Children's prayers are believed to flutter directly up to heaven and, as from next month, they will also help children with medical problems fly to Lourdes to attend a pilgrimage especially organised for them.
A Children's Illustrated Guide to the Rosary will be launched at the beginning of June, all proceeds going towards sponsoring the Maltese children who wish to attend a special pilgrimage being held on the occasion of the 150th anniversary since the apparitions of Our Lady to St Bernadette.
The fully illustrated book contains colourful cartoons that depict the various mysteries of the rosary in both English and Maltese. The puppy-eyed Bible cartoon characters are accompanied by a brief description of the mystery and a short prayer. The book gives a brief history of the rosary, provides various prayers, explains how the rosary is said and illustrates how to use the rosary beads.
"The idea behind the book was to organise a fund-raising event while, at the same time, giving something back to the children," explained Jean Paul Fabri, the chairman of the pilgrimage's organising committee within Assoċjazzjoni Voluntarji Lourdes (AVL).
One of the main aims of AVL is to diffuse Marian devotion in Malta. In fact every September AVL organises an annual pilgrimage to Lourdes but, this year, they will also be undertaking a special pilgrimage in June specifically for children to mark the 150th anniversary since the apparitions of Our Lady to St Bernadette. Some 10,000 children from various countries will be visiting Lourdes between June 22 and 28 and AVL is hoping to take up a group of Maltese children with medical problems.
During the June pilgrimage children from each country will be assigned a colour as well as a symbol of St Bernadette. Malta's colour will be yellow and children will go bearing the symbolic sculpture of a sheep which they will place at the foot of the statue of the saint once in Lourdes. "We believe that our work should actually not end in Lourdes but start on the last day of the pilgrimage in Lourdes... This book is our contribution to increasing the knowledge of the rosary and to helping children and families pray together. That is why we gave it the cartoon character touch.
"However, we have to mention that one of the driving forces of this idea is for children to participate in sponsoring sick peers," Mr Fabri said, adding that it costs €600 (Lm258) to sponsor each child and offer them a much deserved distraction from their daily ailments.
Once published, copies of the book will be given to all sick children in hospital. The book will also be sold and money will go to sponsor sick children who wish to attend the pilgrimage.
The book is being designed by Darren Duncan while Mr Fabri and Joseph Grech-Attard are responsible for the text. The book will be printed by Gutenberg Press.
Anyone wishing to make a donation to sponsor a child's trip to Lourdes may make a deposit in HSBC bank account 0332 0313 4050. For more information on funding the pilgrimage or about joining the trip call 2134 5523 or 9947 7537 or e-mail avl@waldonet.net.mt. Those interesting in learning more about the book can call Mr Fabri on 9940 8746 or e-mail jpfabri@gmail.com.