How to Plan a Home Marian Procession

Watch our new Children's Rosary video explaining how to plan a Home Marian Procession by clicking on the link HERE.

The following are the 4 basic steps to holding a Home Marian Procession:
1) A statue or picture of Our Blessed Mother is carried to each room of the home. 
2) A Marian hymn can be played or sung during the Procession.
3) There is the optional use of holy water that can be sprinkled through the house as one processes. Members of the family can also carry candles.
4) After each room is visited, Our Lady can be brought to where the procession was begun. At this point the family can say prayers such as the Rosary. One may even consider crowning Our Lady with a crown of fresh flowers especially if the procession is held during the month of May. 

Consider holding a Marian Procession during the month of May which is dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. It is also a wonderful tradition to hold a monthly Marian procession with your children. Choose a Marian feast each month and have the youngest person in the family help lead the Procession. Customize it according to your family. To help enjoy the feast, bake some muffins or a dessert. This is always a welcome addition to enjoy after the procession with your children. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

Find out ways to become involved and help the Children's Rosary

How to Start a Children's Rosary

A Child's Crown for Our Lady

CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR NEW VIDEO:

A VIEW FROM HEAVEN 

UNA PERSPECTIVA DESDE EL CIELO

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

Pour plus d'informations sur le Rosaire des Enfants, visitez notre site Web:www.rosairedesenfants.org

A Child's Crown for Our Lady

Recently I came home and one of our son's was darting into the prayer room. When I went into the room, I saw that he had made a crown for Our Lady for May. We had set up a little home altar for May in honor of Mary and he had the idea to make Her a crown. The construction was very simple a thin strip of paper taped together and wild flower pedals glued on. The flowers he found while he was weeding outside. Most of the flowers were wild violet pedals.  The simplicity of the crown and tenderness shown to Our Lady were very sweet. I could see how the simplest gifts given to Our Lady's with love are surely pleasing to Her.

We also this week changed the bouquet in front of Our Blessed Mother. We had begun May with the hope to keep fresh flowers in front of Her all month. The first flowers we started with were roses but this week we purchased different flowers. As I was re-reading the Secret of a Soul by St. Therese I was reminded of the fact that we all can't be roses and Our Lady and Our Lord would not want it to be that way. The little flowers and simple violets provide beauty amongst the roses. So we found ourselves happy that we had a different gathering of flowers which we placed in front of Her this week. 

For those of you who would like to set up a home altar there are some ideas here. In reading the Story of a Soul by St. Therese she relates a wonderful experience from her childhood during May:
"Since I was too little to attend May devotions I remained at home with Victoire, carrying out my devotions with her before my little May altar. This I arranged according to my taste; everything was so small, the candlestick, the flower pots, etc. Two tapers lit it up perfectly."

We also have some additional ideas for May such as a home Marian Procession in May.

Thank you all for making this month special for Our Blessed Mother.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

Find out ways to become involved and help the Children's Rosary

How to Start a Children's Rosary

How to Plan a May Crowning

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.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR NEW VIDEO:

A VIEW FROM HEAVEN 

UNA PERSPECTIVA DESDE EL CIELO

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

Pour plus d'informations sur le Rosaire des Enfants, visitez notre site Web:www.rosairedesenfants.org 

Under the Protection of Our Mother

This past week I was walking in the evening praying the Rosary. The sun had gone down and it was almost dark. There was quiet and some things were coming to mind. Areas where I wish I was better, places in my day to day life with my family where I fall short of all that I hoped I could be as a wife and mother.  It was at that moment that I found great gratitude for being under the protection of Our Blessed Mother. For I trust that with Rosary in hand in prayer She sees my situation and is protecting me and helping me.

The next thought that came to mind were some mother hens at my mom's farm.  This requires a little back story to give you the context of the image that came to mind.  My mom lives on a farm. She has four flocks of chickens. All these chickens she purchased either at a store or farmers co-op when they were only a few day old chicks. Chickens these days at least in the United States have been bred not to have the brooding trait, meaning they no longer know how to sit on eggs. They simply lay an egg and go about their business. My mom has had a few chickens over the years who still had the brooding instinct and sat on eggs but sadly they never hatched as there was no rooster near them.  But this summer there was a rooster and two hens began sitting on eggs.  This process is not quick... it takes weeks. The two hens sat patiently waiting...keeping their eggs warm with wings spread wide to cover them. My daughter was at her grandmother's farms helping when something wonderful happened. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus a chick emerged. It was black with a yellow dot. My mom had not seen the chick. It was my daughter, Alina, who discover the chick as the mother hen had the chick hidden under her wing. 

Normally it is very challenging to raise baby chicks, one must keep the temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet the mother hen was doing everything. My mom put her hand under the hen and she said it was very hot. My mom and Alina quickly went to the store to get the special chick food. But when they first put it out the mother hen pushed it away. She had chewed something up herself and was giving it to the chick. Again the mother hen knew best. She had it covered. Several other chicks hatched. All were tucked safely under their mother's wing obscured from site.  Alina was lucky to catch some moments when the chick emerged to snap a few pictures. 

So it was this image of the mother hen with her little chick under her wing that came to mind as I was praying. I felt in prayer Our Blessed Mother was reminding me of the mother hen. She was showing me through nature how this weak little chick is protected in such a tender way by its mother. 
How much more, I thought, must we be protected under Our Blessed Mother's mantle.  

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Where is Your Bible
Resources to Help Begin a Group

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

Celebrating Our Lady's Birthday in Pakistan

Fifteen of the Children's Rosary groups in Pakistan came together on Sunday September 4th in honor of the Nativity of Our Blessed Virgin Mary.  They held their celebration early so more children and adults could attend.  The children from different Children's Rosary groups worked together to host the event. They led a Children's Rosary.  Some of the children also performed dances and led a Tableau to Our Lady which involves special songs sung in honor of Our Blessed Mother.  

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Going Out to Pray with the Poor

Fifteen Children's Rosary Groups to Meet on May 28th in Pakistan

Fifteen Children's Rosary groups will be coming together to hold a large Ceremony and Crowning of Mary on May 28th 2016.  They will be meeting at St. Joseph Church in the town of Butanpura, Pakistan.  One of the Children's Rosary groups attending is our group in Qila Sujan Singh pictured above. With temperatures reaching 49 degrees Celsius(120F) this week, they have chosen to meet in the evening due to the heat.  The ceremony will begin at 5PM local time(8AM ET) with a crowning of Mary.  Priests from the area will be attending.  The children will also hold a Rosary and lead songs and perform dances in honor of Our Lady. The evening will conclude at 8PM with a ceremony of opening of the Door of Mercy.  

Please consider unifying prayers with the children on May 28th.  They will be praying in a special way for all those unifying prayers with them.  They will also be praying for all the members of the Children's Rosary.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
How to Plan a May Crowning
Hear from the Children

Getting Ready for May

May: A Time of Abundant Gifts

In the Encyclical of Pope Paul VI (Mense Maio) on prayers during May he so beautifully describes how the month of May is a time “long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. Our heart rejoices at the thought of the moving tribute of faith and love which will soon be paid to the Queen of Heaven in every corner of the earth. For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God's merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother's throne."

Yet, in this month in which we are told of the abundance of gifts available to us there is also an urge to return such mercy with gifts of our own offered up to a Mother who loves us.  We should not worry about this special focus on Mary.  Pope Paul VI explains,  "Since Mary is rightly to be regarded as the way by which we are led to Christ, the person who encounters Mary cannot help but encounter Christ likewise. For what other reason do we continually turn to Mary except to seek the Christ in her arms, to seek our Savior in her, through her, and with her?" (Mense Maio)

Here are some ideas to help make May extra special:
1) Hold a May Crowning before a Children's Rosary in May.  
Step by Step instructions are available HERE on how to plan it!
2) Invite the children to make Mother's Day cards for Our Blessed Mother to bring to their Children's Rosary in May.  As you see above in the picture, the children placed handmade cards before Our Lady as they prayed the Rosary.
3) Ask permission from your Pastor to have the children give out Rosaries after weekend Masses one weekend in May.  Free Rosaries can be obtained from Holy Cross Family Ministries (payment for postage is required). 

As we enter into May, I humbly ask for special prayers for all those who have been preparing to hold their first Children's Rosary group during this special month dedicated to Our Blessed Mother.  I also ask for prayers for all the existing groups that Our Lord will bless them and assist them in their efforts to bring children together in prayer of the Rosary. 
Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary 
EWTN Interview about the Children's Rosary
"With These Beads We are Building a World of Peace and Love"

Meet Mary

A little over a week ago I had the blessing to be able to travel to Washington DC.  Travel isn't easy with my disability but the flight was short so we made a go of it. The reason for the trip was a lovely belated birthday surprise from my husband who had heard months ago about an exhibit called Meet Mary at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  It included many precious works of art all featuring Our Blessed Mother.  Some were from the Vatican, private collections and other museums.  The museum exhibit would be the opening to a blessed weekend of prayer at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the St. John Paul II Shrine.  Indeed it was a time to Meet Mary. Throughout the trip at each step all the members of the Children's Rosary were in my prayers.   

Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception

As Our Lady always brings us to her Son there were a great many pictures of Mary by her Son on the Cross.  Indeed to meet Mary is to meet her Son as well. This week may we accompany Our Blessed Mother to the Foot of the Cross and through our presence show our love.

Thank you all and God Bless you. Amen.

Other posts you may enjoy:
St. Padre Pio and Our Blessed Mother
How to Start a Children's Rosary

Weathering the Storms Faithfully in Prayer

This past Sunday as we left Church the wind was howling and the snow was blowing in our faces as we walked.  We were in the midst of another snow storm, one of many that have hit the Northeastern part of the United States. Looking over as we left the Church I saw the statue of Our Blessed Mother.  Many times the children have gathered around her in the summer to pray the Rosary.  However,  now most of her body was no longer visible with snow up to her elbows and a large dollop on her head.  The snow buffeted her and swirled around her at times. In the midst of the wind and biting cold there stood Our Lady with the most gentle and sweet expression on her face peacefully with her hands folded in prayer.  In looking at Our Lady I was reminded of her faithfulness to prayer despite the trials that she encountered. 
For many of us the snow and cold this year have been a source of suffering.  So many struggling to stay warm.  The cold is just one form of suffering that many have had to endure. Yet within the storms that swirl around us there is also much joy.  Our Lady helps us to see the sweetness in the crosses we carry and the fruits that can come when we unify our suffering to that of her Son's suffering.   

"There is but one price at which souls are bought", Jesus told St. Faustina, "and that is suffering united to My suffering on the cross (Dairy 324).

Celebrating Our Lady's Feast in Nigeria

The Children's Rosary in Lagos, Nigeria spent weeks in preparation for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  They practiced songs, dance and drama in addition to their daily meeting for the Children's Rosary which they do every day at 6PM their local time. 

Dance

Yesterday the group leader sent along pictures from their celebration.  The drama was about children and the Rosary.  One of scenarios was about a girl who was sick and when the children brought a priest and prayed she felt better.  Simple messages the children understand and live everyday in their lives.  Prayer is woven into their joys and sorrows and so such plays are very natural to them.  It is beautiful to see such excitement among the children to both gather to pray and then to express their love for their Heavenly Mother through song, dance and even a birthday cake at the end of the evening.

Children's Drama

Loving Our Lady

On this beautiful Solemnity of the Assumption there is a feeling of love.  Our Mother is so good to us.  She loves her children.  Recently, one of the mom's sent me this picture from our monthly Children's Rosary group meeting.  After finishing the Rosary one of the precious little girls picked up the statue of Our Lady and hugged her. At first I thought maybe she was putting the statue of Our Lady away but on further reflection I could see she actually was just holding. Seeing the smile on this little girls face one can see there is a love and a joy in what she is doing. During such time spent in prayer a love develops, indeed such love from a child must be such a gift to Our Most Loving of Mothers.

Yesterday another wonderful moment.  Sitting on the city bus on the way home from work an older Polish women got on.  I recognized her from daily Mass.  She had just gone to the grocery store and had a bunch of flowers in her arms.  A little boy asked her about the flowers but she responded that she doesn't speak English. Yet no words were needed, there was a feeling in the heart that these flowers were for Our Lady as a gift on her Feast today.  Such acts of love are not new for this older women who often leaves Church by first stopping to touch Our Lady's foot or kiss her on the head. 

To see such love for Our Lady brings joy to the heart.  

Working Together to Help Our Families

The Month of May is often called Mary's Month.  In anticipation of May the Children's Rosary is teaming up with Holy Cross Family Ministries to reach out to families in parishes where Children's Rosary prayer groups exist.  Many Children's Rosary groups will be handing out Rosaries at the end of Masses during the Month of May.  

Servant of God
Fr. Patrick Peyton

Holy Cross Family Ministries has generously offered to donate those rosaries that the children will be handing out.  The goal of Holy Cross Family Ministries is to strengthen families around the world.  This goal is shared by the Children's Rosary and thus our collaboration on this effort is both natural and seamless.  Servant of God, Fr. Patrick Peyton, founded Holy Cross Family Ministries in the 1940s.  His timeless words "the Family that Prays together Stays Together" is as important today as the first time he uttered the phrase.

It is not too late to order Rosaries through Holy Cross Family Ministries for May.  To order Rosaries please click HERE. Rosaries are free although they do ask for shipping costs.  As part of this collaboration, between the Children's Rosary and Holy Cross Family Ministries, we ask that all those placing orders also send an email to Susan Wallace letting her know you are part of the Children's Rosary. Her email is swallace@hcfm.org

Through the Rosary our families will be strengthened in virtue and holiness. Pope Francis recommends the Rosary as  "Spiritual Medicine" which is "good for the heart".  

In a special way we turn to Our Mother in the prayer she taught us, the Holy Rosary,  and ask her motherly guidance and help in our families.

Thank You Blessed Mother... We Love You

On the Beautiful Solemnity of the Annunciation we thank Our Blessed Mother.  For it was through her Yes that she became all Our Mothers.  I am reminded of my son who received his first communion last spring.  During the Mass he received a rose.  As we were leaving the Church and reaching the car, he asked if he could go and see Our Lady.  We said yes and he was off running around the other side of the Church.  As we turned the corner, we saw him kneeling in front of Our Lady.  He gave her his rose and kissed her on the head. It was a beautiful moment between a mother and her child.  For Our Lady is always leading us to her Son in the Eucharist and it was a beautiful end to the morning to see Kostin thanking his Heavenly Mother and through these little gestures showing his love.

I may share that Kostin struggles with many things and there are many times that he feels misunderstood and we as parents struggle with patience and understanding.  We are so grateful to Our Lady for her help guiding him, when we find ourselves lacking in so much.

It is truly a beautiful thing to have Our Heavenly Mother supporting us in this challenging role as parents.  We ourselves need also to be gently taken by the hand and led just as she does with these little ones.  She will help us we have only to come to her.

Other posts you may enjoy:
Gentle Women

Preparing Our Hearts with Our Blessed Mother for her Son

As we open the season of Advent tomorrow it is with great joy that I share that there will be three Children's Rosary groups meeting tomorrow.  Two of the groups are meeting for the first time and will be consecrating their groups to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The first group to meet is in Nottingham, England at Our Lady and St. Patrick's Church.  Their Children's Rosary is scheduled to begin at 9AM local time in England.

The Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, Connecticut will hold their weekly Rosary at 11AM EST.  This beautiful group has been meeting weekly for almost a year and will celebrate their one year anniversary on January 1st.

A new Children's Rosary will meet for the first time at St. Bernard Church in Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania USA.  They will meet at 2PM EST.

We come to Our Lady and ask her to help us prepare our hearts for the coming of her Son.  With our children joining together in prayer of the Holy Rosary from points of the world so distant one begins to feel how small our little world really is....

Yet Our Mother comes to us in England and in Connecticut and yes in Pennsylvania, too.  She takes the little hands of our children and gently brings them together.  Praying with the heart and preparing them to come before the crib of her son on Christmas where she will quietly introduce each child to Him in prayer.  

Presentation of Mary in the Temple

On this beautiful day when we honor the Presentation of Mary in the Temple please consider joining our Blessed Mother in prayer of the Rosary today at 5PM EST.  The Children's Rosary in Rye, New York will be meeting at Resurrection Church. The children always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

The Extended Hands of Our Blessed Mother

On the one year anniversary of the Children's Rosary we began a prayer initiative for renewal of family prayer.  The thought came that if we were going to ask families to try and renew family prayer in their families we should offer them some help and so an effort to enlist the help of saints began.  We began saying 9 day novenas to different saints for the following petition:

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 EACH SAINT TO CHOOSE AN INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY OR A PRIEST, ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CHILDREN’S ROSARY GROUP TO LEAD IN THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. DEAR SAINT PRAY FOR OUR EXTENDED GROUP THAT WE MAY EMBODY THE VIRTUES YOU EXEMPLIFIED HERE ON EARTH.

Over 780 different saints were prayed to in an individual  9 day novena by members of the Children's Rosary. Part of the intention as you see was that the Children's Rosary would be the extended hands of Our Blessed Mother and her Son.  Recently as so many people have reached out to help spread the Children's Rosary I began to reflect on the many hands that have come forward to help.  Just recently, I received a letter from a women who is in a wheelchair, home bound and on oxygen.  She ordered 200 copies of the Children's Rosary book and began efforts to begin a Children's Rosary in her parish by contacting parish counsel members and asking their help.  She wrote to me a beautiful letter dated Oct 13th 2013 in which she said, 

"I am planning on donating 10 copies of the book to 10 parishes to promote a large pocket of Children's Rosaries in this area.  I will also influence Catholic bookstores to sell the booklets  etc. I'm now planning my attack.  
-God Bless" 

Another women from a different state also home bound wrote that she was trying to start a group in her parish.  Yet another great grandmother who is blind wrote that she and her daughter were going to try to begin a Children's Rosary in their parish in Arizona with her great grandson. Widows, young mom's, and recently a father whose wife stays home to home school their children wanted to begin a group with his daughter as a special bond for them.  Each person so different but bound in one way: a love of Our Lady and Our Lord.  No matter how weak we are the Lord can find a way to use us.  

I am struck by an early memory I have as a child.  By the grace of God I was able to go on a Marian pilgrimage when I was young and we purchased a statue of Our Lady.  When we arrived home her outstretched hand was broken off.  I was sad at the time but now in reflection I see Our Lady means us to be her extended hands. Through her Rosary and the prayers of the children she will bring healing and peace in her Son.  Our Lord always chooses the humble to be His Hands and those of children are the most like His...innocent and sweet.  They carry love to others and I am struck by this as my husband downloaded the recent pictures taken at our Children's Rosary.  As I have a disability with my hands, I had asked another mom to take a few pictures.  When I saw this one of a child making a heart with her hands I could see the Lord's wisdom in calling the children to Himself.  If we the adults can use our hands, albeit weak,  to help bring our children to Our Lady through prayer of the Rosary they will as the prayer above asks for..bring a great many souls to the Lord.

Children in Prayer with Our Blessed Mother

A pile of roses lay at Our Lady's feet
placed by the children

On October 13th Pope Francis Consecrated the World to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Many miles away little Children's Rosary prayer groups met to pray for Our Holy Father and join him in consecrating themselves to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Four different groups met throughout the day in prayer of the Holy Rosary.  

One of the groups to meet was held in the chapel of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford, CT USA.  Children from all ages and backgrounds came together as a monthly prayer group to pray the Rosary.  The older children helping the younger children.  The tiniest of children toddling up to the statue of Our Lady to place a rose at her feet at the end of each decade.  As each rose was being placed another was saying, "Mary we humbly place this rose at your feet and ask for the grace of hope for the second glorious mystery".  Two of our members with Down's Syndrome beautifully led the fourth glorious mystery: the Assumption of Mary.  The entire chapel was alive with joy seeing such innocent children praying with Our Lady.  Such images strengthen the faith of young and old.  It is not surprising Our Blessed Mother chose to appear to young children in Fatima and Lourdes and encourage the prayer of the Rosary.  

The children in prayer of the Rosary
 and translation of the Rosary by John Sipper into sign language

A Beautfiul Story of Prayer to Our Lady

Today after Mass and the Rosary, I happened to have a lovely conversation with Sean.  He shared with me a beautiful story from Divine Mercy Sunday this past spring.  Sean is blind and walks to church a mile each day.  He follows the same route and rarely deviates from it.  He enters the Church from the side door leaving his cane outside.  He takes a seat in the chapel closest to the exit.  His passage through the Church is one that is carefully mapped out through years of coming to daily Mass.  Before being introduced to Sean I thought he had a problem with his legs as I had seen him trip several times.  However, once we became friends he shared with me that his legs are like those of an 18 year old, despite his 70 years on earth but the problem is his eyes.

Sean shared that on Divine Mercy Sunday before arriving at the Church he said a prayer to Our Lady.  He asked her to help him go to confession.  There was a special Divine Mercy Celebration planned with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, confession and veneration of the Divine Mercy Image at our Church.  When Sean entered the chapel he realized there was a large crowd already there.  He took his seat at the end of the row.  He could tell that the seat next to him was empty but the rest of the row was full.  He quickly decided that he would not try and go to confession as there would be no way for his to navigate through the crowd.  As he sat in his seat a women approached and desired to sit in the seat next to him.  As she took her seat she said, "I've been placed here by design."

Sean could not believe the women said this as it was a very odd thing for a person to say.  A few minutes later the women introduced herself and she said she had remembered Sean from the daily Rosary which she used to join some years ago at the parish.  Sean then mentioned something about confession and the women quickly responded that she would be happy to make sure he got to confession.

Now Sean has mentioned this story to me twice.  Once several months ago and again today.  Each time he has mentioned it to me there is a wonderful love for Our Lady that wells up.  It is the wonderful appreciation of a Mother who provides for her children and listens to their prayers.  We are all in some way blind on our journey to her Son.  We need a steady hand to guide us safely to the goal that we seek.  Our Lady beautifully finds her ways of being there right when we need her and in the smallest ways, that only we understand, she shows us that it was her hand all the time steadying us and keeping us on the surest path.  As we were parting Sean said, "if that doesn't get through a thick Irish head I don't know what will."  Sean was speaking about himself as he is from Ireland.  Sean has an extremely deep devotion to Our Lady and felt Our Lady's intercession most beautifully that day.

Pope Francis to Lead Rosary on the Feast of the Visitation

JOIN HIM IN PRAYER

Pope Francis Laying Flowers at the foot of the Statue of
Our Lady of Lujan on  May 8th
credit: Stephen Driscoll/CNA

Pope Francis will close the month of May, which is dedicated to Our Lady, by leading a Rosary.  The Vicariate of Vatical City announced that at 8PM on May 31st in St. Peter's Square the Pope will lead a recitation of the Rosary.  There will also be a procession with Our Lady's Statue. Let us all consider joining him in prayer on this beautiful Feast of the Visitation.

St. Padre Pio and Our Blessed Mother

Tomorrow we celebrate the birthday of St. Padre Pio.  He was born on May 25th 1887 in the little farming town called Pietrelcina, Italy. 

As we come to the close of the month of May, which is dedicated to Mary, I thought it would be wonderful to reflect on the words St. Padre Pio used when speaking of Our Lady.

"Hold on tightly to the Rosary. Be very grateful to the Madonna because it was she who gave us Jesus".

"The Madonna is the shortcut to get to God".

"Love Our Lady and make her loved; always recite the Rosary and recite it as often as possible".

"Give yourself up into the arms of your Heavenly Mother. She will take good care of your soul".

"The Mother of Sorrows is my confidante, my teacher, my counselor, and my powerful advocate".

"How many time I have entrusted to this Mother (the Virgin Mary) the painful anxieties of my heart. And how many times she has consoled me…..With what great attention she accompanied me to the altar this morning. It seemed to me that she had nothing else to think about but me, filling my heart with holy sentiments. I felt a mysterious fire in my heart, which I could not understand. I felt the need to put ice on in in order to extinguish the fire that was consuming me".

"May the Most Holy Virgin, who was the first to practice the gospel perfectly and in all its severity, even before it was proclaimed, spur us on to follow closely in her footsteps".

A Special Moment with Our Lady

Yesterday was my son's First Communion.  After the Mass my husband suggested that Kostin take a picture with his mom.  So Kostin and I posed together followed by a family picture.  On the way back to the car Kostin stopped and asked if he could be in a picture with Mary.  As we were just getting to our car the first reaction was to tell him it was too late and it was time to go home.  However, there was something that made me pause and say, yes lets just wait a minute so Kostin can visit Mary.  Kostin then ran off to the outside garden planted by children of the parish for Our Blessed Mother.  When my husband and I turned the corner Kostin was kneeling in prayer.  He then stood up and gave Mary the the rose that had been given to him during his First Communion and then kissed her head.

It was such a beautiful moment to see that Kostin didn't forget his dear Mother Mary.  Daily he prays with her in his rosaries.  Over years she, as the most perfect of mothers, has been preparing him for the day when he would meet her Son present in the Holy Eucharist.  To see Kostin kissing Our Blessed Mother's head in such a tender way was such a beautiful reminder of how much our children need their heavenly Mother and how much they love her when they spend time with her in prayer. 

Other posts you may like:
Preparing for Your First Communion
How to Pray the Rosary
How to Start a Children's Rosary