Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 2019

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. The drawing above was given to us by one of the members of the Children's Rosary in Uganda. We treasure these drawings that were shared with us during our trip to Africa. They give a beautiful window into the hearts of these young ones, who through the Rosary, in a special way contemplate Our Lord's Crucifixion and also the suffering Our Lady endured at the foot of the Cross.

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. One of my kids took this picture of the rosaries we were gathering to send to one of the Children's Rosary groups. In looking at all these crosses something occurred to me, albeit very obvious, the Rosary is anchored to the cross. The Rosary leads you straight to the cross. The Rosary is Christ centered. Although it is often associated with Mary there can be no doubt the goal: to bring you closer to Our Lord. 
The Gospel today reminds us, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Bringing Our Crosses to Our Lord

At the beginning of Lent our Pastor invited parishioners to construct a cross at home and bring it to the Church to be placed on the left or right of the Altar. He encouraged us to bring our crosses to Our Lord both the physical one and also our spiritual crosses. 

He shared that this was a Lithuanian tradition of building crosses. On a recent trip to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Asher and I were able to see an altar that had an image of those crosses in Lithuania. 

My older son, Kostin, who loves to construct things was so excited to respond to the invitation from our Pastor. The next Saturday a few crosses appeared at the Church. The cross the Pastor made was in the center (second picture from the top). Our cross was to the left (also shown in the top picture). After constructing the first cross, I began to see Kostin gathering materials on our walks from Mass. Pieces of bark and sticks began appearing in a pile by the back door. I could see his mind was working on another cross. As Lent progressed more crosses appeared beside the altar brought by different families (see below). 

The larger cross also began to take shape in our backyard. This Scripture quote comes to mind:

"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

This Good Friday I found myself sick with the flu. My son Asher could see I was suffering. He asked what can I do? I said, "just be with me". Then I looked at the cross. I could understand how Our Lord just wants us to be with Him..to rest with Him in our suffering. He too in His suffering did not want to be alone. 

No words were necessary from my son only his presence next to me. This was an incredible comfort. From his presence I understood more deeply how Our Lord wishes us to be with Him in the quiet.  In this experience, I more deeply understood Our Lord's desire to have us close. Not for speaking in these moments but simply being with Him in silence.

A Child's Cross Made Out of Snow

Yesterday afternoon around 3PM we gathered to say the Rosary. Outside the wind howled and snow swirled. We were in the middle of the "bomb cyclone".  As we described yesterday, the size and severity of this storm were considerable. While the kids had spent some of the day outside, an idea came just before starting the Rosary. 

The idea was to make a large Cross on our front lawn out of snow. Kostin, our 13 year old son, was so excited by this idea he could barely last through the Rosary. Light would be going quickly as the days are short in the winter and the temperatures were dropping.  Both our boys headed out. Kostin told Asher he would need help.The vertical tower went up fast. Watching from the window and seeing the wind I began to think I was watching a Jenga game. One after another buckets of snow were pilled on top of one another reaching to almost 7 feet. A step stool was even brought out.  It was with the last bucket at around 7 feet tall that the whole column went tumbling down. Oh, I thought nice try. But this would not deter the two. 

They were quickly back to making their column again. Water was added which quickly froze to help provide strength. The snow was very dry and would not stick together so water was needed.  Asher our 10 year old came in to reveal his gloves which had been dipped in the water now had icicles at the tip. His poor fingers were so cold. Work continued. The center column seemed stable but there was the question of how to  add the cross portion. Different attempts were made. One attempt with sticks did not work and caused a destabilized of the column and collapse.
Then Kostin had a clever idea. He rebuilt the column up to the level of where he would have the cross begin and taking a board he stuck it in a bucket of snow. He did this on both ends making a dumbbell shape. Then the two boys tried to lift it. They struggled together in the wind. It was a mighty feat to raise it up high enough. And then it was there in place. There was excitement but within moments it was down again. The board now was taken up by Kostin who beat it into the snow. The attempts went on well after dark. It was hard to believe they could stand the cold. Yet they did. 

But as 7PM came, the troops were tired. There was only a heap of snow...no cross. I encouraged Kostin that the following day he could try again. Indeed, with the new day he asked to go out and try again. This time he went out alone. The wind was so cold. After a long time of working he came inside. He wanted to show us the Cross he had made. It stood beautifully in front of our house. The sign in our window was also visible that said Christ is Born. I could not get over how cold it was when I went outside and could not believe he had been out for so long. After Asher took a few pictures, Kostin went to work with a new idea. 

He wanted to add rays to the Cross. He used icicles that had formed on the side of our house to make the rays. Kostin came to call us out again to see the final creation. It was just noon on the First Friday of the Month which seemed appropriate. As we stood in front of the house looking at this Cross a car went by and beeped. It was the priest from the Church near our house. We screamed and pointed at the Cross. We were so excited for someone to see it. 

There had been so much work...so many failed attempts in the cold and wind but perseverance had payed off. There was a beautiful pure white Cross that stood despite the beating wind that blew against it. The Cross had glistening rays of ice that came forth from the Cross harkening to Easter only a few months away and also to the Mercy of Our Lord. We took a moment to Consecrate this Cross to Jesus through Mary. It was a gift from the heart given with love. We sprayed the Cross with holy water we had for blessing our house. We wanted it to be a blessed Cross that might touch hearts. We prayed before the Cross for our family but also for all the members of the Children's Rosary. You were with us during this project. We are so excited to share this Cross made out of snow with all of you.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

Bomb Cyclone

Celebrating Christ's Birth
A Countryside Transformed through Prayer
Don't forget to unify prayers with the children during their meetings. A schedule of meetings is present on our website. By clicking "Join in Prayer" you can add your gold flashing light to our View from Heaven map.

For more information about the Children's Rosary visit our website: www.childrensrosary.org
Visite nuestro sitio web en español para obtener más información: www.rosariodeninos.org

The Children Honor Our Lord's Passion

The Children's Rosary at the House for Street Children of Imus in the Philippines shared these pictures from the Lenten Season. Nanette explained that the children during the meeting first prayed the Rosary and then made the Way of the Cross. The picture above is of the children genuflecting at the 14th Station of the Cross.  It is beautiful to see how the children have spent time with Our Lord contemplating his Passion. We thank all those from Imus who helped organize such a beautiful time of prayer for the children. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with the Children
Little Hands Rescue Jesus and Mary


Don't forget to unify prayers with the children during their meetings. A schedule of meetings is present on our website.  By clicking "Join in Prayer" you can add your gold flashing light to our View from Heaven map.

Visit of the Relics of the Passion

Dear Friends,
Please forgive my delay in sharing all the wonderful blessings from the visit of the Relics of the Passion on Wednesday.  It has been a difficult task to put into words the beauty of the evening.  This visit was a precious gift to the Children's Rosary. We are extremely grateful to the Apostolate for Holy Relics for adding St. Helena Church in West Hartford, Connecticut to their Tour of Mercy.  The children were so grateful that they were able to to help in hosting such special pieces from Our Lord's life.  While many children were able to attend, we carried all of you who live far away with us in our hearts.  

The children naturally seemed to love their role as hosts for the evening.  Children arrived early and quickly took to their places at each of the four entrances.  As each person arrived they were greeted and given a program and a blessed Children's Rosary bookmark.  People slowly made their way in and by 7PM the Church was full.  Eleven children volunteered to process into the Church with the relics.  They were each paired with a member of the Knight's of Columbus Color Guard.  The children carried symbols of each of the relics while the Knights held the relics. As the formal program began each relic was described and a reflection read about the relic.  
The relics included:
A piece of the True Cross, which was discovered by St. Helena
A piece of the Holy Table 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 fro the Shroud of Turin
First class relics of each of the12 Apostles.

During each reading a relic was held up by a Knight and a member of the Children's Rosary elevated a symbol.  In some cases two children held symbols of each relic.  One of the things that was particularly evident to those attending was the care and respect that the children took in honoring Our Lord.  Denise Serafini who represented the Apostolate for Holy Relics that evening shared:
"I can't thank the (children) enough for the reverent way in which they took part.  The example that they set is a true indication of just how much Our Lady loves them for their devotion."

After all the meditations were read for the 9 relics there was time for personal veneration. A line was formed and slowly each person had a chance for personal veneration.  Children came forward with their families.  Two of our members Nathan and Hannah came with their grandmother.  Each was blessed with the relic of the true cross over their heart.  The Scripture quote came to mind several times that evening, "Let the children come to me"(Mark 10:14).  Indeed, the children did come.  These children knew well about the Passion through their prayers of the Rosary.  They came to love and console Our Lord.  In their innocence and purity the simplicity of their gifts touched many hearts.  

During the veneration I was able to come before each of the 9 relics and recommend all the members of the Children's Rosary.  I also prayed for all the intentions submitted to the Children's Rosary, holding our intention sheet to each relic.  In a special way all the hearts with the names of those joining our Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting were touched to each relic and those individuals lifted up in prayer.  The evening extended several hours and each person was able to spend time praying before each relic.  Some of the children and adults felt moved to go up multiple times.  Pastor Fr. Crowley and Fr. Dawson offered the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the time of veneration.  Many families availed themselves of this grace.  

The evening was very special. The Children's Rosary wishes to express our gratitude first to Our Lord for such a blessing to be able to honor his Passion in such a special way.  We wish to thank the Apostolate for Holy Relics for accepting our invitation to come.  A special thank you to the Knights of Columbus Color Guard for being part of the evening and in a special way mentoring the children.  We wish to thank Fr. Crowley and Fr. Dawson and the Parish of St. Helena who helped in welcoming this visit of the Relics of the Passion.  A thank you to all the musicians who shared their talents.  One of the last people to venerate the relics was the gentlemen who played the violin.  He brought his instrument to touch each relic.  It was so moving to see such a souls taking what they have been given and using it to glorify God.  We pray that through our Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting which began on February 17th that each one of us may say, "Your will be done" and in so doing allow all of our gifts to be used in honor of God.

Your Friend in Christ,
Blythe

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

I Thirst

Image taken at the chapel of the Missionaries of Charity
where we held a Children's Rosary with the sisters and many children yesterday

Tomorrow we celebrate the Exultation of the Holy Cross.  In a special way we would like to bring Our Lord more souls in prayer to satiate the thirst He has for souls. May we humbly ask you to help us quench Our Lord's thirst for souls and help spread the Children's Rosary in your parish.  We have been praying that more children would be brought to Him in prayer.  While the steps to begin a Children's Rosary are not easy, they are simple.  Yet we have many children already praying that your efforts will be fruitful.  Sometimes we measure how fruitful our efforts are by earthly standards.  No matter how many children come your efforts to bring Our Lord souls is such a gift.  To enter into the thirst Our Lord has for souls is to come very deep into His all loving heart. 

Right now the Children's Rosary is trying to reach many children all over the world.  We are doing it very simply and with very little but still there are costs of materials and the expense to reach people all over the world.  If you can spare even a small amount for a donation this would greatly help our efforts.  Please know the children pray for all who help the Children's Rosary each time they meet. To donate click on the side button on the right top margin of the screen called donate or mail a donation made out to Children's Rosary Inc. and mail to: 
PO Box 271743
West Hartford CT USA.  

Thank you all so much!!!

The following Children's Rosary groups will be meeting over the next few days please consider unifying prayers with them from your home. The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Saturday September 13th
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Church in Nairobi, Kenya 8AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Michael's Church in Garden City South Carolina 10:30 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Parish in Corvallis Oregon 12 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lago Nigeria 1PM ET

Children's Rosary at St. Paul's Church in Fenton Missouri 7PM 

Sunday September 14th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Parish in Nottingham, England 9AM local time (4AM ET)
Children's Rosary at Assumption Church in Umoja, Kenya 7AM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Church in Nairobi, Kenya 8 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in South Windsor, CT 8:45 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford, CT 9:45 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in New Britain, CT 11AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston CT 11AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Logo, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Lorain, Ohio 3PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Children's Rosary at Annucnaiation Church in Hanover PA 4PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament
Monday September 15th
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Grace Home for Children in Meru, Kenya at 10 AM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Trinity Academy in Shenandoah, PA 12:20 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lago Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Church in Gladstone Michigan 4:30PM  ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac, New York 4:30 PM ET held in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Children's Rosary at Rose of Mystica House in Edmeston, NY 4:30 PM ET(FIRST MEETING)
Tuesday September 16th
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate, Lago Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Redeemer Parish in Menominee, Michigan 6PM ET

Materials to help begin a Children's Rosary group:
Children's Rosary book
Children's Rosary CDs which help one to hear how to run a Children's Rosary and have our new Children's Rosary theme song, "Rosary Children"
To hear our new Children's Rosary theme song "Rosary Children" click here.

How to Make a Cross out of Palms

Folding each palm in half

Let me begin by saying, I take no credit for anything presented here below.  This method of making a Palm into a cross was developed entirely by my 9 year old son during Mass today.  My first introduction to his handiwork was looking out from the altar where I had been lectoring during the sign of peace and from his seat he was waiving a Cross made of Palms.  His abilities were further endorsed by members of the Children's Rosary who asked for one of his crosses at the end of his Children's Rosary today.  This afternoon Kostin came down from his bedroom with a huge smile on his face and with an armful of Crosses. One he placed by a statue of Our Lady in our sun room where we say family prayer.  One he kindly gave to me and others were decorated around his room. Kostin also mentioned as he was doling out his treasures that he had spared several palms for the two boys who live next door ages 7 and 9 who were also able to make crosses. Seeing so many crosses the idea came that maybe others might want to make a cross, as the means to do so did not seem obvious to me.
Well enough about the back story lets get to making a cross.

slipping the V of one palm through the other palm

Materials needed:
Two Palms
A scissor

Steps
1. Take your palm and peal off a thin strip longitudinally from one of its sides.  Do this step again for the other palm.  Now you have the material "string" which will be used to tie the cross later in the process.
2. Take each of your two crosses and fold them in half forming a V shape
3. Once folded take one palm and slip the V of the palm through the V of the other palm.  Now it should look like a Cross. 
4. Now take the palm "string" you made and pass it under the cross and make a single tie at the center.
5. Flip the cross over and tie again with the same string. 
6. Now make a double knot . Please use force making the knot and hold it for a minute so the palm keeps the "memory" of the desired position. 
7. Cut off the ends leaving about a half of an inch tale so it does not slip out.  

Optional variation not photographed.  If the free arm end of the cross is too long or rough looking one can bend that arm in and tuck it into the side where one made the knot.  This gives a more refined look.

Extra pieces of palms Kostin suggests giving to your Church next year to be burnt for the Ashes used on Ash Wednesday. They often collect them in baskets the weekend before Palm Sunday. (Kostin also mentioned he would like to burn some of his extra materials on his birthday in our fire pit. This seemed acceptable as blessed items should be either buried or burned if one would like to get rid of them). 

Thank you all for joining us and may Our Lord bless you abundantly. Amen.

Other posts you may enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary

Children's Rosary Today at Our Lady of Fatima Church

John Paul II in New Orleans, USA 1987
 photo credit: Times Picayune

JOIN US IN PRAYER

The Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Hartford, CT USA will be meeting today at 4:00PM ET.  As today is the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross we hope many will feel moved to join the children in prayer either at the Church or from your home.  The children always pray for all those unifying their prayers with them.

Some weeks ago during a novena to Pope John Paul II, I happened on this picture of John Paul taken during his trip to the United States.  There was something so wonderful about this image.  As if the Holy Father was being supported by Our Crucified Lord and hence the whole Church rested on the strength of the Cross.  As Pope John Paul II so loved the Holy Rosary it is my prayer today that he will join us at 4PM in prayer of the Holy Rosary with Our Blessed Mother.   May we embrace Our Lord on the cross and hold Him to our own heart.  For Our Lord said when He was lifted up, He would draw all men to Himself.  On this beautiful Feast of the Triumph of the Cross may a great many souls today be brought to the loving embrace of Our Savior who so beautifully showed us His Love to the end.

A New Meaning to Suffering

"By His passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to Him and unite us with His redemptive Passion."(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1505)

The Catholic Church teaches us in our Catechism that:

The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the "one mediator between God and men". But because in His incarnate Divine Person He has in some way united Himself to every man, "the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery" is offered to all men. He calls his disciples to "take up [their] cross and follow [him]", for "Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example so that [we] should follow in his steps." In fact Jesus desires to associate with His redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. This is achieved supremely in the case of his mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering. (Catechism 618)

May we never forget the depths of Our Lord Jesus' love that brought Him to the cross for our salvation.  In contemplation of that sacrifice may we unify even our smallest suffering to that of Our Lord's suffering on the Cross for the benefit of souls. Amen 

Suffering is a Sign that I Am With You

Yesterday while I was saying my rosaries and prayers I found my mind wandering and felt a physical tiredness which made deep prayer difficult.  I felt the Lord needed my prayers in a special way but seemed unable to give him true heart felt prayers.  I hoped that even though much of my prayers were more my mouth moving than my heart, that the effort to say them none the less had some value.

Kostin, my seven year old son and I set out this morning for 8AM daily Mass.  He was running ahead and I was in prayer.  My head was down and I thought that I was looking at the sidewalk but with out any warning my right ankle twisted sharply.  I nearly fell and turning around there was a large chunk of wood that I had clearly stepped squarely on.  I felt as though my ankle touched the ground and for someone with my genetic problem with joints this could be catastrophic.  My first thought was to tell Jesus I loved Him.  I told Him, I love You if this is a horrible injury and I love You if there is a small injury.  These words came from deep inside my heart.  The fear that confronted me hurdled me next to Jesus.  It was as though I went from a mile away to standing right beside Him.  I could feel the closeness in my heart.  I was praying with my whole being and I could feel His presence and Love.  I repeated, Jesus I trust in you and a peace entered inside of me.  Fear left me and joy was there.  The words Jesus spoke to St. Faustina played in my head “Suffering is a sign that I am with you”.  He had in one second taken hold of my soul and pulled it in close to His.  It was a wonderful place to be.  I could appreciate with all my being that suffering is a gift from God.  What hours of prayer had been unable to bring, suffering coupled with prayer and trust had done in one instant.

Jesus tells us:

“there is no way to heaven except the way of the cross. I followed it first. You must learn that it is the shortest way.... I am giving you a share in those sufferings because of My special love for you and in view of the high degree of holiness I am intending for you in Heaven. A suffering soul is closer to My heart.” (Words spoken by Jesus to St. Faustina diary 1487)