<p>From 23 September, day after day, enter into the spirituality of Padre Pio by meditating on his writings!</p><p>Saint Padre Pio inspired many people during his lifetime and has inspired even more since his death.</p><p>He has inspired them to entrust their lives to the Lord...</p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Join, be inspired and offer your life to Christ who is King!</strong></p><p class="hoz_quote">&#34;Padre Pio&#039;s first concern was that people should return to God, that they might experience his mercy and, interiorly renewed that they rediscover the beauty and joy of being Christians, of living in communion with Jesus, of belonging to the Church and practising the Gospel&#34;</p><p><em>Benedict XVI</em></p><p class="hoz_important" style="text-align:center;"><strong>This, with St Padre Pio&#039;s, Mary and Jesus&#039; help, is our purpose!</strong></p><p><br /></p><p>Padre Pio (1887-1968), a Capuchin priest and saint of mercy and humility, is probably one of the most extraordinary saints in the history of the Church.</p><p>He is the only priest to have received and worn the stigmata of Our Lord for more than 50 years, he spent his priestly life between the confessional and the altar, and through the intercession of Jesus and Mary, many graces of conversion, physical, moral and spiritual healings of all kinds, and spiritual cures for a multitude of people.</p><p>Now that he is in Heaven he continues to intercede and to be a spiritual guide for the men and women of our time.</p><h2>Depose your prayers</h2><p>Depose you prayers here and at the end of the three months and three days, all the prayer intentions received will be placed near Padre Pio&#039;s tomb in San Giovanni Rotondo.</p><h2>The Programme</h2><p>Every day from the 23 September, feast day of Saint Pade Pio, to Christmas, receive:</p><ul><li>A quote from the Saint. 📖</li><li>An accompanying meditation and encouragement to prayer. 🪔</li><li>Conclude every day with a beautiful prayer written by St John Paul 2. 🙏</li></ul><p><br /></p><p><strong>Become more imbued with his spirituality as an aid to our sanctification.</strong></p><h2>Padre Pio</h2><p>Born in 1887, Padre Pio joined the Capuchins in 1903 and was ordained a priest in 1910. A few months later, he received the so-called invisible and non-permanent stigmata, in 1918, he received the visible and permanent stigmata, which he kept until his death in 1968.</p><p>He confessed 12 to 15 hours a day, and celebrated Mass while living the Passion.</p><p>He suffered violent attacks from the devil, and was at times slandered and persecuted by his hierarchy, but he always remained faithful to the Church and a witness to the truth.</p><p>An immense devotee of the Virgin Mary, Padre Pio prayed the rosary, which he called &#34;his weapon&#34;, from morning to night, and recommended to his spiritual sons that they too pray it without ever growing weary.</p><p>His spiritual testament is for many: <strong>&#34;Love Our Lady and make her loved. Always recite the Rosary&#34;.</strong></p><p>He created the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza hospital to relieve the suffering, as well as the Padre Pio Prayer Groups, now spread throughout the world. He guided many spiritual sons and daughters.</p><p>Padre Pio was beatified by John Paul II in 1999 and canonised in 2002. His incorrupt body can be venerated at San Giovanni Rotondo.</p><h2>Some more</h2><p>Submited by Gino Testa, leader of the Padre Pio Prayer Groups in Paris and member of the General Council of the Padre Pio Prayer Groups of San Giovanni Rotondo from 2016 to 2022.</p><p><a href="http://gruppidipreghiera.operapadrepio.it/en/home-en/" target="_blank">Link to discover</a> more about Saint Padre Pio.</p>

 3 Months & 3 days with St Padre Pio to guide you to Christmas

Padre Pio, teach us, we pray, humility of heart, so that we may be
counted among the little ones of the Gospel to whom the Father promised to
reveal the mysteries of His Kingdom.
Help us to pray without ceasing, certain that God knows what we need
even before we ask Him.
Obtain for us the eyes of faith that will help us recognize in the poor and
suffering, the very face of Jesus.
Sustain us in the hour of trouble and trial and, if we fall, let us
experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness.
Grant us your tender devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus and our
Mother.
Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage toward the blessed Homeland,
where we too, hope to arrive to contemplate forever the Glory of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.    Amen

<p><strong>Prepare to welcome Christ!</strong></p><p>The sun was still shining in early September when a Garden Centre in North Yorkshire launched its Christmas selection: lights, Santas, reindeer, fake snow, it was all there. A couple of weeks later the Church Times started to encourage readers to learn more about Meaningful Chocolate Advent 2023.</p><p>Yes, you could donate to a food bank, but you could also buy a Christmas Blessings Milk Bar – a case of 12 bars, if you want! And there were still about 100 days to go before Christmas!</p><p>Is your Christmas preparation about buying fake snow in a garden centre?</p><p><em>Advent Reflections from Ampleforth Abbey</em> is an opportunity to prepare spiritually so that we are ready to welcome Christ into our hearts and our homes at Christmas.</p><p>Regular reflections written by Liam Kelly will be posted throughout the Season of Advent.</p><h2>The Programme</h2><p>Receive, on these days, meditations and prayers to prepare yourself to welcome Christ.</p><ul><li>First Sunday of Advent: 3 December</li><li>Wednesday 6 December</li><li>Second Sunday of Advent: 10 December</li><li>Wednesday 13 December</li><li>Third Sunday of Advent: 17 December</li><li>Monday 18 December</li><li>Tuesday 19 December</li><li>Wednesday 20 December</li><li>Thursday 21 December</li><li>Friday 22 December</li><li>Saturday 23 December</li><li>Fourth Sunday of Advent: 24 December</li><li>Christmas Day: 25 December</li></ul><h2>Ampleforth Abbey and Liam Kelly</h2><p>Liam Kelly works at Ampleforth Abbey and is a member of the Hospitality Team.</p><p>He has a written a number of books, most recently <em>The Glorious Journey</em>, a reflection based on the film ‘The Two Popes&#039;, and <em>Lent in 50 Moments</em>. </p><p>Come and See at Ampleforth Abbey: <a href="https://www.ampleforthabbey.org.uk/retreats" target="_blank">https://www.ampleforthabbey.org.uk/retreats</a></p><p><strong>Click on JOIN to receive the prayers</strong></p>

Return to Essentials: Advent reflections from Ampleforth Abbey

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say, 'Come, Lord Jesus!'
Amen.


<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.

<h2>A Walk of Faith for Valentine&#039;s Day!</h2><p>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.</p><p>Be assured that we share your hopes and keep your intentions in our hearts every day!</p><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><p>… other ideas? Share them with us!</p><p><strong>St. Valentine will certainly be happy to hear them and present them to the Lord!</strong></p><h2>Commitment</h2><p>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!</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>

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.