Sign of the Cross
Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble hearts as we prepare for our TEC weekend. We thank You for the gift of this time to seek Your presence and to deepen our relationship with You and bring others closer to you. Pour forth Your Holy Spirit upon us, O Lord, that we may open our minds and hearts to Your divine will. Grant us the grace to listen attentively to Your word, to reflect deeply on Your love, and to respond with faithful hearts to Your call.
Bless our retreat with the light of Your guidance and the warmth of Your love. May it be a time of spiritual renewal, healing, and transformation. As we journey together, may we grow in unity and love, supporting one another in faith and in truth. We entrust this Novena and our retreat into the hands of our Blessed Mother, Mary. Through her intercession, may we be drawn closer to Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Maximilian Kolbe was born in 1894 in Poland. When he was 12 years old, he had a vision of the Virgin Mary which influenced the rest of his life. Mary came to him holding two crowns. One was white, which was a sign of the purity of the priesthood. The other crown was red, which was a sign of martyrdom. Kolbe accepted both. He was ordained a priest in 1918 and founded monasteries in Poland, Japan and India. For many years, he operated a religious publishing press and during World War II, published many anti-Nazi publications. At the monastery, he provided shelter for refugees of the war and is credited with hiding 2,000 Jews from German persecution.
In 1941, the monastery was shut down, and Kolbe was arrested by the German Gestapo and taken to prison, then to the Auschwitz. When several men were chosen to face death by starvation to warn prisoners against escaping, Kolbe volunteered to take the place of a man with a family. In his final days, Kolbe led the other prisoners in prayers to the Blessed Mother. He died on August 14, 1941. He was canonized in 1982.
Reflection
St. Maximilian Kolbe is a saint of our time who showed great courage. By sacrificing his life to save another, he showed us how to give graciously without considering the cost. The story of Kolbe patiently and prayerfully awaiting death in a concentration camp gives us the confidence that we can face any trials in life. We simply must place our struggles into the hands of our ever-present, loving God. Kolbe’s deep faith, especially his devotion to the Blessed Mother, sustained him through times of unbelievable suffering – suffering that no person should have to endure.
St. Maximilian Kolbe is an inspiration to us today.
Thankfully, few of us are called martyrdom like Kolbe was. Yet through baptism, we all received the same call to holiness as he did. We are called to persevere in faith, despite the obstacles, and courageously step forward at every moment of our lives to act as Christ would.
Intentions
Through the intercessions of the Saints, we pray for TEC 286.
- The team that they stay open to the Holy Spirit in their lives before and during the weekend – We pray.
- The Tecites- That those attending or thinking about attending. That the spirit moves their hearts to be open to the TEC weekend. – We Pray·
- (Feel free to add any special intentions you would like prayed for) – We Pray
Heavenly Father, in Preparation for this retreat we lift our hearts in gratitude for Your boundless love and mercy. We thank You for the graces and blessings bestowed upon us during these days of prayer and reflection.
With humble hearts, we invoke the intercession of the saints who have accompanied us on this journey. Saints who have gone before us, lighting the path with their faith and devotion
Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us
St Joseph, Pray for us
St Therese of Lisieux, Pray for us.
St Padre Pio, Pray for us
Servant of God Fr. Walter Cisek, Pray for us
St. Maximilian Kolbe, Pray for us
Through their intercession, may we be strengthened in our faith and inspired to live lives of holiness and service.
Lord, bless our TEC retreat with Your divine presence. May it be a time of profound encounter with You, of healing, renewal, and transformation. Fill our hearts with Your love, that we may return to our daily lives as witnesses of Your grace, carrying the light of Christ to all we meet. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen
