Students at Fr. Leo Green School in Edmonton learned about the rosary and how to pray it by participating in the One Million Children Praying the Rosary program.

EDMONTON — École/Escuela Father Leo Green students joined children from all over the world in participating in a prayer campaign, called One Million Children Praying the Rosary — For Unity and Peace, an event that takes place every Oct. 18.

Originating in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2005, this prayer initiative was started by a small group of children, not quite 10 years of age at the time, who decided to gather secretly under a tree and pray the rosary for the world, for peace, for their families.

Soon the children no longer wanted to keep this to themselves. It was not long before a million children from around the world were praying the rosary simultaneously.

CHILDREN'S INITIATIVE

As October is the month of the rosary, Father Leo Green students from kindergarten to Grade 6 took part in this worldwide children's prayer initiative (www.millon-de-ninos-rezando.net), each class participating in an activity geared to their age and grade.

The goal was to allow students to learn about the rosary and to enjoy the prayer activity, so that they might become attracted by this form of meditative prayer and seek it out.

PHOTO | FR. LEO GREEN SCHOOL PHOTO CLUB

In the early grades, activities included looking at and handling a rosary, studying a diagram of the rosary on the interactive board, learning or practising the Our Father and Hail Mary in English, in some grades in French, praying a decade or a few, reading books on the mysteries of the rosary, viewing and colouring images of the five joyful mysteries, and praying for special intentions, especially for unity and peace in the world.

The older students viewed short video clips on the rosary, meditated on a series of projected images of the joyful mysteries on the interactive board while students prayed the entire rosary, some groups being led by individual students.

Preparatory activities before the Oct. 18 event took place, as well as post-event activities, namely personal student reflections on the international prayer event and on the various student activities.

St. Pio de Pietreicina once said, "Think of how the world would change if one million children prayed the holy rosary." These are good words to remember and reflect upon.

This is the fourth year Canada has taken part in this worldwide event, and the third year for Father Leo Green students.

Mark your calendars for next year, One Million Children Praying the Rosary — For Unity and Peace on Oct. 18, 2011.