Children’s Rosary group fosters love of Mary in young people and families
Children and their parents gather before a statue of Mary on Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, to pray the rosary in the daily Mass chapel of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in Indianapolis. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)
By Sean Gallagher
Maria Tappel is an 11-year-old sixth grader at St. Matthew the Apostle School in Indianapolis. In her short life, she’s already developed an important relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“She’s a protector,” says Maria. “She’s someone who will take care of me when I’m struggling. She’s someone that I can talk to.”
That relationship has been fostered by Maria and her family praying the rosary with other children and families who gather at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish on the first Saturday of the month.
The monthly gathering is part of a worldwide Children’s Rosary movement (childrensrosary.org) in which young children ages 4 to 14 lead each other and their parents in praying the rosary. This was the age range of the children to whom Mary appeared at Lourdes, France, and Fatima, Portugal, where she invited them to pray the rosary frequently.
The Children’s Rosary group at
St. Matthew drew about 30 children and their parents on Oct. 7, the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. October is traditionally dedicated in the Church to Mary and the rosary.
The group gathered in the parish’s daily Mass chapel before a statue of Mary. Children took turns leading decades. And after each decade, children placed roses for Mary in a vase in front of the statue while singing to her.
After praying the rosary, the families shared donuts together and played on the parish’s playground.
“It’s fun to come here to hang out, pray the rosary and interact with Mary in the fun way that we do it,” Maria said.
She and her family have been part of Children’s Rosary groups for seven years in other places before they moved to Indianapolis. Through the years, Maria has been glad to see the group grow.
“It’s cool,” she said. “I’ve been doing it for so many years. So, I’m happy to see more kids being involved and having fun.”
Maria’s parents, Kara and Tim Tappel, are happy to see their daughter and their son Dominic, 13, embrace the rosary at this important point in their young lives.
“We have always wanted to have this devotion within our family,” said Tim.
“So, to see them carry this on makes us extremely happy. We’re so thankful to Mary for the inspiration to do this.”
The Tappels encourage a devotion to Mary and the rosary in their children, including their youngest child Thomas,
4, because they know they are growing up in an increasingly secular culture that will challenge their faith.
“We’re hoping and praying that, through the intercession of Mary, they’ll be able to have fortitude and courage going forth,” Kara said. “We don’t know where they’ll go [in the future]. But we hope that they’ll be able to pull strength from this.”
When Kara became a mother, she turned to Mary for help in living out her vocation.
“I was on my knees to her,” she recalled. “I asked her to help me lead in grace like she did. I want to bring my children to her Son. I want my children to be at his feet.”
Msgr. William F. Stumpf, St. Matthew’s pastor and archdiocesan vicar general, is happy to see the Children’s Rosary group helping young people grow in their love for Mary.
“It’s a beautiful ministry,” he said. “You have the beauty of introducing children to a wonderful relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary, learning to pray the rosary, and about how consoling it can be. It’s beautiful how families are coming together to pray.”
Anna Taul, a member of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish, came there on Oct. 7 with her husband Wes and their children John, 4, James, 2, and Monica, who is about 2 months old.
Anna prays that her children will grow in their love for Mary just like the other children who attend the Children’s Rosary group have.
“It is so encouraging,” Taul said. “We know as parents that we are the first teachers of the faith. But we also need a community around us to be good teachers, to get great ideas, to have inspiration.
“It helps to know that spark is there and that it’s reinforced in other places—in school, in the parish, in activities that we do together as a family.” †
