A million children praying the Rosary

"You can tell the Blessed Virgin everything and she will be very happy if you ask her for something, but she needs you too! You can help her, by your prayers, so that she can protect us." Every year around October 18th, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) issued a worldwide prayer initiative again this year called: “A million children praying the Rosary.” Children everywhere were invited to gather in prayer groups and to ask God for peace in the world. This year, the general intention was for missionaries and new missionary vocations.

"Each group was invited to register on the interactive map, to show the children that their prayer is universal," said Tiphaine Bienvenue, a member of ACN, to Aleteia. In many places school was even interrupted for half an hour! An email address was made available to teachers who wanted to send in their photos.

The idea of a Children’s Rosary event was born in 2005 in Caracas, Venezuela. While several children were praying the Rosary in a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, some of the women there felt the presence of the Blessed Virgin. The month of October was then chosen for this annual campaign, as it is the month traditionally dedicated to the Rosary. October 18th is also the feast day of Saint Luke the Evangelist, "who passed on the story of Jesus' childhood to us and had a close connection with Mary," says ACN. The organization receives many testimonials every year about the event and Padre Pio’s words: "If a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change."

Adapted from: Aleteia