Page 31 - Michael Journal — 2019 October

riculum and studied the parts of the Mass. Soon our
boys began serving at the altar on a daily basis, which “If it be true that the world
u
presented an incredible teaching moment. All of this has lost its respect for
richly enhanced our catechism lessons.
Our parish church only had a 5:30 p.m. Mass, authority, it is only because
which was a very difficult time for families, as that it lost it first in the home.”
meant dinner would be very late. We began planning —Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
an afternoon snack at around 4:00, then had supper at
7:00 p.m. This took some getting used to but we made
it work for our family. Now that our children are older, those who are liv-
I’m telling you all this because there could be ing at home still pray the Rosary with us every evening
after supper. Our boys who are now married have also
so many excuses, and some very good ones, as to chosen to continue this practice with their own chil-
why one cannot attend Mass every day but if Mass dren. My son was telling me that one night when they
becomes our most important priority of the day, God had gotten home late, after being out all day, they were
arranges all the rest for us — that is a fact — and the tired, and decided to put the kids to bed without pray-
graces and blessings from this practice are beyond ing the Rosary. Their oldest boy, who was 6 years old
even our own understanding. said, “Daddy! We haven’t prayed the Rosary yet!” So,
Another very important prayer is the family Ro- of course, they prayed their Rosary together! Again,
sary — there is no substitute for this practice! Here in God often teaches us through the words and actions
the United States we had Fr. Patrick Peyton, who since of our children.
the 1940’s, spent his priesthood promoting the Fam- So, make the Rosary a daily practice — make it for
ily Rosary. He had a famous slogan: “The family that our families as important a part of the day as eating
prays together, stays together”. Many families in the and sleeping, because it is that important! Pope Pius
U.S. back in the 1950’s, and even the 1960’s, prayed XI said, “If you desire peace in your hearts, in your
the daily Rosary. homes and in your country, assemble each evening to
Yves grew up praying the Rosary in his family. In recite the Rosary. Let not even one day pass without
my family, this was not so much the custom, but when saying it, no matter how burdened you may be with
I became active with the Pilgrims of St. Michael this many cares and labors.” I can honestly attest to this
was something that we promoted. We even went from — no matter what the difficulty, burden, fear, worry
house to house in towns and cities, in a Crusade for (believe me, with 7 children there are many worries!),
the Rosary, asking families to begin saying the Rosary whatever it is that we are going through, we can of-
in their homes, and helping them get started by say- fer our evening Rosary and Our Lady always takes our
ing one decade together during our visit. This practice troubles into her own hands. There is just no substi-
of praying the Rosary every day carried over into our tute for this practice of praying the Rosary with our
marriage. children — as a family — as a family prayer!
This is what the Blessed Mother asked us to do — The second thing:
it is what will turn the world back to God. We should — and this too is so important:
all know Our Lady’s message at Fatima and the prom- UNITY! — in the home and in our Faith.
ise: “Pray the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the
world.” — The Blessed Mother also appeared to a nun Children absolutely need to see their parents unit-
from Ohio in the 1950’s, Sr. Mildred Neuzil. She said ed in their decisions. (I say this from experience — it is
to her, “I am Our Lady of America”. She also told her, something that I have to work on constantly!). When
“Making the Rosary a family prayer is very pleasing to children see their parents arguing, they usually will not
me. I ask that all families strive to do so…” This ap- take us seriously knowing that we disagree. If there
are disagreements, they must be discussed privately,
parition was approved by Bishop Liebold in Ohio and coming to an agreement before sharing our decisions
was later endorsed by Cardinal Raymond Burke. Many with our children. Venerable Archbishop Fulton J.
families in The United States have undertaken to bring Sheen once said, “If it be true that the world has lost
back the family Rosary, and are seeing incredible re- its respect for authority, it is only because it lost it first
sults! in the home.”
I do not wish to seem to be painting a perfect pic-
I am always amazed that God entrusts the salva-
ture of our whole family on our knees, devoutly pray- tion of our children to us! Imagine! He creates a soul,
ing the Rosary, with no interruptions or distractions — and entrusts that soul to us as parents — what a re-
because this would not be reality — or, even more so, sponsibility we have for the salvation of our children’s
to say that our children have always loved this practice souls! But God, in His infinite goodness, has made this
— NO! — but if we try to make family prayer a regular possible by having everything we need available for
practice, our children become accustomed to it, and it our asking. By invoking the Holy Spirit, we have ac-
does become easier with time.

38 MICHAEL October/November/December 2019 www.michaeljournal.org