The Rosary Apostolate in the schools: celebrating ten years of evangelization.

The Rosary Apostolate in Ontario is an apostolate of evangelization through prayer which began in the schools and later extended to the families and the forming of parish prayer groups. It all began in 1997 with a humble request to pray the rosary with children in our Catholic schools. At that time, no one imagined there would be a great demand for this type of service. We were all pleasantly surprised. Rapidly, we became a volunteer organization. Thus, the need to recruit and to quickly put into place structure, rules and screening measures.

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It was in 1997 that Pope John Paul II launched a three-year preparation program for the Jubilee Year 2000. This is what inspired us to make our school visits a jubilee project. We went into the classrooms, beginning with a five-minute presentation of one of the themes proposed by our Holy Father (simplifying them for children) and followed by praying the rosary with meditations connected to the theme of the day (when possible). The children were attentive when presentations began by saying, "The Pope says ..."

From the beginning, we felt we wanted to place all the children we meet under the protection of the Mother of God. As Pope John Paul II so often concluded his visits to many nations by entrusting its people to the Mother of God by an act of consecration, we decided to conclude these visits with a short act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, fitting for children. By our witness and our example, we hoped to transmit to the children and youth the great love Mary had for Jesus! It is in this way that the Rosary Apostolate embraced a spirituality of its own.

Looking back, we accidentally found that there was a need for more prayer in our schools and in our society--a need which was expressed by Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte: "Is it not one of the 'signs of our times' that in today's world, despite widespread secularization, there is a widespread demand for spirituality, a demand which expresses itself in large part as a renewed need for prayer? ... It is therefore essential the education in prayer should become in some way a key-point ..."

Since then, we have developed a four-year program of themes we implement in the schools. We were happy to write special themes to transmit to children the messages of "The Year of the Rosary" and the "Year of the Eucharist." Every year we also like to present the last World Youth Day message (simplified) in one of the monthly themes presented to the children and youth.

The Mother of God is actively working in Ontario ... leading children and youth to Jesus through the Rosary Apostolate volunteers!

At present, there are about 1000 trained volunteers in Ontario reaching out to about 100,000 children and youth in our Catholic schools. The Rosary Apostolate has received written approval in the Archdiocese of Toronto, and other participating dioceses.

At present our school pro gram is actively working in these regions:

* The Archdiocese of Toronto: Ajax, Barrie, Brampton-1, Brampton-2, Etobicoke, Markham-1, Markham-2, Midland, Mississauga-1, Mississauga-3, Mississauga-4, Mississauga-5, North York-1, North York-1, North York-2, North York-3, North York-4, North York-5, North York-West, North York-South, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Scarborough-1, Scarborough-2, Scarborough-3, Scarborough-4, Scarborough-South, Thornhill, Toronto North, Toronto South, Woodbridge-1, Woodbridge-2, Woodbridge-3.

* The Diocese of London: Windsor/Tilbury/Tecumseh/Amherstburg, London, Simcoe/Port Dover, Stratford/Perth/Dublin/Kinkora/Mount Carmel/Wingham/Exeter/Listowel.

* The Archdiocese of Ottawa Regions: Ottawa/Orleans.

* The Diocese of Peterborough: Bracebridge, Hunstville.

As volunteers step forward we hope to expand throughout the nation. There is a great need for many more volunteers ... take the time to consider being an apostle of the Immaculate Heart of Mary ...

What is the Rosary Apostolate?

The Rosary Apostolate is a non-profit association of volunteers in the community that freely give of their time and talents to lead children, youth and families into a deeper relationship with our Triune God through prayer. Thus, the Rosary Apostolate is an apostolate of prayer. The Rosary Apostolate seeks to lead people to Jesus our Saviour and Redeemer through Mary by teaching others how to pray with the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The three basic sectors where we seek to lead people in the recitation of the Holy Rosary are Catholic schools, family homes, and parish churches.

Each volunteer under the direction and guidelines of the Rosary Apostolate, prays the Rosary with children and youth and families, inviting them to return to the practice of praying the Rosary daily. The Rosary Apostolate organization must be carried on without purpose of gain for its members. Any profits or other gains to the Rosary Apostolate organization shall be used in promoting its objectives.

Through the Rosary Apostolate, children are experiencing the power of the Rosary! Here are some letters.

"Dear Rosary Team,

I wrote this letter to thank you for spending time with our school and praying the rosary. I also wish to tell you what praying did for my family. My Grandmother got sick, when she was in the hospital, and almost died. But after I prayed the rosary she looked better each time I saw her. Then one day she got better and came home. It was a true miracle!

--Grade 7 student.

"Dear Rosary Team,

I thank you, the rosary team, for coming to our school every year and month to pray the rosary. I thank you because, now I pray the rosary every day of the week and I always think of Mary. I have learned a lot like how to pray the mysteries and about Christ in the past. When I pray the rosary, I remember why we pray"....

--Grade 6 Student.

"Dear Rosary Team,

My class and I would like to thank you for sharing your time with us. We really appreciate the prayers we said together and the celebration you and your team put together. By praying the rosary, it helps us understand the meaning of our lives, because Mary is in our hearts and she helps us when we are up against hard times. So that's why we pray the rosary. So we thank you from our hearts, and we wish to see you again to pray."

--Grade 7 student.