As teachers, during the month of October my wife and I always dedicated a number of class prayers to praying the rosary. October is a perfect opportunity to teach children how to pray the rosary in their own lives. She found that with her fourth graders and I found with my middle school and high schoolers that if done well praying the rosary with your students can be a fruitful experience for both teacher and student.
Why is October the Month of the Rosary?
October 7th is the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, sometimes referred to as the Feast of the Holy Rosary. The day was dedicated by St. Pius V who credited a victory over the invading Turks to the intercession of Mary through the rosary. Pope Benedict XVI described the image of Our Lady of the Rosary in a 2007 Angelus:
“The traditional image of Our Lady of the Rosary portrays Mary who with one arm supports the Child Jesus and with the other is offering the rosary beads to St Dominic. This important iconography shows that the Rosary is a means given by the Virgin to contemplate Jesus and, in meditating on his life, to love him and follow him ever more faithfully. It is this message that Our Lady has also bequeathed to us in her various apparitions.” (Benedict XVI, Angelus, October 7, 2009)
Activities for your Rosary lesson plans:
- 6 Reasons for Teaching Children the Rosary
- Danielle Rose Music: Mysteries of the Rosary CD
- Rosary Journals for Meditation on the Mysteries of the Rosary
- Teaching the Mysteries of the Rosary to Elementary Students
- The Religion Teacher’s Rosary Worksheets for Kids
About Jared Dees
Thank you so much for the resources on the rosary which I look forward to using with my students in RE class.
Looking forward to the postings. Happy October, blessings!