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 on 25 October 1619 and was canonized by Gregory XV 12 April 1621, but due to health of Pope Gregory was canonized 12 March 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 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 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 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
