BIG C CATHOLICS

September 27, 2017 Despite immense suffering during her life, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux still trusted in God. She lost her mother when she was four. She was bullied at school. She lost her stepmother, and her older sister Pauline, when the later entered the convent. As a consequence of these events, Thérèse endured a period of deep depression. St. Thérèse also suffered from tuberculosis for over a year. It was this illness that claimed her life. Yet, for all this, she resisted the temptation to fall into despair, and instead, united her heart to Christ. Today let us pray for the same trust and strength whenever we face difficulties, struggles and temptations in our lives. ____________________________________________ Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions)

September 26, 2017 As we continue this powerful novena to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux we pray in a special way for spiritual motherhood. Religious sisters are called to be spiritual mothers to those they encounter. We pray for them today, and for all women, that they exhibit the spiritual nurturing, selflessness and love of the saints. ____________________________________________ Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Thérèse, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our lovin

Many miracles were worked following the martyrdoms of Saints Cosmas and Damian. The Orthodox Church recounts several intercessions owed to them, including this one: There lived in Thereman, near the church of Cosmas and Damian, a man named Malchus. One day, he departed on an extended journey, leaving his wife behind. Before doing so, he prayed to Sts. Cosmas and Damian, entrusting her to their heavenly protection. A demon assumed the appearance of one of Malchus’ friends in an attempt to kill her. The demon called on the woman, saying that Malchus had sent him to bring her to him. Believing him, she went along. The demon brought her to a solitary place with the intention of ending her life. Sensing mortal danger was imminent, the woman prayed to God for help. Suddenly, two fearsome men appeared. The devil let go of the woman, fleeing in such haste, he fell off a cliff. The men accompanied the woman home where she thanked them effusively saying “My deliverers, to whom I shall be gr

September 25, 2017 Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was born into a pious and loving Catholic family. She was one of nine children, though only five would survive into adulthood. Each of the remaining five children including St. Thérèse, eventually answered God's call to the religious life and joined a convent. Today we pray that more women answer that divine summons and consecrate their lives to God in service to the world. ____________________________________________ Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Thérèse, you were faithful to

September 24, 2017 For Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, prayer united us to God immediately and personally. And it can be like this for us all. Even in prayer, St. Therese teaches simplicity -- talking to God in direct, personal and heartfelt ways. She prayed from her heart as a child speaks to a loving parent they trust. In this she, imitated Our Savior. Communication is the foundation of trust, honesty and love. Today we pray for open communication within our lives. May it manifest itself in our relationship with the Lord as well as in our conversations with others we encounter in life. ____________________________________________ Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of o

September 23, 2017 Saint Therese is known for her "little way," which is simply the idea of seeking holiness in the ordinariness of our everyday lives. She teaches us to do the ordinary with extraordinary love. This is the essence of St. Therese's spirituality. Today we pray for the relationships in our lives. May we be more loving with our family, friends, coworkers, strangers, and God. We ask for the strength to do small things with love and to see everyone as our brothers and sisters in Christ. ____________________________________________ Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, an

September 22, 2017 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day One Loving God, you blessed St. Therese with a capacity for a great love. Help me to believe in your unconditional love for each of your children, especially for me. I love you, Lord. Help me to love you more! Our

The prayers of Saint Monica, together with God's grace, turned her wayward son, Saint Augustine, from sinner to saint. St. Monica, model of motherhood, your patience and fervent prayers won for the Church a brilliant mind who himself won many souls. We pray especially for loved ones, and anyone who has left the Faith. Dear Saint Monica, exemplary mother of Saint Augustine. You were once the mournful mother of a prodigal son. Through your constant prayers and petitions to God, he became a great saint. Inspired by your example, we pray that our loved ones who have gone astray may soon be welcomed home to the Church founded by Christ the Lord, to live and love in imitation of the Savior. Amen. ____________________________________________ Prayer for the Intercession of St. Augustine and St. Monica Almighty God and loving Father, who consoles the sorrowful and who mercifully accepted the motherly tears of Saint Monica for the conversion of her son Saint Augustine, grant us

Devotion to Our Lady is an important part of spiritual life. In our prayer, we should not fail to turn to her, confident that Mary will intercede for us with her Son. Looking upon her, let us imitate her faith, her complete openness to the loving plan of God, her generous welcoming of Jesus. We learn to live from Mary. [Mary is continually] watching over us, her children, the children who come to her in prayer, to thank her or to ask for her maternal protection and heavenly help, perhaps after having lost their way, burdened with grief or anguish amid the sad and troubled vicissitudes of life. — Pope Benedict XVI, address to pilgrims, August 22, 2012 ________________________________________ Prayer For Our Lady's Intercession Almighty ever-living God, who made the Mother of your Son to be our Mother and our Queen, graciously grant that, sustained by her most loving intercession, we may attain in the heavenly Kingdom the glory you promised to your children. This we humb

O Holy Saint Anne, you were especially favored by God to be the mother of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of our Savior. By your powerful intercession in union with your most pure daughter and with her divine Son, kindly obtain for us the grace and the favor we now seek. Please secure for us also forgiveness of our past sins, the strength to perform faithfully our daily duties and the help we need to persevere in the love of God and the imitation of Jesus our Lord. Amen. __________________________________________ St. Anne: A Powerful Intercessor and Protectress Great saints and Doctors of the Church including Saint Augustine, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint John Damascene, and Saint Teresa of Ávila, had devotions to St. Anne. In the words of St. Teresa of Ávila, “We know and are convinced that our good mother St. Anne helps in all needs, dangers and tribulations.” Among other things, she is the patroness of the childless, the help of the pregnant, and the protectres

The Heart of Jesus is an open heart. Spend your time there... It is not an ordinary school... It is a school of Jesus where you come to learn. What have we to learn? To be meek and humble; if we are meek and humble we will learn to pray. If we learn to pray we will belong to Jesus. If we belong to Jesus we will learn to believe and if we believe we will learn to love and if we love we will learn to serve. — St. Teresa of Calcutta ______________________________________________ Prayer for St. Teresa of Calcutta's Intercession Saint Teresa of Calcutta, you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you, and so became the light of His love. Obtain from the Sacred Heart of Jesus the grace to do God's will. Teach your faithful to be holy and allow Jesus to penetrate and possess our whole being so completely that our lives too, may radiate His love to others in all that we say and do. Amen.

Prayer Seeking the Intercession of St. Isidore O God, who taught Adam the simple art of tilling the soil, and who through Jesus Christ, the true vine, revealed yourself as the spouse of our souls, we pray through the merits of Saint Isidore to instill into our hearts a horror of sin and a love of prayer, so that working the soil in the sweat of our brow we may enjoy eternal happiness in heaven. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Prayer of Farmers Heavenly Father, King of the Universe, you are the sole source of abundance. With your help I plant my crops and by your power they give forth a harvest. Grant me the grace always to work with all my strength and ingenuity in cultivating the soil so that it will bring forth fruits for my benefits and the benefit of all who will use them. Make me ever cognizant that without my part in the work of harnessing the goods of the earth, these particular goods would be lacking to my brothers and sisters in this world. Enabl

Afflicted with cancer, Peregrine turned to God. His faith was rewarded and he was miraculously cured, enabling him over many years to lead others to Christ. As the patron of cancer patients, his intercession is often sought by those suffering from a variety of illnesses for strength, hope and healing. His feast day is May 1st. Prayer to St. Peregrine for Healing O God, who gave to St. Peregrine an Angel for his companion, the Mother of God for his teacher, and Jesus as the Physician of his malady, grant we beseech You through his merits that we may on earth intensely love our Holy Angel, the blessed Virgin Mary, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Grant that we may receive the favour of a complete recovery from our present malady for which we now pray. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. (Say 7 Our Fathers, 7 Hail Marys & 7 Glory be to the Fathers with the invocation "St. Peregrine, pray for us.") Prayer to St. Peregrine for Oneself St. Peregrine, whom Ho

January 24, 2017 Day 9 – Pray for us, that our lives will glorify God alone. Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients. He was known for his holiness and for a miraculous healing he received. Peregrine was scheduled to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, while praying for healing, he received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg. The following morning, he was completely healed. Cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases seek his intercession. Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing. Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of… (Mention your intentions) These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing. We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent upon God. And so,

January 23, 2017 Day 8 – Pray that this sickness will teach me to depend more and more on God. Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients. He was known for his holiness and for a miraculous healing he received. Peregrine was scheduled to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, while praying for healing, he received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg. The following morning, he was completely healed. Cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases seek his intercession. Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing. Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of… (Mention your intentions) These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing. We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent

January 22, 2017 Day 7 – Pray that in our pain we will not become selfish but ever more selfless. Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients. He was known for his holiness and for a miraculous healing he received. Peregrine was scheduled to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, while praying for healing, he received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg. The following morning, he was completely healed. Cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases seek his intercession. Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing. Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of… (Mention your intentions) These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing. We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely depend

January 21, 2017 Day 6 – Pray for us, that our suffering will not rob us of joy. Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients. He was known for his holiness and for a miraculous healing he received. Peregrine was scheduled to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, while praying for healing, he received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg. The following morning, he was completely healed. Cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases seek his intercession. Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing. Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of… (Mention your intentions) These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing. We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent upon God. And

January 20, 2017 Day 5 – Pray that our fear of death will turn to the hope of everlasting life. Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients. He was known for his holiness and for a miraculous healing he received. Peregrine was scheduled to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, while praying for healing, he received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg. The following morning, he was completely healed. Cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases seek his intercession. Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing. Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of… (Mention your intentions) These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing. We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependen

January 19, 2017 Day 4 – Pray for us, that the loneliness of our suffering will be consoled. Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients. He was known for his holiness and for a miraculous healing he received. Peregrine was scheduled to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, while praying for healing, he received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg. The following morning, he was completely healed. Cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases seek his intercession. Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing. Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of… (Mention your intentions) These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing. We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent u

January 18, 2017 Day 3 – Pray for us, that we may courageously offer up our suffering Saint Peregrine is the patron saint of cancer patients. He was known for his holiness and for a miraculous healing he received. Peregrine was scheduled to have his leg amputated due to a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, while praying for healing, he received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg. The following morning, he was completely healed. Cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases seek his intercession. Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing. Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of… (Mention your intentions) These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing. We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent upon God