Aid to Church hosts global rosary campaign amid ongoing conflicts

As global conflicts persist, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is organizing its annual "One Million Children Praying the Rosary" campaign on October 18. The initiative invites children, families, parishes, catechists, and teachers to recite the rosary and pledge their participation on ACN's website, millionchildrenpraying.org. The site offers resources such as prayer kits and reflections in 15 languages.

ACN has been providing pastoral and humanitarian aid under papal guidance since 1947. This year's campaign focuses on praying for peace and unity amidst numerous global conflicts. Edward Clancy, ACN’s U.S.-based director of outreach, emphasized the need for unity and prayer during these times. “There are so many hot spots in the world,” he told OSV News. “It’s really a time when the Church needs to be united and we need to pray for peace."

The International Committee of the Red Cross reports over 120 armed conflicts worldwide, including those involving Israel-Hamas and Russia-Ukraine. Since its inception in 2005, ACN has held this prayer event on October 18, coinciding with St. Luke the Evangelist's feast day.

Clancy highlighted that this year’s date falls on a Friday when the Sorrowful Mysteries are traditionally recited. He noted that this coincidence is significant given current global conditions: “The Sorrowful Mysteries are the ones we should be praying during these current conditions.”

The campaign began in Venezuela under Hugo Chavez's rule when women were inspired by a quote attributed to St. Pio of Pietrelcina: “When one million children pray the rosary, the world will change.” Clancy believes children are uniquely suited to intercede due to their innocence and sincerity: “Their prayers are much more efficacious,” he said.

ACN International president Cardinal Mauro Piacenza and ecclesiastical assistant Father Anton Lässer encourage organizing rosary prayers in schools, group meetings, and online. Clancy expressed hope that people will feel empowered by prayer: "We seek to help inspire the sense in people that they can do something, and that prayer does have an effect on the world."

Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @GinaJesseReina.