Join Us for a Nine Day Fast from September 29 through October 7, 2021

It has been a yearly tradition within the Children’s Rosary to do 9 days of prayer and fasting in the fall. This year it will begin on September 29 and end on October 7th. We hope many will want to join us. Bread and water fasting is very effective. Some may not be able to fast on bread and this is okay. Prayerfully discern what is the best fasting for you. In the past, we have had adults and children join this fast. We do ask that you prayerfully consider what is safe and reasonable for you and your family. Some may be able to do a traditional bread and water fast. This is unlimited bread and water. Others may find another thing in their life that would be a great sacrifice to give up for that period. One of the most important things when one begins a fast is the disposition.  One must approach fasting as an act of love to God. 

Some may want to do this fast but have not fasted before and wonder if they could complete 9 days. What I have found is that the first two days are the hardest. There is this portion of each of us which I will call “self” that will complain and nag that you should give up. Do not listen to this. After several days that voice will lessen. I would like to give up some of the merit of my fast for those of you who would like to do this fast but who might at first be intimidated by the duration. I wish to ask Our Lord to grant souls the grace and the strength to say, yes. This is a humble invitation to each soul, an invitation to help to rid yourself of all the things holding you back spiritually. I will be praying for you. ~Blythe 

The Fast will begin on September 29th the Feast of the Archangels

1) Pray one Rosary each day meditating on the life of Christ

2) Fast for 9 days

*Lord please purify our souls from the attachments of the world. Jesus we surrender all we have, please take control of our lives and our families. May Jesus be born in our hearts and may He renew us. May the Holy Spirit guide our thoughts and actions. May our hands be the extended hands of Mary and Jesus in this world. May the members of the Children’s Rosary also be the extended hands of Mary and Jesus in this world and gather a great many souls especially young people for Our Lord.

*Personal Intentions (      )

*May all that Our Lady wishes to accomplish through us and the Children’s Rosary be accomplished all for the glory of God.

*May the book Child Consecration: To Jesus through Mary—Following in the Spirit of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower be an instrument to bring a great many souls to Jesus through His Mother.

*For a special Children’s Rosary intention.

*In thanksgiving

Popes Have Spoken Beautifully About the Value 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. 

Pope John Paul II spoke about fasting on Sunday Angelus March 10th 1996:

Fasting is to reaffirm to oneself what Jesus answered Satan when he tempted him at the end of his 40 days of fasting in the wilderness: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Mt 4:4) 

Visit to Lourdes in Litchfield

Last weekend a Saturday visit to a fall festival brought the opportunity for a providential visit to Lourdes in Litchfield, Connecticut. This Shrine in the rural area of Connecticut is run by the Montfort Fathers. Recently, Fr. Considine, one of the Montfort Fathers at the Shrine came to West Hartford to record one of the days of the 33 Day Consecration being led in the Archdiocese of Hartford. He extended an invitation to come to the Shrine. Yet who could imagine that only a few weeks later we would drive right past the entrance of the Shrine. This brought the unexpected opportunity to visit this lovely oasis. 

In a special way I prayed for all the members of the Children's Rosary at the Shrine.  There is a lovely outdoor Stations of the Cross at the Shrine. 

We made a visit to the Grotto Bookshop and found some of the Children's Rosary materials and the new Consecration book all available to purchase.

This post is just a little note to say thank you to all who are part of the Children's Rosary and please know you are in my prayers. 

Many blessings to all the members of the Children's Rosary.

Your Friend in Christ,

Blythe

Join Us for the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference

Join us tomorrow for the CT Men's Conference at the New Britain Stadium. The topic of the Conference is the Most Holy Rosary. At 2:40pm, Blythe Kaufman, Founder of the Children's Rosary will speak. Mass will follow celebrated by Archbishop Blair. Tickets are available at the door. Woman this year are most welcome to attend. 

A Rose that Has Grown Heavenward

We are excited to share a beautiful rose that was grown by a family who participates in the Children's Rosary. At our last meeting of the Children's Rosary at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in West Hartford, Connecticut one of the mom's showed us some pictures of a special rose they had grown.

This is a brief history of their very special rose. A lollipop rose bush was planted in their front yard several years ago. This spring there was a tall stock emerging from the rose bush. It first grew to 8 feet. It was then that the rose bush really got their attention. They started staking the tall shoot. It reminded them of a rose they had growing in their back yard some years back. It had grown to 13 feet. This was the same year they had released a book, Season of the Rose, honoring how our Lady helps lead us to Jesus. With this new rose growing with great speed Heavenward they began to once again think about the book. They looked up the record for the tallest rose. According to the Guinness world record, the tallest rose is 18 feet and eight inches. Their rose has shot past the world record and keeps growing. Currently it is 20 feet and 7 and a half inches. Outside their home they have put a table with their released book. They hope it will draw some attention to Our Lady.

This story is one that captures the imagination. Our Lord and Our Lady find the most interesting ways of helping us reach souls. This incredibly tall rose is one that gets the neighbors talking for sure. Nature in so many ways gives great Glory to God. 

One Day Workshop in Shendam Diocese, Nigeria

 

Fr. Paul Miapkwap wrote to us yesterday with this news:

I am organizing a one day workshop for all Catechism Teachers in the Diocese and that will give the opportunity to talk about the Children Rosary.

We pray that this effort bears much fruit.

Good News From Paraguay!

Today we received a note from, Santiago Gabriagueza, a seminarian from Paraguay who has helped begin a number of new Children's Rosary (Rosario de Niños) groups. This was a portion of his note translated into English (his original note in Spanish is below):

Greetings from Paraguay!

Here we already started with some groups, in our Parish community, there are 9 communities and in each one a Rosario de Niños group was started, the communities of the Virgen de Fátima Parish Center, San Aníbal María, San Francisco, San Isidro, Virgen Reina de La Paz, Our Lady of the Assumption, are those who have already been able to start their weekly meetings.

We still have 3 communities which we are organizing and starting slowly.

The leaders of each group feel very happy and grateful to be part of this beautiful movement and they already share with me so many beautiful testimonies of their experiences.

Our Parish Priest and the other priests are also happy for this organization.

¡Saludos desde Paraguay!

Aquí iniciamos ya con algunos grupos, en nuestra comunidad Parroquial, son 9 comunidades y en cada uno se inició un grupo de Rosario de Niños, las comunidades del Centro Parroquial Virgen de Fátima, San Aníbal María, San Francisco, San Isidro, Virgen Reina de la Paz, Ntra. Sra. de la Asunción, son las que ya han podido iniciar sus encuentros semanales..

Nos faltan aún 3 comunidades los cuales estamos organizando e iniciando de apoco.

Los líderes de cada grupo se sienten muy felices y agradecidos por formar parte de este hermoso movimiento y ya me comparten tantos lindos testimonios de sus experiencias. 

Nuestro Párroco y los demás sacerdotes también están contentos por dicha organización.

New Children's Rosary in Cork City, Ireland!

We are excited to share that a new Children's Rosary met for the first time on the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary. Thirty children gathered together for the launch of the Children's Rosary at Ascension Church in Gurranabraher, Cork City, Ireland. The children took turns coming to the altar to lead the Rosary. Roses were also placed at the foot of Our Lady at the end of each decade by different children.

The children celebrated Our Lady's birthday with a cake! 

We welcome this new group to the Children's Rosary.

For those interested in starting a Children's Rosary at your parish click here for the steps to begin a group.

Consecration Led by Shepherds of the Archdiocese of Hartford Starts September 4, 2021

Join Archbishop Blair and the Shepherds of the Archdiocese of Hartford for a Consecration to Jesus through Mary using the book Child Consecration: To Jesus through Mary—Following in the Spirit of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower. This Consecration journey is ideal for adults, priests, families and children. 

Parishes, schools, faith formation programs and the clergy of the Archdiocese of Hartford are joining in this Consecration journey from September 4th through October 7th: the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. There are several ways to participate:

1. Pray the Consecration with the book.  

2. Visit childconsecration.com where the entire Consecration Journey with day-by-day readings and prayers is present on this site. Click on the link, “Online Consecration Journey” to view all the readings and prayers.

3. Watch a Shepherd lead the day's prayers and readings on the Fiat Ministry Network YouTube Channel by clicking HERE. Each day of the Consecration (September 4-October 7), a different Shepherd of the Archdiocese of Hartford will lead the Archdiocesan Consecration at 8 pm. After the premiere of each day’s video, the videos will remain available to view. 

 

More information about how to obtain a book is available at childconsecration.com.

Bishop Rhoades Begins Consecration to Jesus through Mary September 4, 2021

Bishop Rhoades will be using the book Child Consecration: To Jesus through Mary—Following in the Spirit of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower for his own personal Consecration beginning September 4, 2021. The schools and faith formation programs of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana have been invited to participate in the 33 Day Consecration to Jesus through Mary. The journey concludes on October 7: the Feast of the Holy Rosary. 

For more information about this Consecration journey visit www.childconsecration.com