Join Us for a Special Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting!

Please join us for a special Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting! This will begin on March 17th and conclude on March 25th. As we have shared, this year something remarkable will happen. The Annunciation, which traditionally falls on March 25th, is also the day Good Friday is celebrated. The Catholic Church transfers celebration of the Annunciation to April 4th this year. Yet, 9 months from March 25th is Christmas so even though celebration of the Annunciation is transferred, one is aware of the wonderful connection of these dates. Indeed, it is a recognition of the moment Our Lord said, "Not as I will but as you will" (Matthew 26:39), and Our Blessed Mother said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to Thy will" (Luke 1:38). It is our hope that through this Novena of Prayer and Fasting we might each be able to join our voice to those of Our Lord and Our Lady and say, "Thy will be done" will our whole heart.

In anticipation for the Novena, the children have been busy making hearts. Each person participating in the Novena will have their name placed on a heart. We will be bringing all of these hearts on the evening of March 16th when the Children's Rosary will host the Relics of the Passion. Included in this special Year of Mercy Tour of the Relics of the Passion is a piece of the True Cross. The relics will be coming to a Church named after St. Helena, the person who is credited as discovering the True Cross. For all those who would like to participate in this Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting, you are invited to send your name to be placed at the foot of the Cross on March 16th during the visit of the relics. We will pray and offer up all those names during the evening of prayer. We are inviting all those in the vicinity of St. Helena Church in West Hartford, CT, USA to join us that evening at 7 PM ET. For those who live far away, please unify your prayers with us. We would like to have as many children involved with hosting the Relics of the Passion as possible on the evening of March 16th.

An exciting surprise: first class relics of all 12 Apostles will also be present for the evening of March 16th!!!!

 Novena March 17-25 

1) Pray one Rosary each day meditating on the life of Christ

2) Fast for 9 days

We feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to begin our fast at the Cross and end with the Cross.  

While some may be able to do a bread and water fast for the nine days, others may find the Lord calling them to some other sacrifice.  The Lord will ask something of each of us. For children, some may be drawn to a level of fasting but careful discernment should be taken with their parents to help find a special sacrifice to give to Our Lord.

Let us fast and pray that we may say Thy Will Be Done on Good Friday and like never before join Our Lord at the cross and bask in His mercy.

If you would like to participate in the Year of Mercy Novena of Prayer and Fasting and have your name placed before the relic of the True Cross on March 16th, please email Blythe Kaufman at blythe.kaufman@gmail.com to give your name.

Please also email Blythe Kaufman if you have a child who would like to help with the Relics of the Passion Visit on March 16th at St. Helena Church in West Hartford CT. The event will begin at 7 PM. Children involved will be asked to come at 6:15 PM.