Presentation given to the 2nd grade class at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Branchville, NJ

I know I’ve spoken about this several times before, but I feel it’s worth repeating. In my recent YouTube video Father Phil Tangorra reinforced the importance of wearing the Brown Scapular after he enrolled the class into the Carmelite Family.

These two beautiful sacramentals are so important in the times we are living in today. Children today are bombarded with so many distractions, especially social media. We as parents need to instill the importance of time spent on prayer, especially praying the Holy Rosary. It’s best to carve out some time to pray as a family whether it be before or after dinner or even before bedtime.

If you can’t pray the entire rosary, start slow. Start with a decade a day and increase it from there. Make it fun for the kids. Kids love to hear stories.

For example, if you are praying the Joyful Mysteries about Jesus’ birth, you may want to tell your son or daughter the story about their birth. Kids relate to visual images too. Show them some pictures of them just after they were born. You may tell them how difficult it was for Mary to give birth in the freezing cold in a manger. This may relate to you too if you got stuck in a snowstorm while driving to the hospital to give birth.

If you associate the birth of Jesus with their birth, they will be more likely to understand and be more open to learning. Also, this is a good segue to teach them the fruit of the mystery which is poverty. This is poverty in spirit which means relying on God for everything.

I hope these tips were helpful and always wear your Brown Scapular and say the Rosary daily!
Until next time, have a Blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

Below are all the mysteries of the Rosary and the Fruits of the mystery to help you teach your children while you are praying with them.

The Fruits of the Mysteries

Joyful Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries

Joyful Mysteries

First Decade: The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary

Fruit: HUMILITY

Second Decade: The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth

Fruit: LOVE OF NEIGHBOR

Third Decade: The Birth of Our Lord

Fruit: POVERTY

Fourth Decade: The Presentation of Our Lord

Fruit: OBEDIENCE

Fifth Decade: The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple

Fruit: JOY IN FINDING JESUS

 

Sorrowful Mysteries

First Decade: The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden

Fruit: SORROW FOR OUR SINS

Second Decade: Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar

Fruit: PURITY

Third Decade: Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns

Fruit: COURAGE

Fourth Decade: Our Lord Carries the Cross to Calvary

Fruit: PATIENCE

Fifth Decade: The Crucifixion of Our Lord

Fruit: PERSEVERANCE

 

Glorious Mysteries

First Decade: The Resurrection of Our Lord

Fruit: FAITH

Second Decade: The Ascension of Our Lord

Fruit: HOPE

Third Decade: The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Fruit: LOVE OF GOD

Fourth Decade: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven

Fruit: GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH

Fifth Decade: The Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

Fruit: TRUST IN THE INTERCESSION OF MARY

 

Luminous Mysteries

First Decade: The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan

Fruit: OPENNESS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

Second Decade: The Wedding at Cana

Fruit: TO JESUS THROUGH MARY

Third Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God

Fruit: REPENTANCE AND TRUST IN GOD

Fourth Decade: The Transfiguration of Our Lord

Fruit: DESIRE FOR HOLINESS

Fifth Decade: The Institution of the Eucharist

Fruit: ADORATION