What is  A Decade A Day?

A Decade A Day is a Rosary campaign in which children pray a decade of the Rosary each day at school for world peace.

At present it has spread throughout Australia
is in many schools in New Zealand
and has been introduced
into Fiji, USA and now India.

A conservative estimate is that over 150,000 Rosary beads have been given to schoolchildren.
It is not possible to keep up with the number of schools.

Many thousands of children are praying for peace in the world because  Pope John Paul 11 asked.

It is a lay initiative - it is not part of any organised group - and it started in October 2001. After the terrorist attacks in America in 2001, the Pope repeatedly asked individuals and communities to pray the Rosary for world peace.

The prayers of children are simple and sincere - and hard to resist. What better than to ask the children to answer the Pope's call …and teach us all to pray for peace?

· Local lay people approach the School Principals and ask if the children could say a decade of the Rosary in class each day.
· Little children are invited to say a few "Hail Mary's".
· The people offer to provide the children with Rosary beads, best kept in the classroom.
· The children are invited to fill in their name, school and date on small Certificates given to them. These remind the children they are praying with thousands of other children in answer to the Pope's request.

Plastic & string Rosary beads are purchased by each local group.

These Rosaries are quite inexpensive and can be purchased from a wholesaler. Groups of people band together for fundraising - and this builds community spirit, providing lots of fun and a sense of belonging and helping. Donations come in from people wanting to help.

The beads are delivered without fuss or fanfare to the schools, simply handed in at the Office. No intrusion is made into teaching time. The teachers willingly take over and teach the children how to pray a decade of the Rosary.

Because it is independent of any group, A Decade A Day has been embraced by groups of Rosary Makers, the Legion of Mary, the Knights of the Southern Cross, the Catholic Women's Association, the Society for Eucharistic Adoration in New Zealand, prayer groups, friends - there is room for everybody to spread the Rosary among the school children.

There are no rules - the aim is to teach the children the value of praying together and to realise they are part of the Family of God which cares for all family members. When there is trouble, families stick together and support each other.

The basic elements of A Decade A Day are:

Later when the children are ready the teachers will move them on to learning the various decades, the meditations…

We invite you to spread A Decade A Day in your area.
It can spread throughout Australia
or throughout the world.

It just needs people to believe in it and take it to others.

If you wish to contact us for further information please email info@adecadeaday.cjb.net

Holy Mass is offered annually for all those involved in any way with
A Decade A Day.