October is traditionally the month of the rosary. Originally, the association sprang from the celebration of the Oct. 7 Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and it was further reinforced by the final apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima on Oct. 13, 1917. The rosary is a treasured Catholic tradition that was popularized by the 1214 apparition of Mary to St. Dominic in which she asked him to spread the devotion. It was formalized into the structure we know today in the 15th century by Dominican monk Blessed Alan de la Roche, with the luminous mysteries added by St. John Paul II in 2002. Here are some ways to make this beloved prayer feel new again.
How do you get children excited about praying the rosary? Start with a downloadable kit complete with coloring pages, comics, a poster and more. Aid to the Church in Need put together the kits ahead of their effort to encourage 1 million children to pray the rosary for unity and peace on Oct. 7. The colorful illustrations and interactive pages will inspire young children to pray and to learn.