History and Development of the
Worldwide Children’s Eucharistic
Holy Hour

Matthew 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits."

The Worldwide Children’s Eucharistic Holy Hour was founded by two members of the Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Archdiocesan division of the World Apostolate of Fatima. The inspiration was presented to Archbishop Harry Flynn as a celebration for the Year of the Rosary. At the suggestion of the Archbishop, the World Apostolate of Fatima co-sponsored with the Archdiocesan Office of Family, Laity and Marriage, to celebrate and acknowledge the Year of the Rosary, proclaimed by Pope John Paul II in 2003.

The founders knew it would be an inspiring and effective way to spiritually unite the prayers of children around the globe and to offer prayers, especially the Rosary, before the Most Blessed Sacrament, for the families of the world, as entrusted to the prayers of children, by Pope John Paul II in his Christmas Letter to the world's children. 

Inspired by the success of the program, the World Apostolate of Fatima continued to co-sponsor the event with the Office of Family, Laity, and Marriage, as they continued promoting the program nationally and internationally.

The Year of the Eucharist in 2005 presented an unprecedented opportunity to spread the program to all Catholic schools in the United States. In 2005, “Year of the Eucharist” the Archdiocesan division of the World Apostolate of Fatima, developed a National “Prayer of Petition” contest to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for Catholic school children to participate in. Irish Singer, Dana, took the winning petitions and put them to song. From that, our theme song was born: We are the Children of the World. 

This was also the first year that the International body of the World Apostolate of Fatima  participated in and promoted  the Worldwide Children’s Eucharistic Holy Hour. On February 2006 pilgrimage to the Vatican and Fatima, the World Apostolate of Fatima received their ‘Decree of Approval’ as a new ‘Public Association of the Faithful of Pontifical Right from the Pontifical Council of the Laity. At the first international Congress of the World Apostolate of Fatima at Rome, the Program was introduced to the delegates participating at the “Salesianum” by the International President of the WAF, Prof. Américo Pablo López-Ortiz and Mrs. Connie Schneider, Archdiocesan President of the WAF in the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis.  It was during the on going pilgrimage to Fatima and a visit to the graves of Blessed Francisco and Blessed Jacinta, two of the little shepherds of Fatima, that Children of the Eucharist was born.

In 2006, Our Lady opened the doors of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. and for the first time EWTN broadcasted the Holy Hour LIVE to over 140 nations. Since then the Basilica has become the Eucharistic Epicenter of this annual event.