VENEZUELA, Konstantin Blummers/mfk. The children’s rosary, an initiative that was started by the Shoenstatt Family of Caracas, was well received not only in many schools in Venezuela, but also in other countries such as, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, Spain, Germany, Mexico, United States, Puerto Rico and Argentina. It also made the news in the media.

"We are arriving from the church La Chiquinquira, where there was a commissioning of Pilgrim MTAs", writes Konstantin and Teresa Blumers, from Caracas, Venezuela. She is from Paraguay, he is German, and both live in Venezuela where they have committed to work for Schoenstatt, giving it a new impetus. "Some of the new missionaries are persons from different Catholic movements, with whom we have been working to make the Campaign of "A Million children praying the Rosary", a reality.

A very positive reception in Venezuela and beyond its borders

"We have no way of explaining how the Campaign of the Children’s Rosary was so well received, in the schools as well as in the media, ("El Universal", one of the most read newspapers, featured it on the first page), the TV, the newsmen mentioned it on their radio programs, in hospital, in orphanages, in the public squares, bells were even rung in some schools!"

On the 20^th of October, during a dinner of the bishops of the Episcopal Conference from Venezuela, the Bishop in charge of the Pastoral for the Laity said: "since the beginning there was something special about this campaign."

"I believe that the Blessed Mother wanted to tell us: "use the open doors that are the schools," commented the Blumers, It was after the praying of the rosary on an 18^th at the Wayside Shrine of the MTA in Caracas that we got the idea to invite the children to pray the rosary on the 18^th of October at 9:00 a.m., for unity and peace in the country and in all the world.

It was something that touched many in Venezuela

"The teachers of the Education Union of Caracas joyfully received us and they formed two groups with all of the boys of the school to make the praying the Rosary easier. Yesterday a lady, who was a great collaborator of the "Million Children Praying the Rosary"campaign, told me that in Zaraza, Guarenas, Bejuma, Maracaibo, Edo, Bolivar, and Puerto La Cruz there was a special preparation for that day and that in Petare they practiced the week before so that the prayer of the rosary today would be something special," commented Ana Beatriz. Michele de Lucca wrote: "In the Catechetical Center in Bello Campo, they gave me some materials about the campaign on October 18th. I found out that the "Jean Piaget" school with 140 children, wanted this material so I sent it to them. Now they will pray every 18^th of October. The catechists from Trinity Church took the material to two government schools: "Lino Clemente" with 880 children, and "Mara Lorenza" with 400 children. These two schools have two sessions and they decided to pray the rosary in the morning and in the afternoon. Their enthusiasm is surprising, it must have something to do with the Blessed Mother…These two schools do not have catechists, their 4^th and 5^th grade students go to St. Thomas Apostle Parish to prepare for First Communion.

It was noisy for our Lord

In the Refuge of Infants School, in Antemano, 450 children prayed the rosary on the 18^th of October and they sang songs to the Blessed Mother.

A very exciting moment was when the Rosary was prayed in the Oncology Unit of the Children’s Hospital: "I truly do not have words to describe the experience that God permitted me to experience. It was very touching to see those children taking their treatments, with their little bald heads because of the chemo-therapy, however, their parents, the nurses and the doctors of the care unit led the Rosary with great faith. That it was a great lesson of fortitude and hope for me."

"Today the Lord gave me the opportunity to lead and to also pray the "Children’s Rosary" in the Saint Barbara Institute, Calle Paraiso, behind the White Palace where Basic Education classes are taught. I am its legal assessor. It is the first time I have prayed with so many adolescents and we know that is not easy. But it was a wonderful experience. I found out that many of these young boys do not know how to pray, and how important it is to teach them at home, but I can’t say too much about this, since I just converted 3 and a half years ago, I am now 52", writes Judith Guillen.

In the schools of the poorest and of the most privileged, in diocesan schools, in schools out in the rural areas, and in cities, with children who have never prayed the rosary before…much noise was made in our Lord’s ears, it was an uproar of one million children asking for a better country and for each of those things that they kept in their hearts", explains Maribel Mejia Blanco Uribe, from the Andres Bello Catholic University, who prayed the rosary with the unschooled boys of Vega who were between 7 and 11 years old.

Beyond the borders

In the Schoenstatt Shrine of Cuidad del Este in Paraguay, which is located close to the border with Brazil, children from the Brazilian schools also participated. Yes, the campaign of the "Children’s Rosary" went beyond the borders of countries, and of religious movements. In Colombia it spread in the area of Guasimal-Tenacundinamarca. In Spain it was taken up a Salesian school, where the Salesian Fathers asked a Convent of Disclaced Carmelites to join in from their cloister. In Bad Saulgau, Germany, in Ann Arbor, New York, in Guadalajar, Mexico, in Panama, Puerto Rico, all joined in praying the Rosary of the children with enthusiasm and commitment.

Translation: Celina M. Garza, Harlingen,TX / Christi & Paul Jentz, Milwaukee,WI, USA