Time for the Louis and Zélie Martin Novena

Please pray with - and for - our students.

The feast of our patron saints Louis and Zélie Martin is in ten days.

As we are already praying for our country and celebrating America's 250th anniversary, let's also keep an eye on our school's patron saints.

If you join us in a novena to Sts. Louis and Zélie tomorrow, your prayers will climax on July 12, their annual feast day.

Now is the perfect time to pray for the growth and mission of Martin Saints. Our country needs schools like Martin Saints to flourish and grow. Our country and our church need renewal. Cultural renewal flows from schools like Martin Saints, schools that sow virtue and help us get our spiritual priorities aligned.

The truth is, when we step back to take it all in, we are overwhelmed with gratitude and hope. These feelings are appropriately channelled into prayer:

Thank you God for our country and the blessings we enjoy. Thank you God for this special school. Thank you for the gift of our students and teachers. Thank you for a school home that is joyful, faithful, growing. Please bless the upcoming new school year. Please bless, protect, and guide Mr. Haynie, our new president. Please may the work of our school community contribute to the renewal of our Church and our country.

You can find a sample novena right here online. If you sign up, every day for nine days, you'll receive a short and simple email reminder with that day's prayer.

Two other ways you might want to celebrate our patronal feast:

First, did you know that our cathedral has relics of all three Martin Saints? Small bones of Louis, Zélie, and Thérèse are kept just inside the front door, in the cathedral baptistry. Read all about it - and some Martin family spirituality - right here. The next week or two is a very appropriate time for a mini-pilgrimage to the cathedral.

Second, on the feast day itself - July 12 at 10:15am - Father DiMaria has invited some of our students to sing for the Sunday Mass at Sacred Heart parish in Bridgeport, just across the river from school. Mrs. Baldon and Miss Pisano will host coffee and cake afterwards in the parish hall. Everyone is warmly invited to Mass and a little party.

Let's always keep praying for each other, our school community, and our country. May the Martin family of saints please pray for us all!

Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.