Today we start our 54-day novena
We picked today as the start date because it is the feast day of Kateri Tekakwitha, informally known as Lily of the Mohawks. Born in present-day New York State, she contracted smallpox in an epidemic; her family died, and her face was scarred. Which makes her the ideal patron saint for what we are all experiencing in our current pandemic.
As a native American affected by both an epidemic and discrimination, we seek her intercession in these challenging times. Kateri converted to Catholicism at age nineteen. Because of discrimination, she left her village and moved for the remaining five years of her life to the Jesuit mission south of Montreal on the St. Lawrence River in Canada.
Upon her death at the age of 24, witnesses said that minutes later, her scars vanished, and her face appeared radiant and beautiful.
We start this novena with the prayer in our hearts that the coronavirus will not harm any of us or our family and friends. We are also praying that an effective vaccine is found soon.
We will pray the Rosary for 54 consecutive days without missing a day.
We pray in petition the first 27 days asking God to hear our prayers.
Then we will pray in thanksgiving the last 27 days for His answering our prayers.
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