On 18 October, the international foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) invites parishes, kindergartens, schools, and families to participate once again in the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative. “Praying the rosary is a means given to us by God, and it is necessary because it makes a decisive difference (…) Firstly, because the Mother of God asks us to do so in the apparitions approved by the Church! Secondly, because it is the experience of the Church and of many of her saints, confirmed by the Magisterium, and corresponds to the sensitivity of our Christian faith” explains Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, president of ACN.
Children at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Nellore, India, joining the international prayer campaign “One million children praying the Rosary” on 18.10.2022.INTERNATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL 22/01456
One Million Children Praying the Rosary 2022
In this year’s campaign, ACN will present to children the biblical passage in which St. Joseph is warned by the angel in a dream and immediately sets out for Egypt. Thanks to the help of the holy angel, the patriarch was able to protect the life of the baby Jesus.
“Is it not imperative for our world that we once again become aware of the holy guardian angels and ask for their help, so that we learn to recognize and distinguish clearly in the many challenges of our time? Would it not make sense to re-teach children the prayer of the guardian angels, which for many centuries was so customary in the life of the Church?” writes Cardinal Piacenza in his invitation to join the initiative.
In view of the situation of war, violence, and deep poverty prevailing in countries such as Ukraine, Nigeria, Myanmar and Pakistan, as well as in the Middle East and Sahel regions of Africa, ACN wants to entrust to the powerful intercession of the Mother of God in a special way all those places where people are unable to live in peace.
Children at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Nellore, India, joining the international prayer campaign “One million children praying the Rosary” on 18.10.2022.INTERNATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL 22/01456
One Million Children Praying the Rosary, 2022
The foundation was very positive about the response of the different countries in the past campaigns. In 2022, Pope Francis encouraged, after the Angelus prayer, to join the initiative: “Thank you to all the children who participate! We join them and entrust to Our Lady’s intercession the martyred Ukrainian people and other populations suffering from war and all forms of violence and poverty”.
Children in Chile participating in the international prayer campaign “One million children praying the Rosary”: Drawings by little girls from Villa María and Los Andes schools.INTERNATIONAL / INTERNATIONAL 22/01456
One Million Children Praying the Rosary 2022
The ACN Foundation website provides free prayer materials for parishes, schools, children’s groups, or families. The package available contains instructions on how to pray the rosary, reflections for children on the mysteries of the rosary, as well as a children’s consecration to the Mother of God. The packs are now available in eleven languages, along with colouring pages, which can be found at: https://acninternational.org/millionchildrenpraying.
The “One million children praying the Rosary” initiative traces its origins to 2005 when a group of children was praying the rosary at a wayside shrine in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and several of those present recalled the words of Padre Pio: “When one million children pray the rosary, the world will change”. The campaign quickly spread around the world.
