Annual Novena to St. Gabriel, Passionist

 For all those young women out there who are visiting our blog and thinking about religious life but who have not contacted us yet - I give you a holy dare to contact us during this mighty novena!

    Friday begins our annual novena to Saint Gabriel of our Sorrowful Mother, Passionist seminarian who died of tuberculosis at the age of 24. St. Gabriel is the patron saint of our novitiate (the area of the monastery where the new members reside).

    Perhaps you would like to join us in prayer? The novena is February 18 - 26 with his Feast being on February 27th - this year it falls on a Sunday.

   O good St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin, you were taught by God to love the Passion of Jesus and to remember the Sorrows of Mary His Mother. By her side, you stood by the Cross of Jesus and shared her compassion. Following her, you grew in love for God and all His people. O St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin, we humbly ask you to intercede before God on our behalf, especially for the intentions we now present before you.

• For all the women whom God is calling to join our monastic family
• For the spiritual and temporal needs of our novitiate members and the novice directress
• For all who pass through this novitiate - this holy training ground - that they will respond generously to God’s graces poured out in their hearts during this time of intense formation

    We place our trust in your prayers St. Gabriel and wish to follow your example. Remember us, and especially our youth, with compassion. Support us all our days by your holy prayers. And when this life is done, may we join you in heaven in the company of Jesus and Mary.  Amen.

“Mary was the very soul of Gabriel’s life, the source and model of the sanctity to which he attained; so that it may be truly said that in his devotion to the great Mother of God he has scarcely been equalled by any, even of the greatest saints.”

~ Cardinal Parocchi to Pope Leo III