Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Frances Siedliska (1842-1902), foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, began the Congregation in Rome, Italy in 1875. Born into a family of privilege and wealth in mid-19th century Poland, Frances hungered for a deep spiritual life that expressed itself in the radical commitment of vowed religious life that brought the love of Christ to all.
Building a charism born of a deep contemplation of the Trinity and its human manifestation, the Holy Family of Nazareth. Blessed Mary understood that like Mary and Joseph, faithfully living their daily lives in the presence of the Word made Flesh, simple ordinary life, lived in love, can be a profound encounter with God.
We invite you to pray with us a novena (nine days of prayer leading up to a feast day) in honor of Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd. Whatever your intentions may be, we join with you in asking Blessed Mary to intercede on our behalf, and bring our prayers before the throne of God.
The novena begins November 12th (which is also Blessed Mary’s birthday), and ends on November 21st (the Feast Day of Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd).
Pray the prayers below each day of the novena
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
