Children prepare to send “tidal wave of prayer” around the world
On the 20th anniversary of the “One million children praying the Rosary” initiative, ACN calls on prayers “for peace and unity in a world wounded by division, conflict, and suffering”.
Children all over the world are once again being invited to participate in the annual “One million children praying the Rosary” initiative during the first week of October, organised by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
This is the twentieth consecutive year of the campaign, which began in 2005, as a small event in Venezuela. In 2023, for the first time, over one million children officially took part, and the same happened in 2024.
Parishes, movements, schools and families are being asked to pray during the first week of October, but especially on 7 October, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, sending “a tidal wave of prayer around the world, sprung from the hearts of children and uttered in childlike trust”, according to Fr Anton Lässer, ecclesiastical assistant to ACN International.
The international president of ACN, Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, stresses the importance of this year’s campaign, saying that it “responds to the ever-pressing yearning for peace and unity in a world wounded by division, conflict, and suffering”.
“In an age when prayerful silence is too often drowned out by the noise of the world, the Rosary offers an oasis of contemplation. It is neither a dry nor repetitive practice, but rather a gentle and strong path that leads us to the heart of the Gospel.”
The cardinal calls on all to participate with their children “wherever it is possible, so that the entire world may be embraced by this crown of light. Let us pray together that the bonds of ecclesial communion, both affective and effective, may be strengthened, and that the Holy Spirit may awaken in the hearts of the young a sincere desire for holiness.”
The inspiration for this initiative came from a saying attributed to the mystic Saint Padre Pio: “When a million children pray the Rosary, the world will change.” Fr Anton Lässer stresses that “the prayers of children have a special power before God—a power that can breach walls, heal wounds, and bring light into the darkness”.
“The Holy Rosary is and always will be a tried and trusted way of hope for peace—a path we are currently walking with great faith, above all in the Church’s Jubilee Year of Hope,” writes the priest.
Although everybody can participate freely by praying on the designated day, groups are requested to register on the official website so that ACN can have an idea of how many children are officially taking part in the event. The website has several useful resources that can be downloaded for use, in different languages.
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