Participate in this Jesuit tradition by invoking the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, S.J., through Mass attendance and praying the novena prayer for nine days.
ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ University Campus Ministry is partnering with the Jesuit Community and St. Anthony’s Parish of ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ, Conn., to pray the nine-day Novena of Grace beginning on Saturday, March 4, and concluding on Sunday, March 12 — the anniversary of the canonization of Sts. Francis Xavier and Ignatius Loyola. All are welcome to join.
Novena participants are invited to attend Mass daily (schedule and locations below) and to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. You may wish to pray for your own special intention, or join in prayer for the intention of unity in our encounters with family, community, diocese, Church, nation, and world.
The Novena of Grace is an annual tradition that has been celebrated by Catholics around the world for centuries. It began in the 17th century when a Jesuit missionary’s work was halted due to a severe injury sustained in an accident. Near death, the priest had a vision in which he was told that if he prayed to St. Xavier for nine consecutive days and received the sacraments of reconciliation and Eucharist, his vow would be fulfilled. The priest made a full recovery, enabling him to continue his missionary work.
Rev. Keith Maczkiewicz, S.J., director of Campus Ministry and University chaplain, is pleased to offer this opportunity to the ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ campus and Diocese of Bridgeport communities. Although this is the first time ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ University and St. Anthony’s Parish will be offering the Novena of Grace, several members of the Jesuit community have been involved in other Novenas of Grace throughout the Northeast Province.
“I have preached at the Novena of Grace at St. John’s in Worcester, Massachusetts, which has been offered to that community for over a hundred years!” said Fr. Maczkiewicz. “I was amazed at the faith of the people – from all walks of life – who would come from far and wide to pray together.”
Each day during the Novena of Grace, celebrants will offer some words about the life of St. Francis Xavier as part of their homilies. The weekends of the Novena will be offered at St. Anthony’s Church and the weekdays at the Egan Chapel. A dozen different voices will be heard throughout the nine days, including members of the ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ Jesuit Community and Deacon Tom Curran, the RCIA Coordinator in Campus Ministry. The Novena is open to all.
As noted below, the Novena of Grace is scheduled to take place on weekends at St. Anthony’s Church, 149 South Pine Creek Road, ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ, CT, and weekdays at Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola, ÐÓ°ÉÔ°æ University.
Schedule
- Saturday, March 4 | St. Anthony’s Church
Confessions (4:15 p.m.) and Mass (5 p.m.) - Sunday, March 5 | St. Anthony’s Church
Mass (regular parish schedule: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m.) - Monday, March 6 through Thursday, March 9 | Egan Chapel
Mass (12:30 p.m., 8 p.m.) - Friday, March 10 | Egan Chapel
Mass (12:30 p.m.), Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament With Novena Prayers and Benediction (4:30 p.m.) - Saturday, March 11 | St. Anthony’s Church
Confessions (4:15 p.m.) and Mass (5 p.m.) - Sunday, March 12 | St. Anthony’s Church
Mass (regular parish schedule: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m.)
