The Friends of  Jesus a Mary is an apostolate directed to children of ages 3 to 12.  In them live the Spirit and works the fullness of Grace.

"Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mk. 10:14)

"To know and love Jesus and to make Him known and loved specially in our families because THE FRIENDS OF JESUS AND MARY want to be LIKE JESUS ON EARTH"

NETS OF PRAYER

The Friends of Jesus and Mary are.....

All the Children of the World!

What is a nest of prayer? A nest of prayer is a group of children gathered around Jesus and Mary through common prayer and profound meditation of the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

The nest of prayer are the schools where the hearts of the children are molded in the love of Jesus and Mary. Through prayer, from their earliest days, they learn to talk with Jesus,  which means knowing how to live to save one's soul. 

Enjoying and experiencing in prayer....how good is the Lord to those who seek Him, they will love God more each day, living in virtue and growing in grace, maturity and wisdom.

The first religious experiences have a tremendous influence on a child's future growth. We should instill in the children a desire to know the life of Jesus and his teachings, the unity of the church, prayer and how to live a Christian life, in order to prompt them to practice virtuous acts, sacrifices and good works to the extent they are able.

It is essential to develop piety in the children, encouraging in them the need of personal interrelations, as well as interchange of experiences among the nets of prayer and the different leaders.

In order to fulfill the group's purpose, which is the spiritual growth of the little ones and to develop a spirit of unity among them, the nests of prayer should consist of a minimum of 5 children and maximum of 15.

Who is a Leader?

The leader of a nest prayer should be in a position to follow the world of the Lord: "Let the children come to Me. Do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Mark 10:14). The leader should be convinced of the power of prayer, understand the meaning of the Holly Rosary, and the willing to take part in the spreading of the Kingdom of God in the hearts of men and participate in the unification of the family.

The leader is someone who primarily lives a life of prayer and is inclined to work with children, as well as someone who understands their characteristics and behavior at different ages. 

The leader of nest of prayer should not only be caring and patient, but also must be in perfect harmony with what he teaches. He should be able to express our love for God and His love for us; the love of Jesus for His children and the joy that it brings. The love of our Mother Mary, the importance of prayer, its effectiveness in solving family problems, and the power of intercessory prayer for the needs of other children in the world.

It is important that the leader shares his own experiences of faith and that he repeats and emphasizes the most important issues in the teachings and guidelines. He should offer physical activities such as song and praise to the Lord, suggest homework according to the teachings of the session, as well as doing creative work with the hands.   

Spiritual life of a leader?

We recommended to the leaders to make prayer part of their lives. When you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to give you light and guidance so that you may transmit to the children the love and presence of God.

Open your hearts to prayer, using the five little stone that Mary has given us as means to succeed against the power of evil.

The Holy Rosary pray it daily with your heart.

Receive the Eucharistic-Jesus, who loves us, calls us and fills us with his love.

Read the Bible "whenever you pray, go to your room, close the door and pray to your Father in private..." (Matthew 6:6). It is God who speaks to you....Do it with love.

Fast -Offer it to the Lord, if possible, once a week. This will increase the power of your prayer.

Purify your soul - Turn over to Jesus your faults and worries. Make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation often. Put your trust in Mary, imitate her virtues, consecrating yourself to her Immaculate Heart.

Place of Meeting for Prayer 

The place for the nest of prayer should be large enough and comfortable for the children.

They should sit around a table which will be used as a small altar containing a Crucifix, a Bible, the image of the Pilgrim Virgin, a candle, flowers and enough rosaries for all the children participating.

All other teaching materials to be used during the session, should be placed in a different table.

ACTIVITIES

Weekly meetings for the nests of prayer

This ministry is for children from 3 to 12 years old and should last from 1 to 2 hours. (The time period may depend on the age of the children according to the discernment of the leader).

Weekly Development

RECOMMENDATIONS 

Discipline and order are elements which go hand in hand with the recommendations. Punctuality is important. Prayer should begin at the set time regardless of the children present.

a) ALTAR

(Should be prepared beforehand)

Articles that would be ready:

b) HOW TO WELCOME THE CHILDREN

c) Start always with a song. Any song appropriate for the children. 

Suggested songs:   

d) The first half hour must be dedicated to explaining the theme of the day. A Bible reading may be appropriate narrating it according to the children's ages. Also the life of a saint could be used. Try to follow the liturgical year. Another way of presenting the theme is using a video

e) Praying the Rosary

Explain to the child, who is taking the Pilgrim Plaque, his or hers responsibilities during the days of the Blessed Mother's visit:

A CHILD'S PROFILE

Age 3 - 5 years

At this age children are in the stage of discovery. Because of this, the questions that appear in their young minds are many. Their attention span is very short, they are egocentric, they like to pray and ritualize everything.

These observations show us that they are apt to learn. At this stage they begin the learning process. They are readily receptive to a method of learning that includes a variety of activities, as we find within the rosary itself and its particular method of prayer.

Within their short attention span they can easily memorize the prayers of the rosary, as well the gospels passages, due to its repetitious form of prayer.

The children should only learn one new passage and concept at each prayer meeting. It is important to take the necessary time to instill, as profoundly as possible, each one of these concepts in the child's spiritual life.

The leader needs to emphasize the concept that: God, our loving Father, and protector of all children, is always with with them and everywhere.

Age 6 - 8 years

At this age the children manifest a desire for independence. They do not yet conceptualize, nor do they remember things in the order they have learned them. Their concentration is short. It is a time in which they begin to share, since their friends become more important.  

It is the age in which they develop the capacity to read and to analyze, amidst their short periods of prayer and silence, they can consequently understand in depth that: Jesus is my best friend. The capacity of the love of Jesus for me and all the children of the world is unlimited. Jesus loves me in spite of my mistakes. We are happy because God loves us.

The leader should be patient in dealing with the children's different manifestations of joy, fear, sorrow, pain and anger. In these occasions, he can lead them, through the prayer of the Rosary, and hand in hand with our Blessed Mother, toward Jesus, our eternal friend.

The leader should direct the children to the protection of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and to counsel of Saint Joseph.

At this stage children open up more to sharing with their friends. The leader should then teach them the lives of the Saints and encourage them to follow their example in their relationship with Jesus and Mary. He should then help them to become more receptive to the idea that they are also an example to other children.

Ages 9 to 12 years:

At this stage children feel the need to be accepted by adults and wish to belong to group. It is important to develop activities that will enhance their self-esteem. Nevertheless, all their actions require coordination and discipline. They can now discern between good and bad and are judge mental. It is the time to emphasize their limits and responsibilities.

IN PRAYER THIS WORK WAS CREATED AND IN PRAYER IT WILL CONSOLIDATE

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

A) FOR THE NESTS OF PRAYER WEEKLY MEETINGS.

B) PREPARATION FOR THE CONSECRATION

C)   DAY OF CONSECRATION