Students participate in Worldwide Children’s Holy Hour

Last week, initiator of a children’s eucharistic adoration program Father Antoine Thomas of the Congregation of St. John, led Holy Hours for children at three parishes, drawing the participation of at least four Catholic schools: St. James, Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Vincent de Paul.

Some 1,000 local children participated in the celebrations, which were held in conjunction with the sixth annual Worldwide Children’s Holy Hour, a project of the World Apostolate of Fatima. The apostolate is a public association of the faithful committed to increasing devotion to Mary and to fulfilling her requests made during apparitions to three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima was authorized in 1930 under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary. October is the month of Our Lady of the Rosary.

On Oct. 3 at St. Vincent de Paul Church the celebration started with a procession that included children dressed as the three visionaries from Fatima, followed by students carrying flags of various countries and the U.S. flag, symbolizing that children across the globe were praying in unity on that day for all families and for all children of the world. Two students crowned a statue of Our Lady of Fatima.

Father Antoine told the students that prior to seeing Mary the children of Fatima were visited by an angel who taught them how to adore Jesus in the Eucharist. The priest then led the students in silent Eucharistic adoration.