The Oldest Novena in the World

Dear Friends and Family,

Blessed Sunday before the Ascension!

It has been a beautiful and blessed week here. As usual, God's "to-do list" did not match mine and so a number of things on mine were not accomplished but hopefully, the other needs that intervened were indeed on His list and were more important in His eyes.

This Thursday is Ascension Thursday. In some of your dioceses, the celebration might be moved to Sunday but nonetheless, this Thursday is the key day to commemorate Our Lord's Ascension and the beginning of... the oldest Christian novena in the world: the nine days of intense prayer when the apostles and disciples were gathered around the Blessed Virgin Mary in the upper room.

Ever since then, people have prayed a novena, beginning on the Friday after the Ascension, and ending on the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday. If you are not familiar with the practice, I'd encourage you to consider praying it this year. There is no set prayer that must be used. A common method would be to add at the end of your daily rosary a simple prayer to the Holy Ghost such as those offered here for each day of the novena: https://www.fisheaters.com/novenas.html#holyghost

This year we are certainly in need of special graces of the Holy Ghost so that the Church might have renewed courage to bear clear witness to the saving truth that comes from Our Lord, in the midst of so much confusion and fear.

I was also asked to lead a Holy Hour this coming Friday, from the chapel here, pictured above. As some of you are aware, every May, Voice of the Family, a coalition of pro-life groups from around the world, hosts a conference in Rome for pro-life leaders. This year, due to the prohibitions on travel, the conference will be done online and will be available for free. The line-up of speakers looks really excellent and can be found here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/register-now-for-2020-rome-life-forum-coronavirus-in-light-of-fatima  . There would normally be a solemn Holy Hour in a beautiful Roman Church at the end. This year that was not possible, so something much more simple will be done. The Holy Hour will take place beginning at about 2PM EST. It may depend on just how long the question and answer session with Bishop Athanasius Schneider, that will precede the Holy Hour, takes.

At the moment I am waiting on a battery charger from Amazon, that will hopefully arrive in time to recharge the camera's batteries and so that the camera can be used for the Holy Hour. If that doesn't work, a cell phone will have to do.

You all are in my daily prayers. May Our Lady watch over you and guide you as a good mother during this difficult time.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari