For peace in the world

Pope Saint John Paul II wrote to bishops, priests, religious and especially to parents giving them sound advice for the Catholic life: “To pray the Rosary for children, and even more, with children… is admittedly not the solution to every problem, but it is a spiritual aid which should not be underestimated.”

In his apostolic letter on the Holy Rosary Rosarium Virginis Mariae he quotes the words of Blessed Bartolo Longo: “Whoever prays the Rosary is saved!” And Pope St John Paul II himself was a living example of this. Not only was the Rosary his favourite prayer, he also announced a Year of the Rosary, promulgated the Luminous Mysteries, entrusted his entire pontificate to the protection of the Mother of God, and repeatedly recommended the Rosary as a prayer for peace. And indeed, if there is a spiritual way to obtain peace in the world, then it is this prayer. For, as John Paul II said, to pray the Rosary means “to immerse ourselves in contemplation of the mystery of Christ who ‘is our peace.’” And the shepherd children of Fatima in 1917 heard Our Lady tell them: “Pray the Rosary daily, to obtain peace in the world.”

Featured Image: It tells you how to pray the Rosary… And that’s just what they’re doing.
Children praying in Malawi, as part of  2019's campaign. Copyright: Aid to the Church in Need.

World peace – this is what a handful of children in Venezuela gathered together 14 years ago to pray for. From this small circle with their rosaries in their hands, a great initiative has sprung up, which today spans the world. On 18 October every year, children and families in 80 countries gather to pray the Rosary for peace. ACN helps them by covering various costs (printing, shipping, rosaries, a total cost of AUD$98,700). This year the children will also be praying especially for the containment of the coronavirus pandemic. Here too, the Rosary is a source of strength in times of need, especially in Latin America, where there have been so many deaths from the COVID-19 virus.

Featured Image: Uruguay: with the Rosary, our prayers ascend to heaven. Copyright: Aid to the Church in Need. 

Even in Uruguay, a starkly secular state, like republican France, the Rosary is witnessing a small renaissance. But young people need to learn how to pray it. Cardinal Daniel Fernando Sturla, the archbishop of Montevideo, has asked us for 3,000 copies of our little booklet “Children praying the Rosary” for distribution in the Catholic schools which want to take part in this year’s campaign, “One Million Children praying the Rosary,” and Cardinal Sturla wants to prepare the children before the event by teaching them how to pray it. Here, as elsewhere, we have promised to pay the costs of AUD$2,200. Each Mystery of the Rosary will provide a window through which all the million children can, as Pope Saint John XXIII said, “contemplate the world in the light of the Lord.”

Main Featured Image: The Rosary transcends all frontiers: Ukrainian children learning to pray the rosary. Photographer: https://synod.ugcc.ua/.

To learn more about the prayer Campaign 'One Million Children Praying the Rosary' go here:

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