Join Us for a Special Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting!

Please join us for a special Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting! This will begin on March 17th and conclude on March 25th. As we have shared, this year something remarkable will happen. The Annunciation, which traditionally falls on March 25th, is also the day Good Friday is celebrated. The Catholic Church transfers celebration of the Annunciation to April 4th this year. Yet, 9 months from March 25th is Christmas so even though celebration of the Annunciation is transferred, one is aware of the wonderful connection of these dates. Indeed, it is a recognition of the moment Our Lord said, "Not as I will but as you will" (Matthew 26:39), and Our Blessed Mother said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy will" (Luke 1:38). It is our hope that through this Novena of Prayer and Fasting we might each be able to join our voice to those of Our Lord and Our Lady and say, "Thy will be done" will our whole heart.

In anticipation for the Novena, the children have been busy making hearts. Each person participating in the Novena will have their name placed on a heart. We will be bringing all of these hearts on the evening of March 16th when the Children's Rosary will host the Relics of the Passion. Included in this special Year of Mercy Tour of the Relics of the Passion is a piece of the True Cross. The relics will be coming to a Church named after St. Helena, the person who is credited as discovering the True Cross. For all those who would like to participate in this Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting, you are invited to send your name to be placed at the foot of the Cross on March 16th during the visit of the relics. We will pray and offer up all those names during the evening of prayer. We are inviting all those in the vicinity of St. Helena Church in West Hartford, CT, USA to join us that evening at 7 PM ET. For those who live far away, please unify your prayers with us. We would like to have as many children involved with hosting the Relics of the Passion as possible on the evening of March 16th.

An exciting surprise: first class relics of all 12 Apostles will also be present for the evening of March 16th!!!!

 Novena March 17-25 

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

2) Fast for 9 days

We feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to begin our fast at the Cross and end with the Cross.  

While some may be able to do a bread and water fast for the nine days, others may find the Lord calling them to some other sacrifice.  The Lord will ask something of each of us. For children, some may be drawn to a level of fasting but careful discernment should be taken with their parents to help find a special sacrifice to give to Our Lord.

Let us fast and pray that we may say Thy Will Be Done on Good Friday and like never before join Our Lord at the cross and bask in His mercy.

If you would like to participate in the Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting and have your name placed before the relic of the True Cross on March 16th, please email Blythe Kaufman at blythe.kaufman@gmail.com to give your name.

Please also email Blythe Kaufman if you have a child who would like to help with the Relics of the Passion Visit on March 16th at St. Helena Church in West Hartford CT. The event will begin at 7 PM. Children involved will be asked to come at 6:15 PM. 

Getting the Word Out

The kids have been busy putting up posters at local Churches about the upcoming visit of the Relics of the Passion on March 16th 2016.  The Children's Rosary will be hosting this visit at St. Helena Church in West Hartford CT.  The evening will begin at 7PM EST.  We hope those in driving distance will join us!  Those living far away we invite to unify prayers with us. We will pray for you!! 
The Relics of the Passion include:
A piece of the True Cross, which was discovered by St. Helena
A piece of the Holy Table (Mensae Coenae D.N.J.C), from the room where the Last Supper took place
A piece of the Column of Flagellation
A piece of the Crown of Thorns
A replica of the Holy Nail, fashioned using filings from the true nails, making it a relic of a lesser class.
A relic from the head of St. Longinus, the centurion who pierced the side of Christ
A picture of (the effigy of) the Veil of Veronica touched to the original with a Vatican seal attesting to the fact.
A piece of the exterior wrapping for the Shroud of Turin (Sindonis D.N.J.C.)

A special thank you to the Apostate for Holy Relics for providing these beautiful posters.

Please consider participating in our special Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting which will kick off at the Relics of the Passion. We will be bringing all the names of those participating in the Novena before the relic of the True Cross to lift up in prayer.  

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
Children's Rosary Theme Song Video
How to Start a Children's Rosary

"Confession is the Soul's Bath"

"Confession is the soul's bath. Even a clean and unoccupied room gathers dust; return after a week and you will see that it needs dusting again!" St. Pio of Pietrelcina
This photo was taken just before we began one of Our Children's Rosary meetings.  The picture was taken by a child of a child in Confession.  There is something very special about this picture. Maybe it is the light streaming in through the stained glass window upon the child that so beautifully represents the cleansing of the soul.  There is also something wonderful in the way the light hits the screen completely obscuring the identity of the priest. In this way, one can envision Our Lord listening with a bent ear to each detail.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we are told that when the priest "celebrates the sacrament of Penance, the priest is fulfilling the ministry of the Good Shepherd who seeks the lost sheep, of the Good Samaritan who binds up wounds, of the Father who awaits the prodigal son and welcomes him on his return, and of the just and impartial judge whose judgement is both just and merciful.  The priest is the sign and the instrument of God's merciful love for the sinner." (Catechism #1466)

In this Year of Mercy, there is a renewed call to come to the Sacrament of Mercy, and to come often. St. Padre Pio so beautiful illustrates how a soul, like our homes, needs frequent cleaning.

Other posts you may enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Nothing is Impossible with God
"Take Up and Read"

Sacrament of Mercy

Pope Francis inaugurated the "Year of Mercy" yesterday.  It was a beautiful decision to have the Year of Mercy begin on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  For Our Blessed Mother is always reminding us how her Son is full of love and compassion.  She takes us by the hand and leads us always in the direction of her Son.  Reminding us that his Heart is full of forgiveness.  


In October we received a note from our Children's Rosary group leader in Ashraf Town, Pakistan.  The Children's Rosary group there has been meeting daily all through the summer.  The children not only prayed in St. Joseph Church but also felt moved to go out of the Church and pray with the poor.  

These little children who have been praying so hard and sharing their love with so many were given a surprise in October.  A priest was able to come to their town and all the children in the Children's Rosary group were able to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time.  The children were so excited.  In such small towns a visit from a priest is a tremendous grace.  Seeing the pictures of the children so reverently receiving the Sacrament of Mercy it seemed a beautiful example of how Our Blessed Mother leads us to the sacraments and the merciful embrace of her Son.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
What to Do When One Keeps Stumbling
"Open Your Soul in Confession as You Would to Me, And I Will Fill It with My Light"