Category: General

Opening Prayer

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.

Saint of the Day: Blessed James Miller

James Miller was born in Stevens Point and lived on his family farm. He went to Pacelli High School, where the Christian Brothers were the teachers. He himself was called to religious life with the brothers in his first years after graduating from his studies. Brother James was a high school teacher and maintenance man and football coach in the Twin Cities where he was called “Brother Fix-it.”

After taking his final vows in 1969, Brother James took up a missionary assignment. For over 10 years in Nicaragua, he helped build and run a vocational education campus. However, because of the Sandinista Revolution, his religious superiors ordered him and his fellow Brothers to return to the United States out of fear of retaliation due to the governmental regime change.

After Brother James arrived back in the United States to teach again at Cretin High School, he fell into a period of discouragement, longing for a return to Latin America. Brother James got his wish in 1981. He received an assignment in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. At Casa Indígena and Colegio de La Salle, Brother James taught English, religion and Guatemalan art to indigenous Mayan students.

During that time, the Guatemalan military often rounded up young men from the streets to conscript them into the army. Students were exempt from service, yet boys from the Brothers’ school, Casa Indigena, were still forced to join. When this occurred, the Brothers would provide authorities documentation proving the boys were, in fact, students. This angered the army.

On February 13, 1982, three assailants — presumed to be from the army’s death squad — gunned Brother James down while he was repairing a wall at the school. Later, Brother James’ closest friend and confidant, Brother Paul Joslin, FSC, reflected on his death and said that James died doing what he loved: teaching and fixing.

Pope Francis and the board of theologians in Rome unanimously named him a martyr, and he was beatified in 2019. He is buried behind Saint Martin Church just east of Stevens Point. Several schools in our diocese were started and ran by the Christian Brothers, making Blessed James Miller a good intercessor for young people, students and educators.

Reflection

How many saints that we hear of were ordinary people that we elevate to such heights? Blessed James Miller is one such example. Reading his story, this was not a man who was seeking to be a martyr or wanting to be put on a pedestal. No, this Midwesterner had a passion for teaching, helping the poor and spreading the faith. This is a beautiful way to end our Novena, keeping the acts of Blessed James in our minds and welcoming his missionary spirit into our hearts.

We can live out our personal mission every day, not just on this TEC weekend or for as TEC workers and attendees. Like Blessed James, we can think about what we are called to. What is keeping us from our passions? How can we live out our faith and be open to where Jesus needs us today? How can we always strive to use our skills and talents to bring about the Kingdom of God here in our world and our communities?

A special prayer intention was placed with the community of Christian Brothers at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota for TEC 284. They will remember the prayer intentions for our weekend and invoke Blessed James’ intercession during their communal prayer.

Prayer

Let us pray.
O faithful Shepherd, Blessed Brother James Miller, FSC,
as a Christian Brother and Lasallian missionary,
you tilled the soil with your hands
and invited Jesus Christ to till the soil of your soul.
You became a sign of the love of Christ,
the Good Shepherd for your students
and blessed their lives by your ministry.
You stood firm and did not run from danger,
bringing glory to God, His Church,
your Lasallian family, and your martyrdom.
Blessed Brother James,
obtain from the heart of Jesus (make your request here),
and pray for me, that I too may be a sign of Christ’s love.
Teach me to faithfully till the soil of this life
in this reality given to me by our Father,
unafraid to stay with those God has given me,
no matter the cost.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 284

• 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

Closing Prayer

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. Michael the Archangel – Pray for us
• St. Francis Xavier- Pray for us
• Our Lady of Champion- Pray for us
• St. Therese of Lisieux- Pray for us
• St. Rose of Lima- Pray for us
• St. Florian- Pray for us
• Blessed James Miller- 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

Opening Prayer
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. Rose of Lima

Saint Rose of Lima was born Isabel Flores de Oliva and was a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. She took the name Rose when confirmed, a nickname given to her when a servant claimed she saw Isabel’s face turn into a rose in infancy. Patron saint of embroidery, gardening and cultivation of blooming flowers, she was the first person born in the Americas to be canonized a Saint. St. Rose of Lima has been designated as a co-patroness of the Philippines, but Rose remains the primary patroness of Peru and of the local people of Latin America. As a young girl she began fasting 3 times a week, and performing severe penances in secret. When men started to lust after Rose, she cut off her hair and rubbed peppers on her face to appear less desirable. Rose rejected suitors, took daily Blessed Sacrament, and took a vow of chastity, all against the advice of her parents.

While she lived in a room in her family home she cared for the homeless and poor, bringing them there to care for them. She abstained from meat, sold her fine embroidery and other needlework to care for her family and the poor, and did prayer and penance in her self-built private grotto. Other than that, she was reclusive and eventually caught the eye of the Dominican friars, who let her join the Third Order of Saint Dominic. Rose took her vows at 20. She would only sleep 2 hours a night so she could devote the rest to prayers, and wore a heavy crown made of silver, with small spikes on the inside to emulate the crown of thorns Jesus wore. She lived this way for 11 years before dying to illness. It is said she prophesied the date of her own death.

St. Rose of Lima, help us to discover what you discovered, so that we may enter more deeply into a life of prayer and penance. We humbly pray that we may be generous in our sacrifices. We trust in God’s omnipotence, and His power to comfort people in their weaknesses. We ask to be drawn to your virtue, that we too may become a sweet fragrance of Christ. We ask for your intersession to endure life on Earth, that we may delight in Heaven.
~Isabelle Carrol

Prayer

Glorious St. Rose of Lima, you who knew what it was to love Jesus with such a fine and generous heart.
You, whom since infancy, despised the world’s vanities in order to embrace His Cross.
You who loved, with unfailing devotion, our Heavenly Mother and professed a great tender dedication to the destitute, serving them the same way Jesus did.
Teach us to imitate your greatest virtues, so that we, following your example, can enjoy your glorious protection in Heaven.
For Our Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever. Amen

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 285

• The team, that they stay open to the Holy Spirit in their lives before and during the weekend – We pray
• The Tecites attending or thinking about attending. That the spirit move 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

Closing Prayer

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. Michael the Archangel – Pray for us
• St. Francis Xavier – Pray for us
• Our Lady of Champion – Pray for us
• St. Therese of Lisieux – Pray for us
• St. Rose of Lima – 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

Opening Prayer
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.

Saint of the Day: St. Therese of Lisieux (patron Saint of Anchor of Hope TEC)

St. Terese was born in France as the youngest of 9 children. Her mother died when she was just 4 years old. On Christmas Eve at the age of 14, she had a conversion of heart which eventually confirmed her calling to religious life. She became a Carmelite nun at age 15, yet even in the religious life, she doubted the existence of God. She chose to focus her ministry on love, and she was very aware of her littleness. She shared “…I want to seek out a means of going to heaven by a little way, a way that is very straight, very short and totally new.” She thus developed her “Little Way” as a path to holiness. This path emphasizes trust in God and His mercy, a childlike love and doing all things with great love. She believed that her short life of 24 years was just beginning for God, and she promised to spend her heaven doing good on earth. Her final words were ones to live by: “Oh, my God, I love you!”

St. Terese lived her life according to the “Little Way.” Just as she did, we must acknowledge our littleness compared to God’s greatness. It is only through God that we can accomplish great things, yet those great things can also be simple and small. To follow St. Terese’s example, we must filter all that we do through the lens of love. We can each change the world if we treat others with love and kindness and bring a positive attitude to all that we do. This will bring a deep joy to our world that God wants for all of us. May we all be open to living the “Little Way” in our own lives and following the beautiful servant example of St. Terese.
~Amanda Gerrits

Prayer

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose
from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love.
O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God to grant the favors
I now place with confidence in your hands . .
(mention in silence here)
St. Therese, help me to always believe as you did in
God’s great love for me, so that I might imitate your “Little Way” each day.
Amen

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 285

• The team, that they stay open to the Holy Spirit in their lives before and during the weekend- we pray
• The Tecites 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

Closing Prayer

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. Michael the Archangel – Pray for us
• St. Francis Xavier- Pray for us
• Our Lady of Champion- Pray for us
• St. Therese of Lisieux- 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

Opening Prayer:
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.

Saint of the Day: Our Lady of Champion

While walking along a trail in the woods, Adele saw a lady dressed in white, standing between two trees believed to be a maple and hemlock. Although the mysterious woman stayed silent, it left Adele wondering what sort of encounter it may have been. When Adele told her family, they believed her but thought perhaps it was a soul in purgatory visiting this earthly life asking for prayers.

A few days later, on what is believed to be Sunday, October 9, 1859, Adele walked to Mass with her sister and a friend. The church was 10 miles away from home, but Adele made the journey every Sunday, no matter the weather. Along the same path, Adele saw the mysterious lady standing in the same spot between the two trees. However, Adele being the only one to see her, she and her companions continued their journey to Mass. After Mass, Adele spoke to her parish priest, and he instructed her that if the lady appeared to her again to ask the question, “In God’s name, who are you and what do you want of me?”

On her journey home, Adele saw the lady for the third time. As she and her companions approached the hallowed spot, Adele could see the beautiful lady, clothed in dazzling white, with a yellow sash around her waist. Her dress fell to her feet in graceful folds. She had a crown of stars around her head, and her long golden wavy hair fell loosely over her shoulders. The lady had such a heavenly light around her that Adele could hardly look at her face. Overcome by the light, Adele fell to her knees and said, “In God’s name, who are you, and what do you want of me?”

The lady replied, “I am the Queen of Heaven who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same. You received Holy Communion this morning and that is well. But you must do more. Make a general confession and offer Communion for the conversion of sinners. If they do not convert and do penance, my Son will be obliged to punish them.”

Adele’s companions, unable to see Our Lady asked, “Adele, who is it? Why can’t we see her as you do?”
“Kneel,” said Adele, “the Lady says she is the Queen of Heaven.”

The Blessed Lady gazed kindly upon them, saying, “Blessed are they that believe without seeing.” Then, looking toward Adele, the Queen of Heaven asked, “What are you doing here in idleness while your companions are working in the vineyard of my Son?”

“What more can I do, dear Lady?” asked Adele, weeping .“Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they should know for salvation.” “But how shall I teach them who know so little myself?” Adele said. “Teach them,” replied her radiant visitor, “their catechism, how to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do. Go and fear nothing, I will help you.”

Then, wrapped as it were in a luminous atmosphere, Our Lady lifted her hands as though she were beseeching a blessing for those at her feet. Slowly, she vanished from sight, leaving Adele overwhelmed and prostrated on the ground. This was the simple beginning of Adele’s mission to become a teacher for the Lord and the Blessed Lady.

~Apparition story provided by the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion

Reflection

This message is a message to us all “Gather the children and teach them what they should know for salvation” but this message is not just for kids but all children of God. It is all of our responsibilities to show those around us in action and word how to live a moral life and invite them into the church and teach them. This beautiful shrine also has ties to the Peshtigo fire which exemplifies not only protection with spiritual warfare but also threats we face in the physical world. The protection of the site and those sheltered there is a symbol to us not only of the faith these people had but the true power of Jesus’ salvation keeping them safe from harm. So now we to must take these words to heart, “teach them” as we live out our faith in life, what are we teaching those in our lives about our faith?

Prayer to Our Lady of Champion

O Dear Lady of Champion, you revealed yourself as the Queen of Heaven to your servant Adele. You gave her a mission to pray for the conversion of sinners, to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to others, and to prepare the children for the reception of the sacraments. I trust that as you called Adele to holiness, you are calling me, in my station in life, to live a holy life, devoted to Jesus Christ with the help of your maternal love. I bring before you now my worries and anxieties. I abandon my attachments to them and place them at your feet. I ask you to hear the deepest longings of my heart as I pray most earnestly for Anchor of Hope TEC 285. Dear Lady, you told Adele and you say to all of us, “Do not be afraid; I will help you.” Help me now as I place this intention with complete confidence and trust.

~Official prayer composed by Most Reverend David L. Ricken, Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay. Modified for Anchor of Hope TEC

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 285:

• The team, that they stay open to the Holy Spirit in their lives before and during the weekend- we pray
• The Tecites attending or thinking about attending. That the spirit move 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

Closing Prayer

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. Michael the Archangel – Pray for us
• St Francis Xavier- Pray for us
• Our Lady of Champion- 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

Opening Prayer
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.

Saint of the Day: St. Francis Xavier

Saint Francis Xavier is noteworthy for his missionary work, both as organizer and as pioneer. He is said to have converted more people than anyone else has done since Saint Paul. Pope Benedict XVI said of both Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier: “not only their history which was interwoven for many years from Paris and Rome, but a unique desire — a unique passion, it could be said — moved and sustained them through different human events: the passion to give to God-Trinity a glory always greater and to work for the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ to the peoples who had been ignored.

St. Francis Xavier is a Catholic saint. He was beatified by Paul V in 1619, and was canonized in 1622 and proclaimed patron of all foreign missions by Pope Pius X, at the same time as Ignatius Loyola. He is considered to be a patron saint of Roman Catholic missionaries in foreign lands. His feast day is Dec. 3.

Reflection

St. Francis Xavier is the Patron Saint of the Green Bay Diocese, but he is also the patron of foreign missionaries. This is incredibly fitting considering the role that TEC and our Diocese has played in its work with Global Outreach (GO). While these young adults come to us during their exchange, the community they build here with us makes us both missionaries. These GO students coming here sharing their culture, joy, struggles and faith is an honor. In return we open our homes, lives and communities to share these same things with them.

Any missionary’s goal is to leave a lasting impact, a change or conversion. With the spirit of St. Francis, we are called to be missionaries. For some of us, it may be in foreign lands and for others, it may to be missionaries to something foreign to us. Either way, it is our job to go out and be Christ to others. Like the quote says, a ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

Prayer

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, You have sent us to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and have promised to always remain with us as you did with St. Francis Xavier. Pour out the abundance of your Spirit upon each one of our brothers and sisters especially on those who are called to ponder upon the journey made and to plan what has still to be done, so that we may offer a more authentic service to mission.

Grant that we may ever be faithful to the Gospel and to give an answer to the hopes which the world places before your church today. Stay with us, Lord, when we gather around the table of your Bread and your Word, and when we walk the paths of the world side by side with our brothers and sisters. Grant that we all find ourselves in heaven, our homeland, after having been members of the same family on earth. Amen.

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 285

• The team, that they stay open to the Holy Spirit in their lives before and during the weekend- We Pray
• The Tecites- Those attending or thinking about attending. That the spirit move 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

Closing Prayer

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. Michael the Archangel – Pray for us
• St Francis Xavier – 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

Opening Prayer
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.

Saint of the Day: St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel is synonymous with spiritual warfare and defeating the ultimate enemy of God and the human race – the devil. In the Book of Revelation 12:7-9, St. Michael battles Satan in heaven and eventually casts him and his demons into hell.

Devotion to St. Michael and the angels goes as far back as the fourth century A.D. when the Roman Emperor Constantine had a vision of St. Michael in a dream. He built the Michaelion sanctuary in honor of St. Michael, replacing a pagan temple.

In 1224, St. Francis of Assisi and some of his brothers took part in a devotion where they fasted and prayed in honor of St. Michael the Archangel. Known as St. Michael’s Lent, it continues to be practiced from August 15 to September 29, the feast day of St. Michael.

In one of the prayer’s most common origin stories, Pope Leo XIII saw a horrific vision after celebrating Mass, causing him to faint. What Pope Leo XIII heard and saw has been disputed, but it led him to compose the St. Michael prayer. Some accounts say he heard a conversation between Satan and God, with Satan telling God that he only needed 100 years to destroy the Church.

After fainting, Pope Leo wrote the prayer and requested that it be printed and sent to all the ordinaries around the world. Whatever Pope Leo saw moved him enough to install the prayer. For more than 100 years, billions of Catholics all around the world have recited it.

Reflection

At first glance, the St. Michael prayer may seem like a simple prayer to help calm the chaos in the world around us but when you really dive into the origin of the prayer and pray it slow and with purpose the words strike a lot harder. This prayer is not just asking for protection but fully implying that we are actively engaged in battle. The St. Michael prayer is not as simple as one might imagine.

It almost has a tone of calling in “close air support” when troops are in combat. We are not just talking to our fellow “troops” to come up with a plan to fight the enemy, we are being bombarded and we need powerful help from above. “Defend us in battle” and “Be our defense” seem slightly more passive, like digging in. But we dig in for the next lines, the real “air strike” 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.

WOW! The warfare we battle spiritually can be too much for our souls. We ask for defense, for peace in our lives and divine intervention to combat Satan and all evil spirits looking to harm us. We do not fight alone, we invoke the power of prayer, and St. Michael to fight along side us. This is also why St. Michael is seen as the patron of those who put themselves in harm’s way, Police, Soldiers, Fire and EMS all turn to St. Michael for physical and mental strength to serve Gods people on earth.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend 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.

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 285

• The team, that they stay open to the Holy Spirit in their lives before and during the weekend- we pray
• The Tecites- Those attending or thinking about attending. That the spirit move 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

Closing Prayer

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. Michael the Archangel – 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

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.

Saint of the Day. St Joseph, Foster Father of the Son of God

As you will see in the Litany of St. Joseph, he carries many titles, some seem fitting or simple, and others like “terror of demons” may seem a little unorthodox for this man of few words. However one title bestowed on Joseph seems to fit him perfectly on the surface but holds so much more meaning as we look deeper into it. That title is Foster Father of the Son of God. Yes, Joseph was not the father of Jesus but played the earthly male role model of Jesus’ early understanding of what it was to be human. This role may seem contractual to us today but in Latin this title is called Filii Dei Nutricie, translated meaning “Nurturer of the Son of God.”

As St. Peter Julain Eymard said, “Saint Joseph’s dignity springs from his privilege of being the legal father of the Incarnate son of God here then is a man who the son of God calls father one who he Jesus serves and obeys and before whom he kneels for a parental blessing.” Joseph was Chosen to be the loving protector of not only Mary but also Jesus, but not only them, his loving protection is also extended to all of us, the Church, the Community, Joseph is too our foster father who we should learn from, talk to, and emulate.

Reflection

One of my favorite pictures of St. Joseph is him in a wood shop with a child Jesus. I love to sit and look at it and imagine the conversations these two had. Much like our own lives. When we are working in the garage, kitchen, garden or anywhere with loved ones. Some of the talk is about the chores we are doing, but then they can turn serious, comical, or just a peaceful silence in each others presence. We may never know how good of a wood worker Jesus was but I think we can all imagine the conversations that could have come forth in that shop. Faith, Family, Morals, work ethic.

Joseph could have been the one to show Jesus who those in most need of his later ministry was. He could have taught him how to debate, or how to have those real connections with those he ministered to. Jesus could even have remembered these lessons and time with his foster father and brought those same moments to the children he ministered to, knowing the example he was given was needed in their lives. Take a moment and picture Joseph in his shop with the child Jesus talking, what are they talking about? And what lessons are you learning from being there with them?

Litany of St. Joseph

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Illustrious son of David, pray for us.
Light of patriarchs, pray for us.
Spouse of the Mother of God, pray for us.
Chaste guardian of the Virgin, pray for us.
Foster father of the Son of God, pray for us.
Watchful defender of Christ, pray for us.
Head of the Holy Family, pray for us.
Joseph most just, pray for us.
Joseph most chaste, pray for us.
Joseph most prudent, pray for us.
Joseph most valiant, pray for us.
Joseph most obedient, pray for us.
Joseph most faithful, pray for us.
Mirror of patience, pray for us.
Lover of poverty, pray for us.
Model of workmen, pray for us.
Glory of home life, pray for us.
Guardian of virgins, pray for us.
Pillar of families, pray for us.
Solace of the afflicted, pray for us.
Hope of the sick, pray for us.
Patron of the dying, pray for us.
Terror of demons, pray for us.
Protector of Holy Church, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord!
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us!
V. He made him the lord of His household,
R. And prince over all His possessions.

Let Us Pray
O God, Who in Thine ineffable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, grant, we beseech Thee, that he whom we venerate as our protector on earth may be our intercessor in Heaven. Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 285

• 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 move 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

Closing Prayer

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

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

Opening Prayer

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.

Saint of the Day

From a Catholic perspective, the Virgin Mary holds a unique and exalted place in salvation history. She is honored as the Mother of God because she gave birth to Jesus, who is fully God and fully man. Her Immaculate Conception—being conceived without original sin—allowed her to be a pure vessel for Christ.
Mary’s fiat (“Let it be done to me,” Luke 1:38) at the Annunciation demonstrates her perfect obedience to God’s will. She remained a perpetual virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. Throughout His life, she played a crucial role, from nurturing Him in Nazareth to interceding at the Wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed His first miracle at her request (John 2:1-11).
At the foot of the Cross, Jesus entrusted Mary to His disciple John, symbolizing her spiritual motherhood over all believers (John 19:26-27). Catholics also believe in her Assumption—that she was taken body and soul into heaven—and recognize her as Queen of Heaven.

Meditation on the wedding at Cana

The miracle of the wine was great, but greater still was the miracle of Mary’s persuasiveness. It seems that God wanted to demonstrate the strength of her influence. Despite Jesus’ words—“My hour has not yet come”—His plans seem to yield to Mary’s will. Who must Mary be in God’s eyes to hold such power?
The Incarnation came through Mary’s plea, the Birth as a reward for her longing, and now the hour of His public manifestation is also brought forth by her. If He was incarnated, born, hidden for 30 years, or began His public ministry—it was all through Mary. The Son of God does nothing without her. Are you not amazed by God’s will to associate Mary with His works?

If this is so, your salvation and holiness must also come through her. Entrust yourself to Mary with confidence, just as she entrusted everything to her Son. She had not yet seen His miracles, yet her faith was unwavering.

Throw yourself into Mary’s arms without fear. Show her your needs, for she lacks nothing—and neither will you, if you turn to her for help.

– Mary Mondloch, TEC volunteer

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.
Amen

Intentions

Through the intercessions of the Saints we pray for TEC 285:

• The team, that they stay open to the Holy Spirit in their lives before and during the weekend- We pray
• The Tecites- Those attending or thinking about attending. That the spirit move their hearts to be open to the TEC weekend. – We Pray
• For all members of the TEC community, that they still feel the spirit working in their lives to be Christ for others. -We Pray
• (Feel free to add any special intentions you would like prayed for) – We Pray

Closing Prayer

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

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