Mass Offered Today for Renewal of Family Prayer

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
by Rebecca Pearl

On the 1 year anniversary of the Children's Rosary we began a prayer initiative to renew family prayer. The children began saying novenas to different saints for renewal of family prayer.  Over 780 nine day novenas have been said each to a different saint. Over 500 Children's Read Aloud Bibles have been given out to families to encourage family prayer.  During each Children's Rosary group meeting the children also pray for renewal of family prayer.  A very special way we are trying to bring back family prayer is by offering Masses for this intention. Many Masses have already been requested and going forward a Mass will be offered on the first Saturday of every month for Renewal of Family prayer. 

As we enter 2014 may I make a humble request.  May we all try to renew family prayer in our homes.  Through this coming together as a family Our Lord will bless us.   Through prayer more love will blossom where division exists. When the family is strong then the Church will be strong.  Our Lord has the medicine for the family it is prayer.  Pope Francis recently made reference to the healing power of prayer when he gave out Rosaries in pill boxes and likened himself to a pharmacist prescribing medicine for the heart.  May we  also reach out to other families and encourage renewal of family prayer. Such efforts please Our Lord and Our Lady.  For so many Saints and Popes have expounded the necessity for family prayer.

Today January 4th, the Church honor's St. Elizabeth Ann Seton who spent a great deal of her life trying to educate children.  She also had a strong devotion to the Rosary.

"We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty."-St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

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