Visit to Our Lady of Purgatory Parish

We are very excited to announce that a new Children's Rosary is starting at Our Lady of Purgatory Parish on Saturday November 7. Asher Kaufman was able to visit the parish yesterday and he shared this note.

On Sunday, November 1, the Feast of All Saints, I visited the Maronite parish of Our Lady of Purgatory in New Bedford, MA. The parish priest there, Fr. Vincent Farhat (shown above), had been in contact with my mother about starting a Children's Rosary there for some time, so I agreed to pay a visit to drop off some materials and speak briefly to the parishioners after Mass about the initiative. 

I wish also make a quick note of the name of the parish. It is not a common parish name, and indeed I know of no other in my experience named after that particular Marian title. Nevertheless, it is quite beautiful, as it evokes Our Lady's role as the patron and intercessor for the suffering souls, an image that is particularly pertinent for All Saints' Day as well as All Souls' Day. 

I arrived not long before the 10:30 a.m. Mass and was introduced to Fr. Vincent, Fr. Jean (the celebrant), as well as Subdeacon Vincent. All were very hospitable. I was invited to serve the Mass, after which I made a small announcement regarding the Children's Rosary, which Fr. Vincent is aiming to start each month during a Lebanese heritage night hosted at the parish.

After the Mass, there was a lunch in the parish hall, which I attended and during which I managed to meet Mother Marla, Sister Therese (shown below), and Sister Emily, nuns from the Maronite Congregation of Maronite Servants of Christ the Light, a religious order based nearby in Dartmouth, MA. They will be helping to start the Children's Rosary at the parish. 

I was so grateful for everybody's kindness and enthusiasm and look forward to the formation of a new Children's Rosary group in New Bedford!

Children Providing Leadership

On the Solemnity of All Saints, we held the Children's Rosary at St Peter Claver Church in West Hartford, Connecticut USA. Benny, age 9, attended the Children's Rosary for the first time today(shown above). He was joined by 5 children who were around the age of 6. For all of these children it was the first time attending a Children's Rosary and I believe also praying a rosary. Benny immediately took the leadership role. He led the first decade and then an invitation was made to anyone else who wanted to join him. Richie lifted his hand and assumed a position next to Benny. We had another volunteer to help for the third decade and by the fourth decade Nora had expressed interest in leading and there were four children at the podium. Throughout the Rosary it was Benny who reassured the younger children and provided the steady voice to lead the prayers.

 We closed by playing the theme song for the Children's Rosary. Three children stayed at the podium. The song was new to all the children. Benny did something I had not expected. With the song playing and my poor accompaniment singing he started creating harmonies and also taking the song to higher notes that were beautiful. He had never heard the song but he anticipated where it was going and through talent did something remarkable with it. This is a link to listen to the theme song. It does not have Benny singing it but you can enjoy the song as it was originally recorded. As the song came to a close, he softly mentioned to me that he had something he wanted to say. He said a short prayer asking for God to bless all the children who attended. All who were there seemed touched by this impromptu prayer from the heart of a 9 year old boy. Benny assured us he will be at the December meeting. He also said he will invite more children. We were grateful for his leadership today and going forward with this group. 

*A special thank you to Ellen Fox who is the Children's Rosary group leader at St Peter Claver Parish. She puts a great deal of love and effort into preparing for the meetings. Ellen brought beautiful flowers some of which were from her garden for the children to place before a statue of Mary during the rosary. Thank you to those who prayed with the children from the pews. The presence of so many was a great encouragement to the children. 

Children's Rosary in Grand Island, New York Enjoys Two Visitors to their Meeting

Yesterday we received this lovely picture and update from the Children's Rosary at St Stephen Parish in Grand Island, New York.

Last night the Faith Formation Leader had a talk on Mary before the Children's Rosary. Seminarian Andrew Erdman (he had to leave before the photo) taught the children about All Hallows' Eve and suggested they pray a Hail Mary between each house for the person that gives them a treat! He also had heart warming stories that stirred their hearts. This was the first time the children were the leaders of every decade. (We started in February of 2025.) It was a wonderful night!

Children's Rosary in Dormitz, Germany Celebrates Third Anniversary!

We received this lovely note from Heidi and Matthias who lead the Children's Rosary in Dormitz Germany.

According to our schedule, we did not hold a Rosary gathering in September, but we did have two sessions in October—on the 4th and the 25th. On the latter date, by the grace of God, we celebrated our third anniversary.

Eleven children attended, accompanied by their parents. This year’s session began with a visit to the cemetery located right next to our church. The children were asked to bring photos of their loved ones; each child lit a small candle, and we concluded by praying together for the souls of the departed—essentially observing All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day a bit early. During the Rosary, we also noted that October is a special month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. Our priest had intended to join us, but he was unable to attend due to a family emergency involving his elderly father. To our surprise, one of the children, Robi, volunteered to lead a catechetical reflection on St. Carlo Acutis—his favorite saint. Three children dressed as saints: Robi (as Carlo Acutis), another as Saint George, and a third as Saint Francis of Assisi. To conclude, the children were invited to choose specific "fruits of the Holy Spirit" they wished to cultivate and hang them on the "Rosary Seed" tree—taking inspiration from Carlo Acutis, who dedicated himself to nurturing these virtues within his own life. Together, we give thanks to our Heavenly Mother, who inspires each family to contribute to this day—whether by helping with games, piñatas, refreshments, or food.

Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference 2026

The Children's Rosary had a booth at this year's Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference on October 10. It was a grace filled day of Mass and veneration of many relics including that of St John Paul II (shown below). 

We also saw friends and made new ones. One of which was Father David Aufiero shown above. He is the pastor at St. Patrick's parish in South Hadley, Massachusetts. He was very interested in starting a Children's Rosary at his parish. We are praying a novena with him to help this come to fruition. We also met Mark Swartzberg and his wife Pam from Relevant Radio. They invited Asher and I for an interview that aired live today. We are extremely grateful for their help spreading the Children's Rosary. The interview can be heard HERE.

Mass Offered for All the Members of the Children's Rosary on October 25, 2026

 A Mass was offered on October 25, 2026 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 twenty-fifth 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 pictures included in this post were recently taken of the Children's Rosary at Model Colony, Lahore Pakistan.

Children's Rosary Event October 13, 2026 in Nicaragua

Members of the Children's Rosary from Parroquia Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Parish in Ticuantepe met on October 13 for a special Children's Rosary. This was a special meeting where children from the parish chapels were invited to come together at the main Church. The evening began at 5PM with the rosary led by the children. 

This was followed by Holy Mass. The children took a leadership role in the Mass by bringing up the gifts. 

There were beautiful roses placed at the foot of Our Blessed Mother. 

The children put intentions in their Children's Rosary intention box to lift up in prayer. 

October Meeting of the Children's Rosary in Makawao, Hawaii

We received this beautiful picture of the Children's Rosary at St. Joseph Church in Makawao, Hawaii today. The picture was taken at their October 8th meeting. One of the group leaders reported that the group is growing. Twenty-eight children attended the October meeting!

Mass Offered on October 13, 2026 for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

A Mass was offered on October 13, 2026 for the Holy Souls. Currently the Children's Rosary has four monthly Masses offered. On the first of each month, a Mass is offered for seminarians that they will grow in holiness and lead us in love, on the first Saturday a Mass is offered for renewal of family prayer, and on the 25th of the month a Mass is offered for all the members of the Children's Rosary and all who help the Children's Rosary. Additionally We have a monthly Mass offered for the Holy Souls in Purgatory on the 13th of each month.

The Catechism is clear that we should help them. "In full consciousness of this communion  of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and 'because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins' she offers her suffrages for them." Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective". (CCC958)

The Children's Rosary also has made it a priority for many years to help the Holy Souls and seek their intercession.

Join Members of the Children's Rosary in Prayer October 13, 2026

 Members of the Children's Rosary from Parroquia Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Parish in Ticuantepe will meet today at 5:00pm local time in Nicaragua. Please consider uniting in prayer.

The event will be livestreamed:

https://www.facebook.com/TemploCentralSCJTicuantepe/

Video Release from Asher's One Year Mission Trip to Spread the Children's Rosary

We are excited to share a short five minute video that highlights the one year trip Asher made to spread the Children's Rosary. The complete trip involved visits to 20 countries including France, Belgium, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland and Bosnia. We also released a short video with reflections I shared from St Peter's Square in Rome during our visit this summer.

Thank you to those who are praying for Asher. He began studies at Our Lady of Providence Seminary in September, which is the road toward priesthood through the Archdiocese of Hartford. The seminary is in Providence, Rhode Island, and seminarians take classes at Providence College. He is absolutely loving studies and the time he has with his fellow seminarians.

Click HERE to Watch the Video

Prayers for Pope Leo's Health

Today Pope Leo at his Sunday Angelus announced: 

“Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localized. The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it. The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers. Thank you, and happy Sunday!”

As we were holding our Children's Rosary at St. Thomas the Apostle Church this morning, we were able to pray for his upcoming surgery. Eleven children attended the meeting today.

We encourage other Children's Rosary prayer groups to also pray for the Holy Father's health.

Children's Rosary October 2026 Newsletter

 

To view our Newsletter click below:

Children's Rosary® October 2026 Newsletter

First Children’s Rosary Meeting at St. Paul's Church, Plymouth, England

A new Children’s Rosary began on October 2, 2026 at St Paul’s Church in Plymouth, England. Fourteen children attended. The priest of the parish attended the first meeting. We welcome this new group to the Children's Rosary!

Children's Rosary at St Paul's Church in Abu Dhabi, UAE Celebrates One Year Anniversary

The Children's Rosary at St Paul's Church met on October 3 for the Rosary, Mass and then celebrated the anniversary with a time for fellowship and sharing of some sweets. Children also made rosaries and painted angels.

Children's Rosary at SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Tamale, Ghana

On this Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, we are excited to introduce this Children's Rosary group from Ghana. They have been meeting weekly for three years. They meet each Sunday.  We thank this group for the faithfulness of their prayers. May God bless them and their families.

Cross Country Children's Rosary October 6, 2026

Please join us for a Cross Country Children's Rosary on October 6. The Children's Rosary at St Charles Borromeo Parish in Johannesburg, South Africa will unite with the Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart School in Taftville, Connecticut USA. This will be broadcast live at 10:30 AM ET. Please join us at the Children's Rosary YouTube channel for the livestream.

Children's Rosary Meeting at St. Peter Claver Church, West Hartford, Connecticut October 4, 2026

We were very excited to have a meeting of the Children's Rosary on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi at the Parish of St. Peter Claver. This being the 800 year anniversary of St. Francis' passing and a Jubilee year of St. Francis the meeting was very special. The children knelt in prayer with a small statue of St. Francis by the podium. We had two young children who had never attended a Children's Rosary. They were eager to participate. Two older teens, CJ and Ryan acted as mentors for the children and accompanied them to the podium as each led.

Group leader Ellen Fox is seen in the center of the top picture. We sang the theme song for the Children's Rosary which is called "Rosary Children" at the conclusion of the meeting. There was then time for some snacks including homemade cookies.

Five New Children's Rosary Groups Begin in the Dromore Diocese of Northern Ireland

We are grateful to Mrs. Marguerite O'kane and the fifteen volunteers who have helped to establish Children's Rosary groups in the following five schools in the Dromore Diocese: Bonscail, St. Francis, St Teresa's School, the Model National School, St. Anthony's School, Tanghmore and St. Brendan's School. In total 369 children are participating in the Children's Rosary across these five schools. All of the children have been given a miraculous medal.

Join Us for a Cross Country Children's Rosary on October 3, 2026 Uniting Lebanon and Egypt

Children's Rosary groups from St. Therese Maronite Church Alexandria, Egypt and St Elias Maronite Church - Rihaniah Baabda, Lebanon will unite in prayer of the Rosary at 10:00 AM ET October 3, 2026.

Consider uniting in prayer. The event will be livestreamed on the Children's Rosary You Tube Channel. A link to the event is can be found here: https://youtube.com/live/BRvwpyNsvcQ It will also stream live from the Children's Rosary Facebook page. 

Nine Day Bread and Water Fast September 29-Ocotber 7, 2026

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. 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. ~Blythe 

I would like to also offer a unique opportunity. For those joining the Children's Rosary 9 days of prayer and fasting I will be praying each day for you in front of a first class relic of the True Cross. The intention card below will remain with the relic for 9 days as the fast continues. In this way you are united in prayer to Our Lord's Cross.

How to Participate:

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 and renew our soul. 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.

Beatification Mass of Archbishop Fulton Sheen

We were excited to have a member of the Children's Rosary team at the Beatification Mass of Archbishop Fulton Sheen today. Trese Gloriod, who has been an integral part of the Children's Rosary through her creative and graphics talents, attended the Mass in St. Louis. We are grateful to Trese for praying for the members of the Children's Rosary and all who help the Children's Rosary at the event. She also prayed that Bl. Fulton Sheen would intercede to help spread the Children's Rosary.

First Cross Country Children's Rosary Live Streamed

We were excited to allow people to unite with the Cross Country Children's Rosary on September 15, 2026. 

This was the first time we had a live stream available. Sixty members of the Children's Rosary from St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Johannesburg, South Africa prayed with 19 children from St. Francis Xavier School in Birmingham, Alabama USA. The children absolutely loved the experience and they hope to pray again together.

Link to watch the lives stream video

First Meeting of the Children's Rosary in Kendal, England

We received this lovely note from the Children's Rosary group leader in Kendall, England. They had their first meeting on September 6, 2026. 

"For where two or three are gather in my name, there am I among them" (Matthew 18:20). We celebrated the first Children's Rosary in Kendal on 6th September, a very beautiful time of prayer for the 2 families that joined Fr Hugh, our parish priest and myself. We followed the format that you have used over the years beginning with Consecrating our group to The Sacred Heart of Jesus and The Immaculate Heart of Mary. We prayed the Joyful Mysteries. One of the young people was happy to take the lead in opening the third decade of the Rosary. This was very powerful. This was not led by myself or Fr Hugh but inspired by the Holy Spirit. The 3rd Joyful Mystery, Our Lord's Nativity. The Children's Rosary was 'born' in Kendal. One of the children was initially unsettled and crying. Her mum was juggling 2 children both under 3. The Children's Rosary is a place of welcome. I didn't want mum to question if it was right she should be here. I then remembered the pack that Sinead had provided and the rosary balloons. Again I think inspired by the Holy Spirit. We can't see the Holy Spirit but we see the impact.  I blew the balloon up but didn't 'tie' it off. I released the balloon, which like the Holy Spirit, it blew where it willed. This instantly detracted the young girl, she stopped crying and collected the balloon. She returned and sat on mum's lap. I could see mum also now relaxed and knew she along with her children was welcome. Within a few minutes the little girl was also placing flowers at the feet of Mary. Thank you to all who helped create the Children's Rosary, putting together the packs and especially the Children's Rosary balloons! The families who joined shared they enjoyed the prayer and will share with friends. We will continue to advertise via our parish newsletter and continue with personal invitation. The gospel from St Matthew on this Sunday was however perfect and confirmed that God's timing is always perfect, "For where two or three are gather in my name, there am I among them."