Nine Days

The following message was written by one of our wonderful friends in Sedalia. It boggles my mind to think of just how many people are praying for Mom ... though it can never be too many! We'll post an actual update in the next few days (all is well!) -- but in the meantime, please join in the Novena, and share with anyone ... and everyone.

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, at Sacred Heart Church, a nun from the "Little Sister of the Poor" Order spoke to our parish. Their organization was begun by Sister Jeanne Jugan in the 1800's and the order is devoted to serving the elderly. Jeanne Jugan was recently canized a saint in 2009. To be named a saint in the Catholic Church, miracles must be tied between the person who is up for sainthood and situations on earth. Sister Jugan's last miracle proven was the healing of a medical doctor in Omaha, Nebraska. He had an inoperable tumor and had traveled to leading cancer centers in the US but the message was clear nothing could be done for him. He had resigned himself to death but his wife refused to give up. She contacted the "Little Sister" Order in Omaha and they gave her a novena (prayer) to recite daily. They joined her in this prayer. The doctor was miraculously cured and Jeanne Jugan was on the road to sainthood. This order of nuns has promised to begin this novena for Shelley and I would like to ask you to do the same. With all of us saying the same prayer daily, we hope another miracle will occur.

NOVENA PRAYER: Jesus, You rejoiced and praised Your Father for having revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. We thank You for the graces granted to Your humble servant, Jeanne Jugan, to whom we confide our petitions and needs. Father of the Poor, You have never refused the prayer of the lowly. We ask You, therefore, to hear the petitions that she presents to You on our behalf. Jesus, through Mary, your Mother and ours, we ask this of You, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.

For those of you who aren't Catholics, in our faith, we not only pray to God but also to those special people he chose to be examples on earth. Just like we ask friends to pray for each other; Catholics ask Saints to share in our prayer requests to God. Shelley is praying this novena with us and I hope you will join in too. Many thanks, Kathy Beykirch