Further Fortification for Our Lady's Victory Garden

Each fall we humbly invite those involved with the Children's Rosary to do a 9 day fast. To the extent people are able we invite them to participate. Some are able to do a bread and water fast; others sacrifice something else. This year the fasting journey lasted from September 29-October 7. 

Recently we shared pictures of our garden, which is entirely enclosed. We likened it to spiritually gardening after one does a Consecration to Jesus through Mary. The fruits are protected. For so many years it was the squirrels that feasted off the kids' hard work in the garden. At the end of last year, we built this enclosure. We named the garden "Our Lady's Victory Garden." We could not believe the bounty we harvested from the garden this summer. 

During the fasting journey we had the idea to dig a trench around the outside of Our Lady's Victory garden and put wire mesh. In this way, going forward, if any critters try to dig down to access the garden, they will be prevented. In many ways it seemed this was a beautiful imagery of the fasting journey. The Consecration journey could be likened to the garden enclosure above ground. The fast, however, goes deep and provides yet further protection from even the most aggressive attacks. While we did not have animals digging this year, Our Lady's Victory Garden is ready for next growing season with yet further fortification.

We thought you might like to see some of our fall harvest of winter squash and gourds.

Four New Children's Rosary Groups form in the Diocese of Moshi, Tanzania!

We received new from Fr. Ruwaichi who is the Education Director for the Catholic Diocese of Moshi, Tanzania that a number of new Children's Rosary groups have formed. We have sent Fr. Ruwaichi two large barrels of rosaries this year containing 17,287 rosaries to help with these efforts. In Our Lady's month of the Rosary, it is beautiful to see the children using the rosaries.

The picture at the top of the post features the new Children's Rosary at St. Monica Parish in Moshi Diocese, Tanzania. They meet to pray the Rosary each Sunday evening.  

The children featured above kneeling in prayer are part of the new Children's Rosary at Holy Spirit Parish - Mango. They meet Sunday evenings and Saturdays. 

This is the Children's Rosary at St. Anthony of Padua - Mbahe Aris Parish in Moshi Tanzania. They meet every Saturday and Sunday evening to pray. 

This Children's Rosary recently formed at St. Dioinis of Aropagite Church-Kawawa in the Catholic Diocese of Moshi.

Our Lady's Victory Garden

 

Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. For many years this feast day honored Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Victory. For indeed Our Lady through the Rosary and her powerful intercession leads us to Victory. For many years we have had a vegetable garden in our yard. Our family and especially our kids worked very hard tending the garden. Yet we saw almost no yield from the garden. But then last year we enclosed the garden with wire. It is entirely enclosed with a door in the front. No critters can gain entry. This year we have been overwhelmed with the harvest that in prior years had gone to the squirrels that patrolled our garden. 

Many are finishing a 33 Day Consecration journey to Jesus through Mary today. In the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut Archbishop Blair and the Shepherds of the Diocese have been leading a Consecration using the book Child Consecration: To Jesus through Mary—Following in the Spirit of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower. In many ways Our Lady's Victory Garden is a great image for gardening after Consecration. Through Our Lady's protection we now have a bounty of vegetables. She has protected them. Indeed there is still work to be done in the garden but it far less and the work that is done yields fruits that remain and are not taken. 

We thought we would share some of the different veggies that have been grown in the garden!

Hail Holy Queen Conference on Radio Maria Ireland

Tune in on October 9th on Radio Maria Ireland for the Hail Holy Queen Conference. At 3:15pm local time in Ireland, Blythe Kaufman, the founder of the Children's Rosary will be speaking. You can listen to Radio Maria Ireland on SAORVIEW Channel 210. The Listen live line +353 (0) 1 4373277. More information at https://www.radiomaria.ie/

We are happy to share that the Children's Rosary is spreading in a beautiful way in Ireland! There is great excitement to form groups and we are actively working with many individuals who have a desire to initiate the Children's Rosary in their parishes and also in the local parochial schools. Please pray for these efforts. 

Rosary Procession led by the Children's Rosary in Shendam Diocese, Nigeria

We received an email from Fr. Paul Miapkwap of Nigeria on October 1st. He wrote:

"Today is our Independence Day in Nigeria. The Catholic bishops conference asked all Dioceses in Nigeria to say the Rosary for peace and unity in our country." In Shendam Dicoese the Children's Rosary members led the Rosary procession and prayers". 

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