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| The Novena of Grace: March 4 - 12, 2010 |
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"All those who implore my help daily for nine consecutive days, from the fourth to the twelfth of March, and worthily receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion on one of the nine days will experience my protection and may hope with entire assurance to obtain from God any Grace they ask that is for the good of their souls and the glory of God."St. Francis also bade Fr. Mastrilli to renew a vow he had made in his youth--to go to Japan and help spread Christianity there. As the vision left him, Fr. Mastrilli stood up fully healed and more resolved than ever to witness to the Kingdom of God in Japan. At that time, missionaries were being tortured and martyred in Japan in the most gruesome ways imaginable. But still Fr. Mastrilli ventured to the Land of the Rising Sun. Before he left, he made sure to publicize his miraculous cure and the promise St. Francis Xavier had made. Fr. Mastrilli led a courageous band of thirty-three Jesuits to Japan. They had hardly landed there when they were seized, tortured, and hung upside down over a volcanic pit. Fr. Mastrilli faced death again. For certain, St. Francis Xavier was with him, strengthening his faith until the very end. When can you say a miracle has happened? Not only when there is an unexplained cure, but more so when there is an increase of faith, hope, and love in a person. Truly, a miracle happened to Fr. Mastrilli! Are you also seeking a miracle? Are you also seeking greater faith, hope, and love? Perhaps, the Novena of Grace can help you... What is the Novena of Grace? A novena is a traditional expression of our faith in the communion of saints, one of the beliefs we profess whenever we say the Apostle's Creed. As Catholics, we hold that the faithful here on earth, the souls in purgatory, and our glorified brothers and sisters in heaven have a spiritual solidarity. We are united because we are all part of the Mystical Body of Christ ("saints" in the phrase "communion of saints" does not refer only to those who have been canonized but to all the members of the Body of Christ). Our prayers for the souls in purgatory have value and meaning just as we here on earth (and also those in purgatory) can depend on the effectiveness of the prayers of our glorified brothers and sisters in heaven. Following the promise of St. Francis Xavier to Fr. Mastrilli, a novena is said beginning on March 4 and ending on March 12, when we celebrate the canonization of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis. Because of the innumerable graces and favors received through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, this devotion came to be known as the Novena of Grace. How do you say the Novena of Grace? The short form consists of either the traditional or the more contemporary wording below: Saint Francis Xavier Novena Prayer
There is also a longer form that includes nine meditations on the life of St. Francis Xavier, one for every day of the novena. To be guided through these meditations, visit Sacred Space, the prayer site run by the Irish Jesuits, by clicking here. Spread the word about the Novena of Grace. Tell your friends about it by using our referral form below, or by clicking on the mail icon near the top of this page. You can also print this page or save it as a PDF file by clicking on the corresponding icons beside the title of this article. 
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The more than 300 men of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus serve in five universities, numerous schools for basic education, two diocesan major seminaries, three urban and five rural parishes... (READ MORE)
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