The Role Children Will Play in Our Church

RoleOfChildren
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 18:3 NAB) This was part of the Gospel reading on the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 7th, 2012. If we reflect on these words of Jesus one might question why children have not played a larger role in our Church in the past. While prayer groups exist in many parishes for adults there is a scarcity of such groups designed for children.

If we still ask whether Our Lord intended our children to meet Him in prayer, we have only to return to Scripture: “When Jesus saw this He became indignant and said to them, ‘Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.’” (Mk 10: 14-15 NAB)

Our Blessed Mother has chosen to convey messages to the world and the importance of the Holy Rosary through children such as the three children of Fatima. Our Lady also appeared to the child, Bernadette, at Lourdes France while she was praying the Rosary. If Our Lord and His Mother have been so clear about the importance of children praying and leading prayer, might we listen to their words and example and bring our children to them?

Through the means of the Children’s Rosary our children will experience prayer with other children under the watchful eye of their Heavenly Mother. They will be schooled in virtue and holiness by the most perfect of teachers: Our Blessed Mother. Jesus has told us something else about our children in the portion of St. Matthew’s Gospel: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.”(Mt 11:25 NAB)

Our children have an enormous capacity for spirituality and a deep relationship with Our Lord and His Mother. In this springtime of faith may we look to the future of our Church, our children, to help lead us all back to the warm embrace of Our Savior.

Hand drawing was done by Alina Kaufman in 2016. Alina is a child who has been a member of the Children’s Rosary for five years.