A Friday foundation of faith: The Children’s Rosary
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School students begin every weekend with prayer.
On Fridays before dismissal, our scholars gather in their respective classrooms, calmly quiet down, and pray the Rosary together.
But this is not just any Rosary. This is the Children’s Rosary, which children between the ages of 4 and 14 years old pray around the world.
The Children’s Rosary is a lay prayer movement that began in 2011 after a priest witnessed his parish suffer from a financial crisis and was inspired to assemble a group of children to pray. The children met on the Sunday before Palm Sunday of that year and prayed for their parish and the intentions of Our Lady. That weekend saw record collections of contributions from parishioners, surpassed only by Easter and Christmas.
Since then, Children’s Rosary groups have formed in 43 different countries. These groups meet in schools, parish buildings, and even orphanages. They also include children with disabilities.
At St. Francis Xavier, teachers set up an image of Mary in their classrooms. Students take turns leading their classmates in the Rosary each Friday afternoon.
The Rosary and its significance
The Rosary is a form of prayer common in the Catholic Church in which the participant prays decades (sets of ten) of Hail Marys. Each decade is preceded by one Our Father and followed by one Glory Be and a Fatima Prayer. During each decade, one praying the Rosary usually meditates on one of the Mysteries of the Rosary, which pertain to important events in the lives of Jesus and Mary.
When praying the Rosary, Catholics sometimes use a string of beads, also referred to as a rosary. The beads are arranged in a way that aids the one praying the Rosary in keeping track of where they are in the prayer.
In his apostolic exhortation Marialis Cultus, St. Paul VI spoke to the fruits of this special prayer:
“By its nature the recitation of the Rosary calls for a quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the individual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord's life as seen through the eyes of her who was closest to the Lord. In this way, the unfathomable riches of these mysteries are disclosed.”
The Catholic Church has dedicated the month of October to the Holy Rosary and celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7 every year.
You can learn more about how to pray the Rosary on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’s (USCCB) website.
A Strong Faith Life
In addition to the Children’s Rosary, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School students pray together during morning announcements, before and after lunch, and before afternoon dismissal. They also attend Mass on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and participate in first-Friday adoration.
Students have opportunities to utilize the Sacrament of Reconciliation and receive sacramental preparation through the school to prepare for their First Communion (typically in 2nd Grade) and Confirmation (typically in 8th Grade).
In the classroom, students benefit from an integrated curriculum that regularly incorporates Sacred Scripture, prayer, holy art and music, salvation history, the virtues, and the lives of the Saints.
Learn More
To learn more about the Children’s Rosary, you can click the link to their website below or access an online pamphlet with detailed information about the ministry.
If you have any questions about the faith formation of our students, or if you’re considering St. Francis Xavier Catholic School as a potential school community for your family, please give our office a call at 205-871-1687 or email me wblakely@sfxcatholic.com.
Of course, we’d love for you to come to the school so you can see for yourself! Click the link below and fill out the information, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. That way, we can schedule a time for you and your family to come visit the school and learn more about what all we can offer.
