St. Monica Novena

The St. Monica novena starts tomorrow! According to praymorenovenas.com, she is the patron saint of alcoholics, married women, mothers, wives and difficult marriages (also, evidently, abuse victims). She is the mother of St. Augustine, once a wayward non-Christian who converted after she prayed on his behalf for 17 years. St. Augustine is of course now a Doctor of the Church, a revered theologian and philosopher. His feast day is coming up on August 28. St. Monica's feast day is August 27, which is the day after this novena ends.

Are there any people or situations in your life in need of prayer? Give them up to St. Monica's intercession in faith.  Perhaps take some time, too, to meditate on the struggles in her life and how prayer helped her overcome - always a good lesson to remember in our own lives.

Pray More Novenas: St. Anne

I love being a part of the community at PrayMoreNovenas.com! It's an online ministry run by a young husband and wife team, John-Paul and Annie, where people come together to pray novenas. You are emailed the prayer for that day each morning, so you never forget! Today starts the novena to St. Anne. Please click here to join!

What I love is that everyone is praying for everyone; in the comments of each novena you can see what is on everyone's heart. Afterwards those who participated can post prayers that were answered, which is a wonderful thing to see. It is also a reminder, too, of the different struggles that we all face, and the beauty of trusting in God and all His saints.

I have read a bit about St. Anne - while it seems many people (women especially) seek her help in finding a spouse, she is also the patron saint of housewives and women in labor. She was the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Just as we know Jesus was immaculately conceived, so too Mary was immaculately conceived, which makes St. Anne very special, indeed. I  have a few intentions I will bring to her for the next nine days, and I will pray that your intentions and those of all who participate go answered in God's time.

Happy Friday!