Children's Rosary

The Children's Rosary® is a prayer group movement that was begun out of love for Our Lady and Her Son. Jesus tells us "Truly, I say to you unless you turn and become like children you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 18:3). The Children's Rosary is an effort to begin in parishes rosary prayer groups composed of children and led by children. Through prayer of the Rosary Our Lady will guide our young people while at the same time sanctify families and Parishes.

Showing posts with label Holy Spirit. Show all posts

Sunday, May 20, 2018

"Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire"

The picture above was done by Abigail a member of the Children's Rosary when she was just 6 years old. It captures in a special way the vibrance and magnificence of the Feast! There are many graces that are available to us this day and we should remember to ask for them.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:

Wisdom - Embodying all the other gifts. Wisdom strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of the virtues in the highest degree.
Understanding - Helps us grasp the meanings of the truths of our holy religion. By faith we know them, by understanding we appreciate and relish them.
Counsel - Endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances.
Fortitude - Strengthen us to do the will of God in all things.
Knowledge - Enables the soul to evaluate things at their true worth in their relation to God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity.
Piety - Begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. Piety finds the practice of religion not a burdensome duty but a delightful service.
Fear of the Lord - Fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin.

A novena of 9 Masses was completed yesterday for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Children's Rosary. We pray for all those who are involved with the Children's Rosary that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit. While the evil one scatters and causes division the Holy Spirit is the unifier. The Holy Spirit is especially important in strengthening families. Thus on this Feast of Pentecost, may we invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts and homes.

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Children Help to Construct Church Named after the Holy Spirit

We are excited to share that there is a new Catholic Church in Kotly Raet Wali Pakistan. The realization of this is a witness of prayer. In particular the prayers of children.

Children in this village have been meeting regularly as a Children's Rosary prayer group. They were an outpost of a central parish but in their village there was no Catholic Church. In faithfulness they continued to pray. Then families in the village began to discuss the possibility of building a Church. The children helped in gathering people together and putting on a prayer event outside. (see picture below)

Those in attendance could donate to the building of the Church. As a result funds were gathered.

The construction began. The name chosen for the new Church was Holy Spirit Church.

The Children's Rosary group requested a statue of Mary for the tiny church as they had none. A statue was kindly donated to the Children's Rosary by the TFP and sent to Pakistan. The group leader received the package in Pakistan!! Our Lady was intact with no damage from the long trip.

There was some delay in bringing Our Lady to the Church as they were working on a permanent ceiling for the Church.

The picture below is the new secure ceiling which was completed in time for Pentecost!

The children also helped in the construction of the Church. It is beautiful to see how Our Lady leads the children in prayer to give honor to God in all three persons including the Holy Spirit. The group leader of the Children's Rosary in Kotli Rait Wali said the community is very happy.

Thursday, May 10, 2018

When the Advocate Comes

Today we celebrate Ascension Thursday. In a little over a week it will be Pentecost. Our Lord promises great graces when the Advocate comes.

This is an exciting and blessed time of year. We wish to make good use of our time and ask for all the graces that are available.

The Children's Rosary is planning a 9 day novena of Masses to begin on May 11th and conclude on May 19th for an Outpouring of the Holy Spirit into the Children's Rosary. If you would like to make a donation to help us with this effort and contribute to this gift to the Holy Spirit we would be most grateful.

Additionally we invite you to pray a Novena to the Holy Spirit.

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Dearest Holy Spirit, confiding in Your deep, personal love for me, I am making this novena for the following request, if it be Your Holy Will to grant it:(mention your request).

Teach me, Divine Spirit, to know and seek my last end; grant me the holy fear of God; grant me true contrition and patience. Do not let me fall into sin. Give me an increase of faith, hope and charity, and bring forth in my soul all the virtues proper to my state in life.

Make me a faithful disciple of Jesus and an obedient child of the Church. Give me efficacious grace sufficient to keep the Commandments and to receive the Sacraments worthily.

Give me the four Cardinal Virtues, Your Seven Gifts, Your Twelve Fruits.
Raise me to perfection in the state of life to which You have called me and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life.
I ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
(novena obtained from EWTN website)

The Friday after Ascension Thursday is the day Mary and the Apostles began the very first novena to the Holy Spirit. May we too begin a novena this day calling down the Spirit to blow through our hearts, families, and world as it did at the very first Pentecost. Consider including our Children’s Rosary petition in your novena:

MAY THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY, THEIR FAMILIES, THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY INCLUDING OUR PRIESTS, OUR BISHOP AND OUR HOLY FATHER THE POPE BE THE EXTENDED HANDS OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND HER SON. MAY WE GATHER A GREAT MANY SOULS ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE LORD. MAY WE EXPERIENCE RENEWAL OF FAMILY PRAYER AND SPREAD IT ACROSS THE GLOBE. IN A SPECIAL WAY WE ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE EACH ONE OF US ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.

When thinking of the Holy Spirit the image of water rushing down comes to mind. One of the most powerful waterfalls in the world is Niagara Falls. Our Family had a chance to visit Niagara Falls on the way back from a Catholic Conference two years ago. The pictures included in this post were taken on the Canadian side of the falls. There is indeed great power in the water that rushes down the falls but this pales in comparison to the graces that could be poured into each of us, our families and the Children's Rosary on Pentecost. Wow! Let us not miss this chance to experience such an outpouring of grace when the Advocate comes.

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Happy Feast of Pentecost!

Wishing all the members of the Children's Rosary a blessed Pentecost.

Tonight during our Rosary the children and I prayed in a special way that the Holy Spirit would refresh, invigorate, inspire and sustain our existing Children's Rosary groups and their group leaders.

Thank you all for your faithful efforts.

The painting above was done by Abigail, at age 6, who is one of the members of the Children's Rosary.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Novena to the Holy Spirit

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Lord Give Me Wisdom

The first reading in Mass today spoke so beautifully about the value of seeking Wisdom:

"When I was young and innocent,

I sought wisdom openly in my prayer

I prayed for her before the temple,

and I will seek her until the end,

and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.

My heart delighted in her,

My feet kept to the level path

because from earliest youth I was familiar with her". (Sir 51:13-15)

Throughout the New and Old Testament we are told of the importance of Wisdom. The reading above is particularly interesting in that it speaks not only of praying for this gift but also of the value of seeking the gift of wisdom when one is young and innocent. The reading goes on to say that because from earliest youth he was familiar with wisdom his feet were kept to the level path. This is such a beautiful way for a child to begin his or her journey. To possess this precious gift from an early age is to "walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble." (Proverbs 4:23)

Indeed today at Mass the priest suggested that daily we should ask for the gift of Wisdom. He tried to think for a moment about a person who would not benefit from this request and he concluded in saying, yes we should all make this our daily prayer. Recently during a novena to the Holy Spirit leading up to Pentecost I had the chance to read more about this gift of the Holy Spirit in the Novena written by the Archdiocese of Hartford. This was their description of the gift of Wisdom:

The gift of wisdom is nothing less than loving, contemplative union with God, which makes it possible for us to see all things from a divine perspective. When it is understood in its full breadth, wisdom can rightly be called "communion," since it is a share in divine life, a union made perfect in the truth of love. Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. It strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree.

Thus may I humbly suggest that we should waste no time in seeking this precious gift. May we daily ask: LORD GIVE ME WISDOM.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
"Light Spreads Darkness Stays Where It Is"
Global Rosary Relay for Priests
How To Start A Children's Rosary

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Thank You Holy Spirit

This is a painting done by one of our Children's Rosary members, Emily, who is just 6 years old. She and her two older brothers belong to the Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Becket Church in Cheshire, Connecticut USA. Their group recently visiting two nursing homes. The most recent visit was yesterday where they held a Children's Rosary at a nursing home where Sisters of the Sacred Heart live.

Emily and her brothers very much enjoy sharing their music and on one occasion have brought their instruments to the Children's Rosary. Emily was able to play Ave Maria in between the decades on her violin. It is especially beautiful that these little ones see the role of the Holy Spirit in their lives and their ability to honor God.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Come Holy Spirit

Tomorrow is the beautiful Feast of Pentecost. In a special way we are praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all the members of the Children's Rosary. The Catechism of the Catholic Church speaks so beautifully of how important are the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit:

"The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. these are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit." (1830 Catechism of the Catholic Church)

"The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations." (1831 Catechism of the Catholic Church)

Indeed to be docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit is to be the fertile soil Our Lord speaks of when seeds are sown along the road (Matthew 13:8, Mark 4:20) . Children in a beautiful way are open, trusting, pure. As children pray they too can hear the divine inspirations which as parents we hope will help to guide them in a path of holiness throughout their life.

One of the members of the Children's Rosary Brigid age 10 drew the picture above. It is so beautiful to see children contemplating the mysteries of our faith and praying that they too may take part in them.

During this week we have many children coming together in Children's Rosary Prayer groups around the world. Please consider joining them in prayer. The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Friday May 22
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Orange TX 7:05AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's School in Pontiac IL at 9AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Saurday May 23rd
Children's Rosary at St. Michael the Archangel Parish, held in the Kiberna slum in Langatta Nairobi Kenya 10 AM local time
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Corvallis Oregon 12PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary of St. Thomas Becket Cheshire CT meeting at Nursing home at 2:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Chrarity Convent in Bridgeport CT 2:30 PM ET
Childrne's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish Talcoban City, Philippines 3PM local time.
Sunday May 24th Pentecost
Children's Rosary at Our Lady and St. Patrick Parish in Nottingham, England 9AM local time
Children's Rosasry at Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Nairobi, Kenya 6AM ET
Children's Rosary at Assumption Church in Umoja, Kenya 7AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Paul's Parish in Negaunee, Michigan 9AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Pontiac, IL 9AM CT
Children's Rosary at St. Margaret Church in Waterbury, CT 10AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Mary's Church in Derby, CT 11 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, CT 11AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist in Hopkington MA 11:15 AM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Patrick's Church in Tacoma, WA 11:30 AM PT
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at the Daughters of Charity Convent in Bridgeport, CT 2:30 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. Anthony Church in Loraine, Ohio 3PM ET in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
Monday April 25th
Children's Rosary at St. Joseph Church in Wakefield, MA 9:30 AM ET
Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Grace Hope for Children in Meru, Kenya 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 Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Family Church in Gladston, Michigan 4:40 PM ET
Children's Rosary at St. John the Evangelist Church in Mahopac, New York 4:30 PM ET
Tuesday April 26th
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Estate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Holy Redeemer Parish in Menominee, Michigan 6PM ET
Wednesday April 27th
Children's Rosary at St. Keiran School in Queensland Australia 8AM local time
Children's Rosary at St. Augustine Church in Iba Esate Lagos, Nigeria 1PM ET
Children's Rosary at Immaculate Conception Church in Shelbyville, Illinois 4:30 CT
Other Posts you may enjoy:
Do you have 30 minutes a Month?
How to Start a Children's Rosary
EWTN Interview About the Children's Rosary

Thursday, May 21, 2015

"With These Beads We are Building a World of Peace and Love"

This is one of the phrases in our Children's Rosary theme song: Rosary Children. Indeed it so beautifully describes how members of the Children's Rosary around the world are helping to build a new world- one full of peace and love. They are not doing it forcefully but rather gently through the prayer of the Rosary. Yet to use the word gentle does not mean that their efforts are any less affective.

To see pictures of children from around the world praying one begins to see the beauty that lays before us. The following line in the song Rosary Children goes on to say:
"In the heart of Mary joy is all we carry".

Indeed children bring joy. From the tiniest little one looking up at you to your own child kneeling in prayer. A joy comes from seeing children. They are authentic. Even Pope Francis describes in his general audience on March 18th 2015, "children smile spontaneously and cry spontaneously. It always depends on the heart."
As we approach Pentecost news seems to be coming from all around the world. New Children's Rosary groups sprouting in all corners of the globe. Children's Rosary materials are being translated into more and more languages so no child is excluded. Last night news comes that work is underway to complete a braille translation of our Children's Rosary book and already there is a blind women in need of these materials. She would like to begin a Children's Rosary prayer group in her parish.

Whether we have physical sight or not there is an appreciation for the beauty that bringing our children together in prayer creates. To speak last night with this lovely women who felt so strongly of the importance of bringing our children together in prayer in this way. She has never seen the pictures of the children kneeling in prayer as she is blind but in her heart she speaks of the beauty. She did not see her inability to see as a barrier to beginning a group, instead she spoke of all she could do and the excitement to reach out to her pastor and share news of the Children's Rosary.

More and more people are reaching out from towns and cities in distant places.
Universally there is a thirst for the joy of children. Their is an appreciation of how important these prayer groups are in the lives of the children and the Church Universal. To have children kneeling in prayer draws down a river of grace that flows not only into the hearts of the children but also continues on into their families, parishes, and towns. As more children are finding this support in their prayer lives and growing in the love of Our Lord more and more rivers are created. They continue until they find other rivers and the current becomes stronger. This river that is now moving swiftly carries the voices of children praying and is creating a ripple of hope and joy moving outward. To see our future, the children, coming together in prayer in all these sometimes tiny little Children's Rosary prayer groups one begins to see the springtime ahead of us.
Thank you all and God Bless.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Begin a Children's Rosary
Children's Rosary CD with theme song Rosary Children
Children's Rosary Book

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Children's Rosary: Novena to the Holy Spirit

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Dearest Holy Spirit, confiding in Your deep, personal love for me, I am making this novena for the following request, if it be Your Holy Will to grant it:(mention your request*).

Make me a faithful disciple of Jesus and an obedient child of the Church. Give me efficacious grace sufficient to keep the Commandments and to receive the Sacraments worthily.

Give me the four Cardinal Virtues, Your Seven Gifts, Your Twelve Fruits.
Raise me to perfection in the state of life to which You have called me and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life.I ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.
(novena obtained from EWTN website)

*May the Holy Spirit blow through our hearts, families, parish and the Children's Rosary as in the first Pentecost bringing us a renewed Spirit of prayer and love of God and neighbor.

The Friday after Ascension Thursday is the day Mary and the Apostles began the very first novena to the Holy Spirit. May we too begin a novena calling down the Spirit to blow through our hearts, families, and parishes as in the first Pentecost bringing a renewed Spirit of prayer and love of God and neighbor.

The Children's Rosary annually prays a novena to the Holy Spirit during the nine days preceding Pentecost. It is my hope and prayer that both our children and parents may join in the prayers. In the Acts of the Apostles we are told that Jesus promises "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. And when He had said this, as they were looking on, He was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight." (Acts 1:8-9)

Ascension Thursday marks the departure of Jesus but we are assured that the Advocate is coming and this news is one of hope. This year our parish of St. Thomas has chosen various ways to celebrate Pentecost. One of those is to invite the parish to pray this novena in their homes. Last year members of the Children's Rosary from the parish prayed this novena and this year the whole parish is joining this prayer effort. This in itself is a beautiful testament to the power of the Holy Spirit and the graces which are bestowed upon those who seek the assistance of the Spirit. The novena prayer above is to be said daily for nine days beginning tomorrow May 10th.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Feast of the Transfiguration

I have always liked the Feast of the Transfiguration. When I was in high school at an all girls school of the Sacred Heart we were asked to pick one Gospel reading and write a homily. I chose the story of the Transfiguration. Part of my interest may have started on a trip to the Holy Land when I was 17 where I was able to go to the top of Mount Tabor and see where this miraculous event took place. The homily that I prepared in hind site was full of historical details and theological references. Today my love of the Feast draws from my time spent praying the luminous mysteries of the rosary. The fourth luminous mystery is the Transfiguration. My eight year old son likes to say it is when Jesus lights up. The fruit of this mystery is Desire For Holiness. Today during my walk to Mass with my daughter we prayed in a special way that all the members of the children's rosary and all associated with the children's rosary may receive this beautiful fruit of desire for holiness. I also associate the luminous mysteries with the work of the Holy Spirit and began a novena to the Holy Spirit the other night asking for His assistance in spiritual growth. I am including a link to this Novena for all those who are interested:

Novena to the Holy Spirit
Consecration to the Holy Spirit
Litany to the Holy Spirit
Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Litany to the Holy Spirit

Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us. God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

Divine Essence, one true God, Have mercy on us

Spirit of truth and wisdom, Have mercy on us

Spirit of holiness and justice, Have mercy on us

Spirit of understanding and counsel, Have mercy on us

Spirit of love and joy, Have mercy on us

Spirit of peace and patience, Have mercy on us

Spirit of longanimity and meekness, Have mercy on us

Spirit of benignity and goodness, Have mercy on us

Love substantial of the Father and the Son, Have mercy on us

Love and life of saintly souls, Have mercy on us

Fire ever burning, Have mercy on us

Living water to quench the thirst of hearts, Have mercy on us

From all evil, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all impurity of soul and body, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all gluttony and sensuality, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all attachments to the things of the earth, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all hypocrisy and pretense, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From all imperfections and deliberate faults, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From our own will, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From slander, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From deceiving our neighbors, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From our passions and disorderly appetites, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From our inattentiveness to Thy holy inspirations, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From despising little things, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From debauchery and malice, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From love of comfort and luxury, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From wishing to seek or desire anything other than Thee, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

From everything that displeases Thee, Deliver us, O Holy Spirit.

Most loving Father, forgive us.

Divine Word, have pity on us.

Holy and divine Spirit, leave us not until we are in possession of the Divine Essence, Heaven of heavens.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Send us the divine Consoler.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Fill us with the gifts of Thy Spirit.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,

Make the fruits of the Holy Spirit increase within us.

V. Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful,

R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created,

R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us Pray:

God, Who by the light of the Holy Spirit instructed the hearts of the faithful, grant us by the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord,

Amen.

Children's Rosary

Pages

Sunday, May 20, 2018

"Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire"

Saturday, May 19, 2018

Children Help to Construct Church Named after the Holy Spirit

Thursday, May 10, 2018

When the Advocate Comes

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Happy Feast of Pentecost!

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Lord Give Me Wisdom

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Thank You Holy Spirit

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Come Holy Spirit

Thursday, May 21, 2015

"With These Beads We are Building a World of Peace and Love"

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Children's Rosary: Novena to the Holy Spirit

Monday, August 6, 2012

Feast of the Transfiguration

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Litany to the Holy Spirit

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