Patiently Waiting in Ireland, France, and Canada

Join the Children's Rosary by putting a "Patiently Waiting" sign in your window as a beautiful reminder of where our hearts can be found as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. On Christmas replace the sign with one that reads, "Christ is Born". This marks the tenth anniversary of the Children's Rosary Patiently Waiting Campaign. We have been receiving pictures from different countries showing their Patiently Waiting signs. The picture above is from the Derry diocese in Ireland. The picture below is from a school classroom in Tullamore, Ireland. 

We have even had participation in France. The picture below was submitted by one of our Children's Rosary group leaders in Cahors, France.

Zosia a member of the Children's Rosary from Ontario, Canada shared her creative sign which showed a donkey from the manger scene waiting for the birth of Our Lord.

It is not too late to put up a "Patiently Waiting" sign in your window.

Fr. Paul Miapkwap of Nigeria Visits Children's Rosary Group in Iowa, USA

On September 4, 2024, Fr. Paul Miapkwap of the Shendam Diocese of Nigeria was able to visit the Children's Rosary at Sacred Heart School in Boone, Iowa. The Children's Rosary at Shendam Cathedral and the Children's Rosary in Boone united in prayer together via Zoom in 2022, and a wonderful relationship was created between these two groups. 

Deb Franzenburg, who helped bring the Children's Rosary to Sacred Heart School, has worked closely with Fr. Paul Miapkwap, who brought the Children's Rosary to the Shendam Diocese of Nigeria. Both are shown above. 

Deb Franzenburg shared, Fr. Paul arrived in Boone Tuesday evening, but our day "officially" began on Wednesday, Sept. 4, in our church (Sacred Heart). Fr. Paul was introduced to the children, and we allowed for some question-and-answer time as a whole school. Following that, we prayed part of the Children's Rosary (picture included). We toured the school and visited with the children in three groups (middle school, upper elementary, and lower elementary). Fr. Paul shared about life in Nigeria, his current academic status, and even the color of the plane he flew in. He enjoyed recess and played Gaga Ball for the first time. Lastly, he celebrated Mass with us as a school before we took him back to Minnesota.   

Fr. Paul was touched to see pictures of the students from Nigeria grace our hallways. We also made several videos for him to take back for sharing.

I was honored to have the opportunity to meet Fr. Paul in person (after being introduced to him just a few years ago). I could never have predicted that we would be blessed with this opportunity. My husband and I were also privileged to drive him back to Minnesota allowing us another four hours of visiting time.

This is a lovely example of how the Children's Rosary is creating friendships and fellowship through prayer.

Invitation from Bishop Donal McKeown to Join 33 Day Consecration Journey

Join Bishop McKeown and priests of the diocese of Derry, Ireland for a 33 Day Consecration Journey starting January 9, 2025 and concluding on February 11, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. 

Bishop Donal has recorded a lovely invitation video which can be viewed HERE.

There is also more information on the Diocesan website page: 

https://www.derrydiocese.org/consecration

The Derry Diocesan magazine the Net has also been including information and articles about the upcoming Consecration journey. Two of the articles are included below:

To view the December issue of the Net click HERE.

December 2024 Meeting of the Children's Rosary in Fulda, Germany

Today we received some lovely pictures from the Children's Rosary in Fulda, Germany. 

They are prayerfully preparing for the coming of Christ. 

Children Gather as Shepherds and Angels

The Children's Rosary in Crossboyne, Ireland, wanted to humbly invite other Children's Rosary groups to consider making meetings in December more special by dressing up as shepherds and angels as they meet to hold their Children's Rosary. The Children's Rosary at Knock Shrine will be holding such a Rosary with the children dressed as angels and shepherds on December 23, 2024. 

Children's Rosary at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Connecticut Turns Twelve!

 

The first meeting of the Children's Rosary at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Connecticut, was held on December 8, 2012. It was among some of the first Children's Rosary groups to form. The first group was located in West Hartford, Connecticut, and met on April 10, 2011.

The two pictures above are from the meeting of the Children's Rosary on December 7, 2024, at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. This group has faithfully met on the first Saturday of the month before the Vigil Mass. Many parishioners come early to Mass to pray along with the children. We thank this group and the group leaders that have sacrificed so much to allow this Children's Rosary to turn twelve!

Reflections from the first meeting at the Basilica can be viewed HERE.

Day of the Little Candles Celebrated in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA

On this the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we wanted to share pictures of the lanterns honoring Our Blessed Mother placed on our doorstep. This is a Colombian Tradition which we have been participating in since 2012.

To learn how to make the lanterns, click HERE.

A Colombian Tradition for the Eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

In 2012 we became aware of a lovely Colombian Tradition: the Day of the Little Candles or Día de las Velitas.  On the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception lanterns are set out with candles inside.  The lanterns often depict Our Blessed Mother.  Three years ago the Children's Rosary participated for the first time in this tradition by making lanterns.  We have continued this tradition and again set out lanterns tonight.  We said a little prayer to Our Blessed Mother that she would bless all the members of the  Children's Rosary. The picture above was taken at our home in 2015. We try to participate each year.

For those of you who may like to participate we have posted step by step instructions of how to make these lanterns.

Anniversary Celebration for Bishop Philip Davou Dung

On November 29, 2024, Bishop Philip Dung of the Shendam Diocese of Nigeria celebrated 40 years of being a priest. The Children's Rosary arranged for a Mass to be celebrated for him on November 29, 2024. Members of the Children's Rosary from the United States, Germany, Belgium, and Ireland contributed to a spiritual bouquet of 54 decades of the Rosary for Bishop Dung. The Children's Rosary in Germany also arranged for 9 consecutive Masses to be celebrated for him. The Children's Rosary in Cahors, France prayed for Bishop Dung during their meeting in November. They shared the picture below.

We received this lovely picture at the top of this post from the celebration where one of the members of the Children's Rosary from Nigeria presented him with a card. We thank Bishop Dung for his strong support of the Children's Rosary.

New Children's Rosary in Saint Maximin, France

We received some lovely pictures from the new Children's Rosary at the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene in Saint Maximin, France. They meet weekly each Wednesday evening in front of the Blessed Sacrament. These pictures are from their December 4th meeting.

This Children's Rosary had their first meeting on October 17, 2024. Two families attended with 7 children total.

We warmly welcome this new Children's Rosary group.

Ten Year Anniversary of the Children's Rosary Patiently Waiting Campaign

Join the Children's Rosary by putting a "Patiently Waiting" sign in your window as a beautiful reminder of where our hearts can be found as we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. On Christmas replace the sign with one that reads, "Christ is Born". This marks the tenth anniversary of the Children's Rosary Patiently Waiting Campaign. We have had participation through the years from many countries, such as Ireland, Belgium, Scotland, England, Italy, Mexico, Ecuador, Pakistan, Uganda, the Philippines, Vietnam, and the United States. Please consider participating. Please also send us a picture of the Patiently Waiting Sign in your window, and tell us where you are from, and we will try to feature these pictures through Advent. Email pictures to blythe@chlidrensrosary.org.

Below is a German version of the flyer. We thank Heidi Sotelo Duran Dümmling, one of our Children's Rosary leaders from Germany, for designing the attached flyers. The flyers highlight signs from the United States, Belgium, and Pakistan.