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
