2003 Event

We gathered the children into HIS presence to
pray for Families and for Respect Life!

This picture tells a story of its own. It was an inspiration. On October 7 ~ 2003, Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, we gathered the school children of the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis, before the Blessed Sacrament, by means of a "Holy Fieldtrip." We put a Rosary in their hands and 3200 school children prayed for the renewal of 'Family Life and for the Respect of all Life.'

Clergy and lay people alike could not envision how filling the St. Paul Cathedral with thousands of school children was possible. It can't be done! There's not enough time. Devotional life for children never, they won't come! But it did happen, there was enough time, and 28 schools called the bus company and filled our Cathedral with over 3200 children that beautiful October morning.

We processed the International Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, down the main aisle. The children were in awe. How many of them had never experienced such a holy scene before. Father exposed the Blessed Sacrament, and led them in the prayer of the new luminous mysteries of the most holy Rosary. You could of heard a pin drop. Father blessed them and our miraculous hour of prayer ended. Imagine 3200 of these little ones processed out, orderly and silently.

No person could have arranged such a morning of prayer. But Our Lady did! We believe that morning was a blueprint to follow and to make known throughout the world.

It was easy! It was a "Holy Children's Pilgrimage." The children needed to get up for school anyway, the principals and teachers the same. Schools go on fieldtrips all the time to apple farms, museums, etc. So for them to call the bus company to arrange for a pickup was not new to them. So this day they went on a new fieldtrip, a Spiritual Field trip, a pilgrimage to their Cathedral, where they prayed together for their families, and all families.

The fruit of those children in prayer was an evening Candlelight Rosary Procession. Again we heard, "Families won't come back twice, Not at night, What if it rains?" But the plans were made and we processed the statue of Our Lady down John Ireland Boulevard, with a police escort. Three thousand in procession from the state Capitol to the majestic St. Paul Cathedral. Family members pushing strollers, elderly and youth walking side by side. The weather miraculously warm, a full moon, a gentle breeze, surely the presence of Our Lady.

Rural families may not be able to take their children to a cathedral; but they can take them to their parish church, or an adoration chapel, bring them into the presence of Jesus. In the morning gather the children in prayer, in the evening plan candlelight processions for families.

It's not difficult to gather children. So let's do it. Let's make it ANNUAL ~ WORLD-WIDE! Jesus is eagerly awaiting their arrival and prayers, He just needs one more thing... for someone to say "Yes" and bring them! Could it be YOU!?

St. Paul & Minneapolis Division of the World Apostolate of Fatima