On September 29, 2013, Eleven Years Ago Today

On September 29th 2013, the Feast of the Archangels, EWTN Global Catholic Network aired an interview about the Children's Rosary.  This airing was a very special gift as it gave many around the world a window into a Children's Rosary prayer group.  Many reached out after the airing with interest in beginning a Children's Rosary in their parish.  Now eleven years later, many of those that wrote or called following the airing have begun groups in their parishes or in schools and helped in many ways such as through translation.  It would seem that such a date could not go by without a special remembrance and gratitude to God the Father and the Archangels  for reaching so many and bringing forth so much fruit.  For those of you unfamiliar with the EWTN interview that aired on Sept 29th 2013 the link is included HERE.

The late Fr. Apostoli, host of Sunday Night Prime shared this at the end of the show:

"You have heard a program about a wonderful movement, Children's Rosary, which is drawing our young people.  This is our future if we do not sow seeds now there will be no harvest later on. This is exactly what the Children's Rosary is doing, reaching out to these little ones.  Stirring their hearts, preparing them as the road ahead will not be an easy one". (Fr. Andrew Apostoli CFR Prior Host of Sunday Night Prime)

9 Day Fast Begins September 29, 2024

 

Dear Friends,
"Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor 9:23-27).

Our spiritual life requires training. If we would like to do as St. Paul challenges us and "Run so as to win," then we must follow his advice and "exercise discipline." 

It has been a yearly tradition within the Children’s Rosary to do nine days of prayer and fasting in the fall. This year it will begin on September 29 and end on October 7. We hope many will want to join us. Bread and water fasting is very effective as a means of sacrifice. 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 the nine 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 pay attention to this. In many ways, the fast becomes easier as you go along.

Please accept this humble invitation to join these 9 days of fasting. It is 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 29, the Feast of the Archangels, and conclude on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7. 

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

2) Fast for nine days

3) Every day, please offer the rosary and the fast for the following intentions:

*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

Mass Offered on September 25, 2024 for Members of the Children's Rosary

A Mass was offered on September 25, 2024 for all the members of the Children's Rosary and all who help the Children's Rosary. We continue to have a Mass said for this intention on the 25th of each month. The Eucharist is such a powerful gift from Our Lord that when we wanted to extend thanksgiving to all of you we knew of no better way to express gratitude. May Our Lord's love be poured down on all of you through the powerful sacrifice of the Holy Mass. 

The picture above is from the Children's Rosary in Pakistan. They now have 68 Children's Rosary groups in Pakistan!

Happy Feast of St. Padre Pio

The Children's Rosary wishes you a very blessed Feast of St. Padre Pio. 

Thank you, Maria, for the beautiful painting. Below is a picture of Maria with her siblings

Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference 2024

The Children's Rosary had a table at this year's Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference. The topic of the conference was the Four Last Things: Death, Judgement, Heaven, Hell. We had our materials available to help start Children's Rosary prayer groups. Rosaries were available free. We also premiered our new Children's Rosary Christmas Card for 2024! This will soon be available to order.

Passing on the Faith

 

Preparing for the Feast of the Archangels on September 29th 2024

Today in prayer I was reminded of the upcoming Feast of the Archangels which has always been a day of grace for the Children's Rosary. For my own part, as founder of the Children's Rosary, I have a special devotion to St. Michael and the Angels. The Chaplet of St. Michael is one of my favorite prayers. For years this is what I prayed as I walked to daily Mass. I ceased doing this only because of my joint problems in my hands that seemed to worsen holding a prayer book while I walked. In thinking about the feast, I was reminded of a gift we received 11 years ago on the Feast of the Archangels. On September 29th 2013 an interview aired on EWTN about the Children's Rosary. This was the first mention of the Children's Rosary on EWTN. By the grace of God many other interviews have followed as well as the regular airing of the Children's Rosary on EWTN. Yet that first interview was special and there has yet to be another one that has seemed to touch hearts in quite the same way. 

In anticipation of September 29th 2024, the Feast of the Archangels, I would like to begin a 9 day Novena (September 20-29th) which will include the daily prayer of the Chaplet of St. Michael. Humbly I invite others including members of the Children's Rosary to join in praying the Novena.

The intention of the Novena:
May St. Michael and the Archangels as well as all the choirs of angels:
*Help to protect the Children's Rosary including all the members. 
*Help to spread the Children's Rosary throughout the world. 
*Help to support, guide and strengthen the members of the Children's Rosary, that we may be the extended hands of Jesus and Mary in this world.

This 9 day novena will help to prayerfully prepare us for the annual 9 Day Novena of Prayer and Fasting that has become a tradition for the Children's Rosary. This will begin on September 29th and end on October 7th (the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary). 

Chaplet of St. Michael

The Chaplet is begun by saying an Act of Contrition(see at bottom of page for prayer) followed by:

V. O God come to my assistance.

R. O Lord, Make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father...

First Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the first Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Seraphim, may the Lord make me worthy to burn with the fire of perfect charity. Amen.

Second Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the second Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Cherubim, may the Lord vouchsafe to grant us grace to leave the ways of wickedness and run in the paths of Christian perfection. Amen.

Third Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the third Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Thrones, may the Lord infuse into our hearts a true and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.

Fourth Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the fourth Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Dominions, may the Lord give us grace to govern our senses and subdue our unruly passions. Amen.

Fifth Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the fifth Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Powers, may the Lord vouchsafe to protect our souls against the snares and temptation of the devil. Amen.

Sixth Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the sixth Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Virtues, may the Lord preserve us from evil, and suffer us not to fall into temptation. Amen.

Seventh Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the seventh Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Principalities, may God fill our souls with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.

Eighth Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the eighth Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Archangels, may the Lord give us perseverance in faith and in all good works, in order that we gain the glory of Paradise. Amen.

Ninth Salutation: One our Father and three Hail Mary's in honor of the eighth Choir of Angels. By the intercession of St. Michael and the celestial Choir of Angels, may the Lord grant us to be protected by them in this mortal life and conducted hereafter to eternal glory. Amen.

At the end say one Our Father each in honor of  St. Michael, St. Gabriel, St. Raphael, and Our Guardian Angel.

The chaplet is concluded with these prayers

O glorious Prince St. Michael, chief and commander of the heavenly hosts, guardian of soul, vanquisher of rebel spirits, servant in the house of the Divine King, and our admirable conductor, thou who dost shine with excellence and superhuman virtue, vouchsafe to deliver us from all evil who turn to thee with confidence and enable us by the gracious protection to serve God more and more faithfully every day.

V. Pray for us, O Glorious St. Michael, Prince of the Church of Jesus Christ.

R. That we may be made worthy of His Promises.

Almighty and Everlasting God, Who by an act of Goodness and a merciful desire for the salvation of all men, has appointed the most glorious Archangel St. Michael, Prince of Thy Church, make us worthy, we beseech You, to be delivered by his powerful protection from all our enemies, that none of them may harass us at the hour of death, but that we may be conducted by him into the august presence of Thy Divine Majesty. This we beg through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of the Chaplet:

An Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of thy just punishment, but most of all because they offend Thee my God who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

The Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of they womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Children's Rosary September 2024 Newsletter

 To view our Newsletter click below: 

Children's Rosary® September 2024 Newsletter

New Book Release

We have chosen the paired Feast days of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross and the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows to formally release the new book, A Soul Prepared through Suffering. This book draws souls to a greater simplicity of spirit often associated with St. Thérèse the Little Flower and St. Jean Marie Vianney. This book is for those in the trenches of suffering and for those yet to be put to the test, for it prepares people to understand that suffering shared by a loving God works in ways nothing else can. As God is the director of each of our stories, you may see yourself reflected in this book and find it helps each time you go through it in a different way. Put in the time for this 40-Day journey, and you will find you are different on the other side.

This book is a must read. ~Bishop Oliver Dashe Doeme  Diocese of Maiduguri, Nigeria

Imprimatur Granted by Archbishop Leonard Blair of the Archdiocese of Hartford, CT, USA

To Order Book Click HERE

Glastonbury Pilgrimage 2024

 

On the 14th July, the Clifton Diocese organized its annual pilgrimage to Glastonbury, one of England’s most sacred Christian sites. Glastonbury is known for its rich Christian heritage and legendary connections to Joseph of Arimathea. The pilgrimage is a significant event that brings together Catholics from across the South West to honour the Virgin Mary, specifically Our Lady of Glastonbury.

The day began in the parish church of St Mary’s with Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary and confessions whilst pilgrims also gathered in the Abbey grounds for prayers of healing, or a picnic with family and parishioners. At 2.15 pilgrims and clergy lined up to process through the Abbey grounds ahead of the statue of Our Lady of Glastonbury. Several families from our Parish in Trowbridge processed behind our Children’s Rosary banner and we were delighted to be joined by some families from across the diocese. The children joyfully prayed and sang as they processed  through the streets of Glastonbury and back into the Abbey grounds, where the pilgrimage culminated in a large open-air Mass celebrated in the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, by our newly appointed Bishop Bosco. The pilgrimage is a powerful reminder of the enduring Christian traditions tied to Glastonbury and offers an opportunity for pilgrims to connect more deeply with their faith and heritage in a place steeped in religious history. 

It is wonderful for the children to witness so many people praying the Rosary and I think it was equally a sign of great hope to other pilgrims to witness the next generation literally taking up the (Children's Rosary) banner and developing a love for Our Lady and the Rosary. ~ Sinéad, Children's Rosary group leader Trowbridge, England

Children's Rosary in Pakistan Celebrates Queenship of Mary

We wanted to share the lovely pictures from Pakistan taken on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary in August. A special platform was constructed to carry a statue of Mary. 

Our Lady was adorn with a crown and candles and flowers were included on the platform.

Members of the Children's Rosary accompanied the statue in an outdoor procession. 

Children's Rosary Materials Arrive in Kitgum, Uganda

 We are excited to report that Fr. Okot from Uganda has received materials to help launch the Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Kitgum Mission parish. Twelve boxes of handmade rosaries were sent on behalf of the Children's Rosary as well as a package with 70 Children's Rosary books as well as Child Consecration books and other Children's Rosary materials. While we have many Children's Rosary groups in Uganda, this would be the first in the Gulu Archdiocese of Uganda. This is a northern diocese near the border with South Sudan. 

Celebrating the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8, 2024

 

Members of the Children's Rosary at St Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA, met today on the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The children in the picture above hold roses that were placed at the foot of Our Blessed Virgin Mary during the Rosary. They also hold Children's Rosary spiritual bouquet cards. The children took these cards and will be filling them out with little acts of love and prayers for Mary. To see the Spiritual Bouquet cards and get the pdf download to print and use them, click HERE.

We ended the prayer meeting with some treats to celebrate Our Lady's Birthday. The children were able to take the sweets home with them.

Children's Rosary Has Partnered with My Catholic Will

Hi Friends,

The Children's Rosary is partnering with My Catholic Will. Use the code Childrensrosary to make a will 100% free.

If you click on this link https://mycatholicwill.com/childrensrosary you can also make the Will Free. It is valid in the United States.

Thank you

Blythe Kaufman

A Mass Was Offered on September 1, 2024 for Seminarians

A Mass was offered on September 1, 2024 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 their future flock, it seemed a beautiful way for the children to help with their prayers.  It is our goal to feature a different seminarian on the first of the month every month by inviting him to share something of himself and giving all our readers the opportunity to pray for him. This month, we are featuring Andrew Schmitz, a seminarian from Los Angeles, California, USA. 

My name is Andrew Schmitz, and I am twenty-seven years old. I am a second-year seminarian for the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, currently studying philosophy at the Catholic University of America. I live and receive formation at the Saint John Paul II Seminary. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and attended the University of Notre Dame for my undergraduate studies. Before Seminary, I worked in the management consulting industry here in Washington, DC, where I discerned a call to the diocesan priesthood. 

Growing up, my family attended Mass every Sunday and saw our parish as the center of our spiritual and social lives. I even routinely played Mass with my siblings as a young boy! Upon entering college, I was set on pursuing a career in business and starting a family. For three years, I sought the “normal college experience” but had reduced my faith to a matter of routine and obligation. Later on, a set of philosophy courses I took challenged me to choose between Christ’s saving Truth and worldly doctrines of subjectivity. Of even greater significance, thanks to God’s grace, I had made several friends who aided me in turning away from sin and pursuing virtue. I ultimately started attending daily Mass and frequenting the sacrament of Confession more often. My upbringing, and the social, spiritual, and intellectual parts of my life were finally converging. 

When I moved to DC, I got more involved in activities with Catholic young professionals and began hosting apostolic activities at my apartment. While I was happy with my job and life in the city, I sensed a restlessness in my heart. I felt God was asking me to use my talents and desires in more direct service to Him as I matured in my faith. While all people are called to holiness, I was attracted to the ministerial priesthood and its full, direct, and explicit witness of the Truth. I ultimately was accepted to Seminary and entered formation just one year ago! 

As a priest, I hope to bring this saving Truth of the Gospel to souls encountering the everyday happenings of ordinary life. Great joy is achieved in pursuing a life of self giving and commitment - I want to share this with others! Our world so badly needs this Truth and is quickly ripening to receive it. It’s a great time to be a seminarian and a Catholic. Thank you for your prayers!  

We humbly ask that you please keep Andrew Schmitz in your prayers.