Our homeschool group met for the Noon Mass, and then traveled 16 miles to our Diocesan Retreat Center for what we called A Spiritual Pilgrimage and Nature Hike. This day was the First Friday in October and the Feast of St. Francis. We were aware of the fact that St. Francis of Assisi was told by our Lord to "Rebuild My Church." Our new pope chose the name Francis. Father Sam stopped by to talk to our group while we were there. After enjoying a picnic lunch, we gathered around the Mary Garden to pray the Rosary together.
The Living Rosary is prayed by having each person stand on one of the stones laid out in the shape of Rosary beads to say the prayer that the stone represents. We had ten people with us, six children and four adults. That conveniently made up a "decade" of the Rosary. We prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries in which one meditates upon Jesus' Agony in the Garden, The Scourging at the Pillar, The Crowning with Thorns, The Carrying of the Cross and Jesus' Crucifixion and Death. After all ten of us prayed our prayer aloud, we moved forward ten stepping stones to pray the next decade.
The Living Rosary stones were placed here as part of an Eagle Scout project by a young man in our parish.
Another Eagle Scout project located here is the Outdoor Stations of the Cross. These we did as well, in an abbreviated way
Then we went hiking on mowed paths around the 200 acres here. We visited as we walked along enjoying the beginnings of fall color. It was warm and sunny- probably in the high eighties! I really enjoyed the combination of the Mass, The Rosary and the splendor of nature on this Feast Day.
St. Francis, Pray for us!
