If we are looking to make a meaningful change in the world around us, prayer is one of the most powerful places to begin. Our actions cannot end only with prayers, but as St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, "I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things.”
A long-practiced prayer of the church is the novena. A novena is a prayer that stretches over nine consecutive days and is generally directed toward a particular prayer request or intention. Novenas are also frequently used to ask for the intersession of a particular person of the Trinity or a specific saint. The tradition of praying novenas dates back to the time of Jesus and the Apostles and is rooted in Sacred Scripture.
We invite you to pray with us for the next nine days, specifically for children around the world and particularly those that MercyWorks is dedicated to helping through their St. Jean Bosco School in Haiti. Read on to learn more about the mission of this school, the school's namesake, and how you can support these students through praying the novena with us.
The St. Jean Bosco School, located in Bois de Laurence, Haiti, is a primary school (Grades 1-6) that offers a Catholic education to 700 students from impoverished families who live in the remote mountain regions of Haiti. Children in this region come from poor families who would otherwise not have access to or be able to afford an eduction for their children. The school aims to transform the life of each child, and through them their family and community, by offering them education and opportunity.
St. John Bosco was a nineteenth century priest who made it his life's work to help young people, especially troubled young boys, rise out of poverty and live lives of holiness through education and prayer. Growing up in a poor family, John had a great love for Christ and dedicated his whole life to sharing that love with others. He is the patron saint of schoolchildren and juvenile delinquents.
Every day you will be sent an email with the reflection and prayers for the day. The reflection is a quote or collection of quotes intended to offer moments for contemplation and prayer and a deeper understanding of the intention for the day. The prayer is specifically written to ask for God's blessing and the intersession of St. John Bosco, on behalf of the intention for the day.
Each of the nine days of the novena will focus on one particular intention. The intentions have been chosen to reflect the various groups surrounding the St. Jean Bosco School in Haiti, as well as those of great importance to the life of St. John Bosco. Here's who you will specifically be praying for over the next nine days:
Your prayers can make a difference in the lives of these people, not only by changing us to make a tangible difference in the world, but also by asking that God the Father would shower grace upon those you are praying for. Although we might not see it, our prayers do really capture the attention of the Father and direct his gaze to those in need.
If you would like to learn more about the amazing things happening at the St. Jean Bosco School in Haiti, or about any of the MercyWorks mission projects please feel free to visit our website or subscribe to our blog, MercyStories, today. God bless you!