Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd is a woman for our times. Filled with the love of God and a fierce determination, she sought holiness, not on the mountaintops but in the mundane tasks of life. She saw in the Holy Family a deep communion of love lived out in the simplicity of ordinary family life. Seeking to imitate their example, she encouraged others to discover and live out that same love in their own families.
To help us grow in the virtues that strengthen family life, each day of this novena will also include a small act of charity for us to practice.
May this novena be a source of hope and encouragement for you and your family. As we pray this novena, let us take up Blessed Mary's mission: to strengthen family life by cultivating homes filled with love, unity, and a deep trust in God.
Novena before the feast of Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd (Frances Siedliska), foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Our Father ...
Hail Mary ...
Most Holy Family, support us.
Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, pray for us!
Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd,
who looked for a place for the Most Holy Family in every family,
I stand before you and entrust myself to you.
Through your concern about family and in establishing
a congregation which serves the needs of all families,
grant me the grace, which I implore with confidence ...
Most Holy Trinity, we adore You and thank You
for the example given to us by Your Servant,
Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd,
who imitated the life and virtues of the Most Holy Family of Nazareth.
Grant us the grace, we ask, through her intercession,
for Your greater glory, for the sanctification of souls,
and for the extension of Your Kingdom on earth. Amen
Act of Charity - Day 1: Send a written greeting card to someone on your prayer list.
Act of Charity - Day 2: Make a phone call to someone who might need a smile.
Act of Charity - Day 3: Clean out your pantry or closet. Donate items to those in need.
Act of Charity - Day 4: Give someone the benefit of the doubt when you want to accuse instead.
Act of Charity - Day 5: Listen with wholehearted attention to someone who needs your ear.
Act of Charity - Day 6: Do your chores and duties today with enthusiasm.
Act of Charity - Day 7: Anticipate someone else’s need through an act of kindness.
Act of Charity - Day 8: Give someone your place in line, be more gentle on the highway, let someone else go ahead of you.
Act of Charity - Day 9: Do something to honor your beloved deceased family members and friends. Visit the cemetery.
