Rome (Italy) In the month of October 2020, traditionally dedicated to the Holy Rosary, there are numerous initiatives in the Schools of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians who see children as protagonists in prayer and in Marian initiatives. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, prayer intentions are added to those for those who contracted the virus and for the end of the pandemic.
On 7 October 2020, the day of Our Lady of the Rosary, the children and teachers of “Tomás Morales” School of Mary Help of Christians in Las Palmas, Spain – Mary Help of Christians Province (SPA) – experienced a particular moment of prayer with the recitation of the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary for Covid-19 patients. Each class prayed a Mystery introduced by the reading of a short biblical passage, followed by an intention linked to the pandemic, and a prayer for health. That day the children colored and brought home the image of the Virgin Mary, involving families in praying the Rosary of the School received by e-mail. Finally, a rosary was drawn for each class.
Children from all over the world are the protagonists of the initiative of the Foundation Help for the Suffering Church (ACS) of the prayer of the Rosary for unity and peace, which takes place on October 18 each year. This year, as Pope Francis highlighted after the Angelus on Sunday 11 October, the intention is added for the end of the Covid-19 pandemic: “I encourage this beautiful event that involves children from all over the world, who will pray especially for critical situations caused by the pandemic.”
The event has been taking place for 15 years on the day of 18 October, the month of the Rosary, in which the liturgical memory of St. Luke the Evangelist falls, who according to tradition was very attached to Mary and in his Gospel handed down the account of the childhood of Jesus. The initiative is linked to an anecdote: in 2005, in Caracas, Venezuela, while a group of children were praying the Rosary in front of a shrine of Our Lady, some women present felt the presence of Mary. One of them remembered the promise of St. Pio of Pietralcina: “If a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change”.
The “One million children pray the Rosary” campaign is expected to involve children from 80 countries from every continent of the world, who through families, parishes, catechism groups, and schools can register on the Web site dedicated to the initiative where you will find the prayer kit and informative resources. To facilitate participation in kindergartens and schools, the initiative is extended to October 19, 2020.
