family rosary USA

In early December, Family Rosary USA hosted its annual Advent Family Day at the Father Peyton Center in North Easton, Massachusetts. The event was designed to offer families a prayerful, joyful, and engaging place to begin the season of Advent while remembering why we celebrate it.

The three-hour program began with attendees gathered in Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chapel, with a beautiful and contemplative reflection on the reasons to wait in patient expectation of Christmas. Mr. Craig Dyke’s reflection included inspiring, practical ways families can embrace Advent now while awaiting to celebrate the fullness of Christmas joy.

Always mindful of our mission to help families pray, especially the Rosary, we concluded our time in the chapel by reciting one decade of the Joyful Mysteries. After reading a short meditation on the Annunciation, a beautiful witness to the joy of anticipation that comes with Advent, Father Boby John, C.S.C., led those assembled in prayer. We then moved to the rotunda to bless the Advent wreath as well as all those present. Father Fred Jenga, C.S.C., led the blessing and the exuberant blessing with holy water.

Next, came the family-friendly, and Christ-focused Advent activities! Families were given cookies and ornaments to decorate, as well as an invitation to explore the Museum of Family Prayer and Family Room both located in the Father Peyton Center. After the children (and their parents) finished their masterpieces, families were invited into the Faith Gallery, the newly opened art gallery, also in the Center, where a talented musician led us in a time of caroling! Fr. Fred concluded our joyous gathering with a traditional Advent song in Swahili and a final blessing for families.

This beautiful day of prayer and joy served as a reminder for families as to why we celebrate Advent as well as an example for some practices. Family Rosary USA provided Advent resources to families to bring home and continue the joy of the day and the season — including a Family Activities Advent calendar, a beautiful prayer card with the Christmas Novena, and of course, their crafts and treats!

Our Advent Family Day was a great success, with over one hundred people pre-registering and exceedingly more in attendance! We fully expect to build on this success with future events that engage families in fun and faith-filled activities that inspire an openness to take what they experience at the Father Peyton Center into their homes. Our ardent desire, most of all, is that the events and opportunities provided by Family Rosary USA translate into an openness to pray more at home, especially the Rosary.