Advent with Pope Francis and Laudato Si&#039;: Preparing for the Good NewsThe Lord, in the culmination of the mystery of the Incarnation, chose to reach our intimate depths through a fragment of matter. He comes not from above, but from within, he comes that we might find him in this world of ours.” Pope Francis (LS 236)During Advent, we embark on a journey of preparation for our encounter with God, Jesus Christ who comes to meet us within Creation - this is the Good News! We anticipate with hope and joy the renewal of all Creation through the Incarnation as Jesus takes on the material life we share with all creatures.  In this Advent retreat, we will be bringing special attention to how we share this path of preparation in communion with Creation, who also eagerly awaits for redemption (cf. Rm 8:19-23). We will be guided by the words of Pope Francis and the encyclical Laudato Si&#039;, his special letter to us all about the call to care for our common home. <h2>Each week you will be invited to reflect on a specific theme through </h2><ul><li>a short video from The Letter - a documentary with Pope Francis about the Laudato Si&#039;, </li><li>a short reflection on that theme, and </li><li>a prayer. </li></ul>Each week you will also be invited to a call to action, a concrete way to prepare for Christmas more sustainably.As Pope Francis reminds us, “Living our vocation to be protectors of God&#039;s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.” (LS 217) Join us as we eagerly await Christ&#039;s coming, crying out with Creation for the light of the world to come!

Advent with Pope Francis and Laudato Si'

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.
Amen

Each Day of the Novena, you will receive: A Daily Reflection A Short Prayer Novena ThemesDay 1: Renewed Hope (Don Bosco&#039;s early life and dream at nine)Day 2: Over Hills and Valleys (Don Bosco childhood and adolescence) Day 3: Stepping Stones (Don Bosco&#039;s return home and entering the seminary)Day 4: Helping the “Outcasts” (Pre-Oratory)Day 5: Welcome to the Oratory (Beginning of the Oratory at Valdocco)Day 6: Trust All to Divine Providence (Working through money issues and with benefactors)Day 7: The Beginning of Beautiful Partnerships (Establishing the Salesian Society, Salesian Sisters [with St. Mary Mazzarello], and Salesian Cooperators)Day 8: Nothing by Ourselves (Don Bosco: “I have done nothing by myself. It is the Virgin Mary who has done everything.” / We can do all things to, for, and with God)Day 9: Let the Young Know They Are Loved (Don Bosco&#039;s final words and lasting legacy) Who are the Salesians of Don Bosco, SUE?The Salesians of Don Bosco (SDBs) are a family of men and women founded by an Italian Catholic priest, Fr. John Bosco. Fr. John Bosco was popularly known as “Don” Bosco, using the Italian word &#34;Don&#34; to mean &#34;Father&#34; Bosco.Our mission is to be in the Church signs and bearers of the love of God for young people, especially those who are poor (Salesian Constitution, 2).After the example of our founder, we animate and form collaborators to share in this mission of the Church.By our consecration, the Salesians of Don Bosco, Province of St. Philip the Apostle, are called to be signs and bearers of God&#039;s love for the young in the Eastern United States and Canada (SUE).

Become a Pilgrim of Hope with Don Bosco

Dear St. John Bosco, as we enter this Jubilee year as pilgrims of hope, help us be voices for those most needing them, especially the young and the poor. Give us the courage, strength, and fortitude to always speak up for the most vulnerable while simultaneously seeing God in everyone whom we encounter. May our young people learn how to do this and be not only “Good Christians and Honest Citizens,” but bearers of truth, light, love, faith, and hope, too.

O holy St. John Bosco, who taught us that everyone can be holy and a saint, especially the young, please pray for us and our intentions. (Pause for a moment of silence to offer private intentions for St. John Bosco's intercession) May we follow your advice to “Trust all things to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians” and “see what miracles are.” In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

(Recite an Our Father, a Haily Mary, and a Glory Be)

Mary Help of Christians, pray for us! St. John Bosco, pray for us!

<h2>What is the purpose of this community of prayer?</h2>The purpose is to find peace of mind and heart by putting our trust in God through prayer, meditation, and abandoning ourselves to the Lord. We will encourage you throughout this Novena and lift each one of you in prayer. <h2>&#34;What if....?&#34;</h2>Many of us suffer from worry, anxiety, and fear. These negative feelings can easily overwhelm us, up to the point where we begin struggling with our faith. Indeed, there are so many reasons to develop fear and worry today. Wars, violence, crime, natural disasters, unemployment, illness, future uncertainty... The list goes on. We keep asking ourselves &#34;What if?&#34; while imagining the worst outcomes; living under the weight of this uncertainty eventually takes its toll on both our physical and mental health. While there is no way to know what future will hold, we do have a powerful weapon against fear: trusting in God who loves us. Jesus came to save us, to set us free from all of our enemies. Putting our trust in God, we can gradually overcome all negative thoughts we&#039;re constantly fighting. No, it&#039;s not a miraculous cure, but God can work wonders in hearts that believe in His power. <h2>Every day, for the duration of the Novena, you&#039;ll receive:</h2><ul><li>A Bible verse to fight fear and anxiety.</li><li>A prayer.</li><li>A short meditation. </li></ul>if you are suffering from depression and/or anxiety, and/or having suicidal thoughts, please seek professional help. Prayer does help and accomplishes miracles, but no one in their right mind would tell a cancer patient to &#34;just pray their cancer away.&#34; The same applies to mental illnesses. Emergency international resources can be found <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines">here</a> and <a href="https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/">here</a>.  <h2>Click Join to receive the prayers</h2><a href="https://hozana.org/en/intentions">Click here to leave your prayer intention.</a> Photo by Gorjan Ivanovski on Unsplash.

Novena for Peace of Mind

Kneeling at your feet, sweet Mother of God and Queen of Peace, I, your loving child, confidently turn to you in my need, seeking your intercession for peace of mind and comfort to my troubled heart. (Mention your petition here.)
O listen to me, dear heavenly mother. Come to my aid and refuse me not as I cry to you. For you are my mother, and you fail no one who has recourse to you, O Consoler of the afflicted, O Queen of Peace. 
Amen.

<h2>A Walk of Faith for Valentine&#039;s Day!</h2>Now is the time to experience the spirit of Valentine&#039;s Day, by confidently entrusting our desires to live a Christian marriage to St. Valentine, a great martyr and the patron saint of lovers.Be assured that we share your hopes and keep your intentions in our hearts every day!<h2>The Grace of Love: a Gift from God</h2><ul><li>Pray for yourself: pray that you meet someone in accordance with the Lord &#039;s heart.</li><li>Pray for yourself: entrust God with your desire to live a fruitful Christian marriage.</li><li>Pray for a single person you know who suffers from loneliness.</li><li>Pray for all those who desire to get married.</li><li>Pray that marriages be based on the « Rock of Faith » .</li><li>Pray for young people who are not looking to commit to the Sacrament of Marriage </li><li>Pray that the world regains a deep sense of commitment to sacraments.</li></ul>… other ideas? Share them with us!St. Valentine will certainly be happy to hear them and present them to the Lord!<h2>Commitment</h2>Commit yourself to offer your thanks to St. Valentine: if you feel that he answered your prayers, celebrate his Feast Day in a spirit of gratitude for his intercession on your behalf!<h2>Click Join to receive the prayers</h2><a href="https://hozana.org/en/intentions">Click here to leave your prayer intention.</a>

Meet Your Soulmate with the Novena to St. Valentine

Loving Father,
You know that the deepest desire of my heart is
to meet someone that I can share my life with.
I trust in Your loving plan for me and ask that I may soon meet
the person that you have prepared for me.
Through the power of Your Holy Spirit,
open my heart and mind so that I recognize my soulmate.
Remove any obstacles that are in the way of this happy encounter,
So that I might find a new sense of wholeness, joy and peace.
Give me the grace too, to know and accept, if you have another plan for my life.
I surrender my past, present and future into the tender heart of Your Son, Jesus,
full of confidence that You will hear and answer my prayer.
AMEN.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in You.
St Valentine, pray for me.