World Meeting of Families Begins in Rome

 There is tremendous excitement here in Rome as the delegates from around the world have arrived. The World Meeting of Families kicked off with the Festival of Families and the Holy Father, Pope Francis was there (see above). 

Even in the line to get into the event we found blessing as we met some tremendous people. We met Archbishop Pettipas of Canada, shown above. He was very excited to hear about the Children's Rosary. Within the Paul VI Hall we were seated next to two bishops from Mexico and a large Mexican delegation. 

It was a tremendous evening of sharing and meeting new people. We were able to share with Archbishop Eamon Martin (shown below) the wonderful news that at least fifteen new Children's Rosary groups have formed in Ireland since last October. 

The Mass that was held today in St. Peter's Basilica was beautiful and started another full day at the Meeting. We hope to continue to share dispatches as the days continue.

First Children's Rosary in Uruguay

We are very excited to share that yesterday the first Children's Rosary was held in Uruguay.  This new group has formed in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Minas, Uruguay.  The group met for the first time on May 21st at 10:15 AM local time.  The group was begun by Lauturo, age 14, under the guidance of Mons. Fuentes, Bishop of Minas.  We met Mons. Fuentes at the World Meeting of Families.  It was a providential meeting in the last few minutes before the booths were closed in the Convention Center.  He approached our Children's Rosary booth with great humility and seemed to grasp immediately the mission of the Children's Rosary.  He spoke these simple words to us, "I could use this in my Diocese".  He has remained in contact with us since the World Meeting of Families.  Upon his return to Minas he asked Lauturo to begin the first Children's Rosary in his Diocese.  This is the first Children's Rosary in Uruguay and second group to form in South America. 

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Minas, Uruguay

Lauturo shared that several of his friends are helping him with the Children's Rosary. His friend Patricia attended the meeting yesterday and helped to lead the group in song before and after the Rosary in honor of Our Blessed Mother. Four children attended the first meeting. The new group was Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In this way, it is under the protection and guidance of Christ and His Mother. The note we received from Lauturo today was full of enthusiasm to invite more children to their next meeting.   

On this Feast of the Holy Trinity, we thank God for this gift of the new Children's Rosary in Minas and all the Children's Rosary groups who continue to meet faithfully throughout the world. 

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
We Took You All With Us to the Papal Mass
Hear from the Children

We Took You With Us to the Papal Mass

Today concludes the stories and reflections from our trip to the World Meeting of Families and Papal visit in Philadelphia.This week we have been sharing little stories from our days at the meetings where we represented the Children's Rosary.  Nine children helped answer questions and provide information at our Children's Rosary booth at the World Meeting of Families.  

I have also shared in the past that as founder of the Children's Rosary, I rarely travel due to a genetic disability with my joints.  Even slight bumps can cause joint dislocations due to a defect in my collagen. Crowds are extremely dangerous for me and as I need assistance for most thinks I tend to stay close to home.  Yet when the location of the 2015 World Meeting of families was released and it was less than four hours from our home by car I took such an opportunity to prayer.  In finding courage welling in my heart we took the leap and decided to go.  Many times I humbly asked for your prayers and also humbly asked Our Blessed Mother to be the Travel Agent for our Children's Rosary team that was going.  

Taking this week to reflect on all that happened I can see that each detail was carefully put in place. No severe injuries took place and despite large crowds on the final day for the outside Papal Mass we were all safe.  

There was a feeling early on in the day Sunday that we should retreat to a more backward position and let others go more forward of us.  We found a shady place under a tree along the parkway.  We were told many times that being outside the center area we might not receive communion during Mass.  Yet there was a peaceful feeling over toward the side and further back and a confidence we would be provided for in all ways.  For most the day the flux of people was steady but not overwhelming.  Most people were all going forward of us and we were safely positioned off to the side in the shade.  Yet about two hours before the Mass the crowd got thicker and the sidewalk in front of us started to get filled in with chairs of people lining the parkway.  As the walkway disappeared pilgrims began stepping over and around us on the grass.  One of my sons who had fallen asleep on the ground narrowly missed some rapid feet that passed over his head but still we were all unharmed.  Then the sound of sirens began and people jumped to their feet.  The mass of people moved toward the fence lining the parkway.  Pope Francis was coming.  We looked to the jumbotrons to see what was happening.  We could see him moving through the parkway periodically stopping to hold and kiss a child.  

Knotted Grotto

Then the open car stopped in front of the Basilica.  Pope Francis emerged.  He was going to the Knotted Grotto where intentions had been placed in honor of his visit.  A place that we had visited and tied an intention for all the members of the Children's Rosary and all the intentions of the members of the Children's Rosary.  To see Pope Francis go into the grotto presumably to pray and bless all the thousands of intentions tied in the spirit of Our Lady Undoer of Knots, moved my heart deeply.  Moments later Pope Francis was once again moving briskly down the parkway.  

As he drove by our area my too sons were balancing on chairs holding on to a tree hoping to catch a glimpse.  I was further back with maybe one of the best views as it turned out.  As the Pope moved by the crowd turned and began to run with him.  This was the first time I became scared and the kids ran to protect me.  As he moved further away things became more calm again.  Mass followed.  In the middle of Mass a feeling took hold of my heart.  A deep desire to receive the Blessed Sacrament.  The thought kept gnawing at my heart that with so many people how could we receive communion so far back and way off to the side.  Yet I pushed these thoughts quickly away and began to again pray with all my heart.  A man came up to us and told us that his group had to leave to catch a plane and they would be vacating their first row position along the parkway and did we want to move into their place.  We quietly filed into their place as they left. This was shortly before communion time.  Again I found myself deep in prayer asking for communion.  Thinking of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes.  Holding on with complete confidence that indeed there would be plenty and actually an abundance.  I prayed with the confidence of a child in her heavenly Father.  


When I opened my eyes there were individuals walking down the clear parkway with escorts holding umbrellas with the Papal flag.  The individuals were priests and deacons carrying the Blessed Sacrament.  One man walked right where we were standing.  He began giving out communion. I may have been the 10th person to receive communion faster than most Sunday Masses back home.  All the people around us including our group were able to receive communion in a very peaceful way.  Having received the Blessed Sacrament I went back to the area we originally had occupied.  Unable to kneel with my joint problems I prayed sitting on the folding chair we had brought.  It was at this time that I began to beg and plead with Our Lord for grace reminding Him that this was the World Meeting of Families and we were all there with Our Holy Father.  I was like a beggar not relenting in my prayers for all the families of the Children's Rosary.  Asking and pleading for grace to be poured into them.  Normally I do not like to share pictures of myself but one of my family members snapped a picture during this time in prayer.  I am including it as it represents the place where all of you were at the Papal Mass.  You were all in my heart.  I was praying for each one of you and your families.  

Again I thank you for all of your prayers.  Each part of the week beautifully unfolded and throughout which you all were remembered in prayer. 

If you missed some of the other posts from this week which chronicled the visit to the World Meeting of Families links are included below:
Knotted Grotto in Honor of Pope Francis' Visit
Rainbow At the Papal Mass
"What About You?"
Nothing is Impossible With God

Nothing is Impossible with God

Icon from the World Meeting of Families displayed at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Philadelphia USA

This week we have been sharing experiences and stories from the World Meeting of Families(WMOFs) last week.  Members of the Children's Rosary attended the meeting and held a Children's Rosary informational booth at the the World Meeting of Families.  We also stayed for the Papal Mass.

May I humbly share a wonderful experience from the Meeting.  Our family arrived in Philadelphia on Sunday September 20th.  We went to evening Mass at the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul.  At the conclusion of Mass there was a procession with the Blessed Sacrament and the initiation of Perpetual Adoration.  This would last until Thursday evening as a special opportunity for pilgrims visiting for the meeting to have extra time to spend in prayer with Our Lord.  This was a beautiful blessing for our family.  Monday we set up our Children's Rosary booth and then went to Adoration.  While praying a thought came to mind: let Our Lord do the introductions.  I then took out a small amount of our new Children's Rosary bookmarks we had brought to share at the booth.  I went to the back of the chapel and asked if some Children's Rosary bookmarks could be left for visitors to take as they came into Adoration.  The women coordinating Adoration immediately said, yes!  I went back to praying and happened to look up periodically to see people carrying a bookmark as they made their way to a pew.  When my daughter Alina and I left, we went back to the Convention hall to get more bookmarks.  When we returned to Adoration about 45 minutes later all the bookmarks were gone and the kind women shared that there had been requests for more.  Excitedly we put out more bookmarks and left her a sizable supply of replenishment.  

There was so much joy in knowing that it would be in prayer that people would first see information about the Children's Rosary.  Indeed it would be Our Lord who would make the introduction to their hearts.  The following day at the booth a women approached and mentioned that she had seen our bookmarks at the Basilica but they were out of them.  Excited and surprised Alina took more bookmarks and went over to Adoration.  Some time later she returned saying that the women in charge said that we could no longer put out bookmarks as permission needed to be granted by the Rector of the Basilica.  Alina had gone over to the Rectory to look for the Rector but they had told her that he would be occupied all week with the WMOFs and Papal visit and to try back next week.  

Hoping that maybe there was some confusion I headed over to the Basilica accompanied by a friend who is a priest.  We first went and prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  As Mass back at the Convention was approaching I made my way to the back of the chapel and asked permission to put out more bookmarks.  The same women from the prior night reiterated what my daughter had told me.  There was some disappointment in my heart as it seemed almost impossible we should be able to get permission with so much happening that week.  We left the chapel but at the last moment Father asked to see inside the main Basilica as he had not seen it before.  We entered for just a quick peek but upon entering I remembered the special visiting relic of St. John Paul II and brought Father over to it.  Next to the first class relic of St. John Paul II were also relics of the parents of St. Therese the Little Flower.  Father knelt down to pray.  It was then that I noticed a priest near the relics.  I remembered him from Mass Sunday evening.  He was not the Rector but seemed to be in charge of organizing the flow of events that day.  The priest identified himself as the Parochial Vicar for the Basilica.  Upon showing him our Children's Rosary book with an Imprimatur and the bookmarks,  he quickly said he could give permission to put these out.  He went directly over to the Adoration Chapel and told all those coordinating Adoration that permission had been granted to put out our Children's Rosary bookmarks.  He also asked that they be put at all entrances and exits.  I was left speechless.  Our Lord had done what seemed impossible.  The bookmarks remained out at the Adoration Chapel all week.  Over two thousand were taken by visitors. Indeed "nothing is impossible with God"(Luke 1:37).

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
With These Beads We are Building a World of Peace and Love
Children's Rosary Book