Makes Pilgrimage to the Miraculous Medal Shrine

Members of the Children's Rosary group at St. Paul Church in Fenton, Missouri made a pilgrimage to the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Perryville MO on July 13th 2016. Yesterday the group leader sent these pictures from their pilgrimage. The associate Pastor of their parish was able to lead the pilgrimage of 50 people. 

The children from the Children's Rosary at St. Paul Church were able to hold their monthly Children's Rosary at the Shrine. 

The children also had the wonderful grace to walk through a Holy Door of Mercy at the Shrine.

Today the Children's Rosary at St. Paul Parish will hold their monthly meeting at 7PM CT. This group holds their meetings on the 13th of every month. Please consider joining the children in prayer. The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

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Honey for the Heart

This morning upon coming home from our monthly Children's Rosary at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford Connecticut,  there was a surprise: more beautiful pictures and videos from the first meeting of the Children's Rosary in Vietnam with the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Holy Redeemer. These sisters take care of orphans and disabled children.  
Through the invitation of Tran, a 16 year old boy who is helping to spread the Children's Rosary, they began a group today on September 11th 2016.  They met at 10 AM with many unifying prayers with them from around the world.  The little ones who have very little, each had a rose to place at the foot of Our Lady.  They knelt in prayer of the Holy Rosary as a new Children's Rosary group.  They prayed for all of us who are part of the Children's Rosary, a humbling thought indeed.  They entrusted all their worries to their heavenly Mother and Father.  They came with hope that all their efforts to make the morning special would bring Our Lord and His Mother joy.  Tran, the boy who only two weeks ago lost his beloved Pastor, held his guitar and played for Our Lady and the children.  The new group began by being Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.


In watching the videos of the children praying and placing roses before Our Lady, there were no words to express what this evoked in my heart.  I could find only a few to utter: beauty, joy, thanksgiving....  nothing seemed to be enough. The children ended their meeting by venerating the relics of two beautiful saints: St. Teresa of Calcutta and St. Padre Pio.  

Those children who were unable to get out of their bed due to their disabilities had a special visit from Tran to say a prayer with them and venerate the relics. 

Seeing the children barefoot in the chapel one is reminded of Mother Teresa who always removed her shoes as she entered a chapel as she consider it holy ground.  The beautiful reverence of these children is an inspiration.  They have so little and yet they pray and thank God.  

From my own little heart I simply say:, "thank you, thank you, thank you God for such a gift today.  Surely this is from You as it is a taste of heaven to see such things. 

Please watch the two video clips of the children:
Placing Roses Before Our Lady
Praying





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More Good News from Vietnam - Third Children's Rosary Group to Meet!

More good news from Tran, the 16 year old boy who has been doing such beautiful work in Vietnam. His Pastor Fr. Augustine who began the first Children's Rosary in Vietnam had appointed him to help lead the Children's Rosary group in his parish.  After Fr. Augustine's unexpected death less than two weeks ago, Tran has been trying not only ro continue the Children's Rosary in his parish but share the Children's Rosary with more children in Vietnam. Last Sunday on the Canonization day of Mother Teresa Tran helped begin a Children's Rosary with the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of God.

On September 8th, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Tran received approval from the Missionaries of Our Lady of Holy Redeemer in Vietnam to begin a new Children's Rosary.  These Sisters work with orphaned and disabled children.  They have chosen to hold their first meeting on September 11th 2016, at 10 AM local time. This will be the third Children's Rosary prayer group in Vietnam. Tran sent a picture of the chapel where the children will meet for the first meeting of the Children's Rosary.  They will begin by Consecrating the new group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Tran let us know that a first class relic of St. Teresa of Calcutta and St. Padre Pio will be present for the first meeting.  He also shared that some of the disabled children are confined to their beds and will not be able to come to the Chapel.  He will be inviting them to unify prayers with the children meeting together. Tran also shared that after the group holds the Rosary he will go to each bedside and say a brief prayer with each child and carry with him the relics of Mother Teresa and Padre Pio.  We are so grateful to Our Lord for such blessings.

We hope many of you will consider joining the children in prayer.  They always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Meeting time: 
Vietnam 10 AM Sunday September 11th
Boston USA 11PM ET Saturday September 10th
Chicago USA 10 PM Saturday September 10th

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
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First Children's Rosary in Malawi to Meet Today!

There is a new Children's Rosary group meeting today at Sacred Heart Church in Blantyre City, Malawi.  

Malawi is in the southeastern part of Africa. The children will be meeting at 10 ET (4PM local time).  The children will be praying in the language of Chichewa. 

We are very excited to have the first group meet in Malawi today.  Please consider joining the children in prayer.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

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A Special Gift on the Feast of St. Peter Claver

Dear Friends,

Today we had a surprise gift.  When the children and I arrived at daily Mass at St. Peter Claver Church there on the altar was a first class relic of St. Peter Claver.  As today the Church honors St. Peter Claver we took the opportunity to pray for all of you.

St. Peter Claver, originally from Spain, was a Jesuit priest who went to Colombia to serve those that were enslaved. He spent a great deal of time in the bottom of a ship with the slaves helping them and ministering to them.  The Church of St. Peter Claver that we attended today is built to resemble the bottom of a ship's hull. Jesus is suspended on the cross from two chains.

After Mass the priest invited us up to venerate the relic.  He also gave us permission to stay and pray before the relic after Mass.  We prayed a Rosary in a special way lifting up all the members of the Children's Rosary and their families. We also prayed for the fulfillment of Our Lady's plans for the Children's Rosary.  After the Rosary the Church was quiet and the children and I had some extra time to pray before the relic.  Touching the relic of St. Peter Claver I prayed for all the members of the Children's Rosary and their families.

The Pastor also gave us another surprise gift. He gave us permission to have the relic of St. Peter Claver present tomorrow during the Children's Rosary at St. Peter Claver.  We will be meeting at 3PM ET.  Please consider joining prayers with the children.  The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Thank you all.

Your Friend in Christ,
Blythe

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Celebrating Our Lady's Birthday in Pakistan

Fifteen of the Children's Rosary groups in Pakistan came together on Sunday September 4th in honor of the Nativity of Our Blessed Virgin Mary.  They held their celebration early so more children and adults could attend.  The children from different Children's Rosary groups worked together to host the event. They led a Children's Rosary.  Some of the children also performed dances and led a Tableau to Our Lady which involves special songs sung in honor of Our Blessed Mother.  

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New Children's Rosary Group Meets in Vietnam on the Day Mother Teresa was Canonized

Sometimes it seems that things could not have unfolded in a more beautiful way.  Such is the case with the new Children's Rosary group in Bien Hoa City, Vietnam.  The beginning of the story is bitter sweet as the Pastor, Fr. Augustine, of the Parish where the first Children's Rosary group in Vietnam was formed died just over a week ago.  


Prayers poured out for the parish and also the Children's Rosary group that remained in his parish.  The 16 year old boy which Fr. Augustine had appointed to lead the group in his parish, wrote to us committed to continuing the Children's Rosary.  

A beautiful surprise was how this 16 year old boy, Tran, reached out to the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of God who work with the disabled and orphan children and suggested they too start a Children's Rosary.  With very little the children met together. Tran playing the guitar they were able to sing.  

children placing roses at the
feet of Our Lady

The children chose to hold their first meeting on Sunday September 4th the day Mother Teresa was Canonized.  They began the Children's Rosary by Consecrating the group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The children do not have rosaries yet but this did not stop them from praying the Rosary.  These children have very little yet roses were able to be purchased to place at the foot of Our Lady at the end of each decade.  A gift which surely came at a dear price for them.  The children also held candles.  A beautiful symbol of the light their prayers create in our world.

A first class relic of Mother Teresa was brought in for the children to venerate and pray before as they said the Rosary.  Seeing these children with so little yet so determined to begin a prayer group of their own it seemed they were to receive a very special blessing that day.  Mother Teresa had seen to be present with them in a very real way.

children holding candles

 Indeed with her relic she was physically there.  But one can imagine that Mother Teresa was looking down from Heaven with a smile to see the children kneeling in prayer.  Their desire to hold their first meeting on a day chosen to honor her life must have been heart touching for her.

The children took so much care with everything they did.  They put the intentions of the Children's Rosary in a frame and also put a picture and relic of Servant of God Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan of Vietnam before the children.  The statue which was donated to the Children's Rosary and sent to the children was placed before them as they knelt in prayer.  Indeed they tried as best they could with the help of the Sisters and Tran to make everything special.  All was tidy and bright the best they could.  

Can there be a more beautiful scene to see such love and effort from little ones for God and His Mother?  So many of these children carry many crosses of illness, disability, and loss of their family.  Yet they come with love and hope.  They hold candles and flowers.  They kneel together to pray not only for their intentions but for the intentions of their Blessed Mother and for all of us as members of the Children's Rosary. It is a humbling scene to think these children are praying for us.  Yet in turn we pray for them and all the other Children's Rosary groups cover them in prayer.  Yes, we are linked together in prayer in a wonderful tapestry.  We thank all those who unified prayers with the children on Sunday and all who helped the children with their meeting.

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Reflections from the First Children's Rosary Meeting in Belgium

We just received some beautiful pictures from our new Children's Rosary group in Belgium. They held their first meeting on August 31st 2016 at the Shrine in Banneux, Belgium.  They began their meeting with the Rector of the Shrine Consecrating the new group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Rector Leo Palm has been instrumental in the formation of this new group and has provided significant help with translation of our materials into French. We are extremely grateful for his help and support.  

Rector Leo Palm Consecrating the New
Children's Rosary group

The group leader shared with us several pictures from the meeting. The picture of above shows the 12 children who attended of varying ages.  

My children and I particularly liked the girl in the back row with her arms outstretched.  There is a joy that comes across from the simple act of her stretching out her arms.  It is such unexpected joyful expressions that surely endear these little ones to Our Lord. It seemed that all the children were helping.  Even the little one in the front probably just learning to walk seems to have taken a great interest in holding a large sized Rosary.  One of the older girls shared her talents with music by helping to play an electric piano to accompany the children as they sang between decades.  Other children helped by placing roses at the feet of Our Lady at the end of each decade.  


Indeed so many helped both young and old to make this meeting so very special.  We are also grateful to the Children's Rosary groups around the world that have prayed for Divine help in beginning this group.  It was a powerful moment to remove the line on our intentions sheet asking that a Children's Rosary group would begin in Banneux and replace it with a prayer of thanksgiving. This is just one beautiful example for the children of the power of prayer.  In the Catechism of the Catholic Church it is written, "The Son of God who became the Son of the Virgin also learned to pray according to his human heart. He learns the formulas of prayer from his mother." (CCC:2599)

Three mothers attended the Children's Rosary and one grandmother.  They knelt in the pews while the children were together kneeling before the altar.  Although they were at a distance they were close at hand to help if needed.  Just so one can imagine Our Blessed Mother also watching over these little ones as they knelt in prayer just as she had done with her son, Jesus.  

One of the adults who attended the Children's Rosary that day summarized the meeting: "To say it in a picture, 'A star rose at Bethlehem'. It was an extremely important and a beautiful event."

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A Beautiful Story Unfolds

The past week and a half the Children's Rosary has received some wonderful blessings.  News came on the birthday of Mother Teresa that Fr. Augustine who began a Children's Rosary in his parish in Vietnam would be lifting up all the members of the Children's Rosary before a first class relic of Mother Teresa.  He sent beautiful pictures of his chapel where he said prayers for all of us.  Then word came from the 16 year old boy Fr. Augustine had appointed to help lead the Children's Rosary in his parish that Fr. Augustine has suffered a heart attack and died.  Fr. Augustine had died this past Sunday: the Feast of St. Augustine.  Tran, the boy left to help lead the Children's Rosary group wrote asking for our prayers.  He held a special Children's Rosary this week with the children to pray for Fr. Augustine their beloved pastor.  With such an outpouring of prayer good news came the next day.  Tran had reached out to the Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of God to begin a second Children's Rosary in Vietnam.  The date they chose to hold their first meeting was September 4th 2016. The children who will comprise this new Children's Rosary group are orphans and disabled children being cared for by the sisters.  Tran wrote requesting 300 Rosaries for them.  He also wrote that Fr. Augustine's relic of Mother Teresa would be brought for the meeting.  

This new Children 's Rosary will meet at 10 AM Sunday September 4th local time in Vietnam.  This will be 11 PM ET on Saturday here on the east coast of the United States. Tran wrote that he would be praying for all the Children's Rosary groups around the world.  We also asked him to pray for those unifying prayers with them.  

Chapel where the children will
be meeting

They will begin their meeting by Consecrating the new Children's Rosary group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In this way the group is under the protection and guidance of Christ and His Mother.

This new Children's Rosary group which brings together orphans and disabled children seems to so beautifully embody the spirit of Mother Teresa.  We hope it will bring a smile to her face to see these little ones coming to pray the Holy Rosary as a Children's Rosary prayer group unified with others around the world. 

We humbly invite you to unify prayers with us.  We have included the meeting time of 10 AM Sunday in Vietnam into several different time zones around the world.  Please look up your local time and join us in prayer.

10 AM Vietnam (Sunday)
5 AM Belgium (Sunday)
11 PM Boston USA (Saturday)
10 PM Chicago USA (Saturday)
8 PM San Francisco USA (Saturday) 
7PM Fairbanks Alaska (Saturday)

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Mass Offered for Seminarians on September 1st 2016

A Mass was offered today for all seminarians that they will grow in holiness and lead us all in love.  Every month we have a Mass offered for this intention.  As our seminarians will be the future shepherds and our children are the future flock it seemed a beautiful way for the children to help. 
Recently we began featuring a different seminarian each month. 

This month we would like to feature  Br. Alexander Chung MIC.  He just completed his second year of Theology with the Marians of the Immaculate Conception and joined in July 2011.  He is originally from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. On August 13th we attended his profession of perpetual vows at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy.  The picture above was Br. Chung reading his vows.

Approximately a week after the ceremony the Children's Rosary received a beautiful gift from Br. Chung. He had enrolled the Children's Rosary as a perpetual member in the Franciscan Missionary Union. The Spiritual benefits from such an enrollment are great!
1.The direct offering of one Holy Mass each day. 
2. A share in more than 12,000 Masses celebrated every day by all the Franciscan Priests throughout the world.
3. A Mass in every Franciscan Friary throughout the world on the Feasts of the Epiphany (January 6) and St. Anthony (June 13); and during the month of November a Mass of the Resurrection for the deceased. These Masses are offered in each Friary belonging to the Province of the Immaculate Conception.
4. A share in all the Masses celebrated every day by all the Franciscan Missionaries throughout the world.
5. A share in all the daily Communions, Prayers and Good Works of all the Franciscan Priests, Brothers, and Sisters, throughout the world.

A special thank you to Br. Chung for his gift to the Children's Rosary. It is beautiful thought to contemplate the grace of such an enrollment that goes on in perpetuity.