HONG KONG (SE): In response to Pope Francis’ invitation for children worldwide to pray the rosary for peace and unity, the Diocesan Committee for the Development of Children Ministry, in collaboration with Boiling Point—a youth online platform organised by the Diocesan Audio-Visual Centre and the Diocesan Youth Commission—held an online rosary prayer meeting on October 18 at 8:00pm.
During his weekly Angelus address on October 13, Pope Francis encouraged children around the globe to participate in the “One Million Children Praying the Rosary” initiative organised by the Aid to the Church in Need Foundation. This campaign, inspired by Padre Pio’s belief that a million children praying the rosary could transform the world, aims to promote peace and unity through prayer.
Father Paul Kam Po-wai, the vicar general of the Diocese of Hong Kong, who leads the diocesan committee, made an appeal for children and their parents to participate in the initiative a few days before the event on Facebook, emphasising that those who are suffering need our prayers.
Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Ha Chi-shing, at the beginning of the online prayer meeting, stressed the importance of praying for peace in a world plagued by war and suffering, which has left many children in a state of misery, some with severe injuries or without parents.
“So, brothers and sisters, what are we to do? Our position does not entitle us to lead any great nation, does it? However, we are the children of the Lord. As His children, we have gathered together in prayer to express our wishes. Through Mary, the Queen of Peace, we can achieve anything as she reaches out to the heart of God,” Bishop Ha said.
He encouraged the children to show kindness and compassion to their parents, family members, and others in their daily lives.
The prayer meeting was led by four child delegates from the diocese who had attended World Children’s Day in Rome in May this year, along with their parents.
Lucas Lam shared that he invited his classmates to participate, and some found the online format of the rosary easier to engage with, experiencing their first complete recitation.
Icy Chan, Lam’s mother, found it moving to see people praying simultaneously across the globe. She expressed her family’s wish for global peace, a cause they consistently pray for. During a school event, Lam had written a hopeful message for peace between Israel and Palestine on a paper rose petal and prayed for children affected by conflict.
Nine-year-old Janae Dai attended with her mother, Emma Chow. After the prayer meeting, Janae felt inspired to recite the rosary with her family for world peace. Before the event, she had discussed the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary and the method of reciting them with her mother. Chow said that this was their first time participating in an online prayer meeting, making it a memorable experience.
Taking inspiration from Our Lady of Fatima, the ACN launched the prayer initiative to promote faith, peace, and unity through the use of the rosary, emphasising the power of prayer to overcome evil and bring about positive change.
Praying together, especially with children, is an initiative designed to foster unity within the Church and across borders, to open hearts to love for God and neighbour, and to facilitate concrete assistance for those in need.
According to the group’s website, 1,194,250 people, including children with their families and parish, have signed up for the prayer campaign starting from the beginning of 2024.
