<p>During Lent, Missio invites you to meditate on the Stations of the Cross with these beautiful reflections. </p><p class="hoz_quote">What has the Cross given to those who have gazed upon it and to those who have touched it? What has the Cross left in each one of us? You see, it gives us a treasure that no one else can give: the certainty of the faithful love which God has for us.&#34; - Pope Francis, World Youth Day 2013 </p><h2>How it works</h2><p>Each Friday, you&#039;ll receive a new meditation which encompasses two Stations. We&#039;ve created them so that you can begin on the first Friday of Lent and end on Good Friday. On Easter Sunday we will send you a final meditation for the Resurrection. They are designed to be a few moments of calm, quiet communion with Christ in the midst of our busy lives. </p><p class="hoz_important">Before beginning the meditations we recommend you spend a few seconds stilling your mind and heart, light a candle if you can, and quietly pray the sign of the cross.</p><p>Set to music arranged and performed by Genny Robertson especially for Missio, and using images captured by Thomas Louapre in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, we hope they aid and inspire your Lenten journey. </p><h2><strong>We are Missio</strong></h2><p>Missio is the Pope&#039;s Charity for Overseas Mission. We ignite God&#039;s love by helping local missionaries to work alongside global communities that are poor or in need, regardless of their background or belief.</p><p><em>To find out more, order a Mission Rosary or get in touch with us, please visit </em><a href="https://missio.org.uk/" target="_blank"><em>missio.org.uk</em></a></p><p><em>Featured image: Missio/ T. Louapre</em></p>

Missio: Stations of the Cross

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.


<p>This international novena of prayer and fasting for Ukraine and Russia helps us to implore God, with the intercession of Ukraine&#039;s saints and meditations by Pope Francis, to put an end to war with a fair peace</p><p><strong>It will start on Friday, February 24th, 2023 - exactly one year after the conflict&#039;s start with Russia.</strong></p><p>Over 9 days, let us pray for various aspects of the war, begging the protection of Mary and defence of Archangel Saint Michael. We will fast on wednesday and one friday, to increase our prayer&#039;s efficiency.</p><p class="hoz_important">This novena was created by three priests and one seminarian of the Catholic Ukrainian church of Paris, France. It is published on the Hozana network in French, English, Spanish and Portuguese.</p><h3>Why pray 9 days for peace between Ukraine and Russia?</h3><p>On February 24th, 2022 Russia launched a military offensive against Ukraine. One year later, civilian casualties as well as spiritual and material damages are very significant on both sides. Diplomacy seems stalled.</p><p>On the 9th day you will pray using the words of Pope Francis, a consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.</p><p class="hoz_important"><strong>Click JOIN to pray the 9 days</strong></p><h3>How to pray this novena?</h3><p>Over 9 days, you will be able to meditate the Word of God and intercede with the Saints of Ukraine.</p><p>Each novena day ends with the following short prayers:</p><ul><li><p>Our Father</p></li><li><p>Hail Mary</p></li><li><p>Glory be to the Father</p></li><li><p>A Rosary decade (if you have time)</p></li></ul><p>then, hit the “Pray” button:</p><ul><li><p>Beneath Thy Protection (shared by Catholic and Orthodox Churches)</p></li><li><p>Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel by Pope Leo XIII.</p></li></ul><h3>How to fast during the novena?</h3><p>Uniting fasting and prayer makes petitions much more efficient. It can protect, put an end to wars and defy the laws of nature. On days 6 and 8 (or wednesday and friday) you may thus lighten one or more meals, or offer a sacrifice in secret (one less coffee, skip television, forgive someone…).</p><h3>About the Ukrainian Church in Paris</h3><p>In Ukraine, about 60% of the population is Christian orthodox, 10% Catholic and the remaining minorities are Protestants, Jews, Muslims and atheists.</p><p>This novena was co-written by Ukrainian priests of Byzantine rite from the Saint-Volodymyr-the-Great cathedral (Paris, France).</p><p>This church belongs to a European diocese (eparchy) spanning over France, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (website: <a href="http://www.ugcc.fr">www.ugcc.fr</a>).</p><p><br /></p>

Novena for peace in Ukraine with the Ukrainian Church

We fly to Thy protection,
O Holy Mother of God;
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always
from all dangers,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin. Amen.

St. Michael the Archangel, defends us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.


<h2>11 days to get to know Pope Francis</h2><p>Each day you will receive : </p><ul><li>A short biography of the Pope: to get an overview of his life at the end of the 11 days of prayer</li><li>An extract from a speech or text by the Pope that is particularly significant in his pontificate: at the end of these 11 days of prayer you will have a vision of his great pastoral orientations for the Church</li><li>A prayer intention for the Pope and/or the Church</li></ul><p><br /></p><h2>11 days to pray for the Pope</h2><p>What does our Pope need most? What would please him most? </p><p>He told us himself in his first speech as Pope, just after his election: </p><p class="hoz_quote">&#34;Now I would like to give my blessing. But first, I would like to ask you a favour. Before the Bishop blesses the people I ask you to pray to the Lord to bless me, the prayer of the people who ask for the blessing of their Bishop. Let us be silent, that you may make this prayer over me.&#34;</p><p><br /></p><p class="hoz_important"><strong>Click &#34;join&#34; to join this retreat and pray for pope Francis !</strong></p>

Prayers as presents for the Pope for his 10 years as Pope

Lord, make our Pope Francis an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let him bring love.
Where there is offence, let him bring forgiveness.
Where there is discord, let him bring union.
Where there is error, let him put truth.
Where there is doubt, let him put faith.
Where there is despair, let him put hope.
Where there is darkness, let him bring light.
Where there is sadness, let him bring joy.

Come, Holy Spirit. Come and pour out upon him your gifts of piety, knowledge, strength, fear, counsel, understanding and wisdom. Come with your innumerable gifts to abide forever and shine upon our dear pastor, Pope Francis.

Amen.

From a prayer of St Francis of Assisi.

<h2>What is the purpose of this community of prayer?</h2><p>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. </p><h2>&#34;What if....?&#34;</h2><p>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. </p><p>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. </p><p>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. </p><p>While there is no way to know what future will hold, <strong>we do have a powerful weapon against fear: trusting in God who loves us</strong>. 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 <strong>God can work wonders in hearts that believe in His power.</strong> </p><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><p class="hoz_important">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>.  </p><h2>Click Join to receive the prayers</h2><p><a href="https://hozana.org/en/intentions">Click here to leave your prayer intention.</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Photo </strong>by Gorjan Ivanovski on Unsplash. </p>

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.