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Kateri Tekawitha
Gah-deh-lee Deh-gah-quee-tah


Lord God,
you called the virgin,
blessed Kateri Tekakwitha,
to shine among 
the Indian people
as an example of 
innocence of life.
Through her intercession,
may all people 
of every tribe,
tongue, and nation,
having been gathered 
into your Church,
proclaim your greatness
in one song of praise.

We ask this through 
our Lord Jesus Christ,
your Son, 
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer for Day One

For more information about Bl. Kateria Click Here

To send a card of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Day 1: Prayer - Union with God

"The Prayer" was the Native name for religion; "praying one" the name for a Christian. In the village everything was done openly and before all - when the priests would come they would pray in the small chapel but it would be open so that all could see.
Kateri was twelve years old when the first priests came to her village - she would see the missionaries at prayer in her uncle's cabin and was drawn to listen. She asked many questions which they quietly answered for her and gradually her heart became convinced that she wanted to become a follower of Jesus.

Prayer
Blessed Kateri
as you were drawn to God
by the prayers of the black robes
who came to your village, now help us
to draw close to God through prayer as well.
You filled your day with prayer
admidst many trials -
help us also to see that prayer
is our refuge for every
difficulty that we face.
Prayer filled you with joy and peace
help us that we may find this same joy
this same peace in our prayers as well.
Amen.
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To send this card: Novena Day One - Kateri Tekawith

To read JoyNotes

Quote for the Day:
Prayer?vanquishes all the strength of the tempter,
and it changes men from blind into seeing,
from weak into strong,
from sinners into saints.

St. Alphonsus Liguori
Quote from the book, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Power of Prayer"

Last Saturday my mom fell and broke her leg. Since then I was with her in the hospital - for two surgeries and recuperation till Friday when she was deemed well enough to go to a nursing home for more recovery. Was a long but very beautiful week being with my mom. I went to see her twice yesterday in the nursing home and both times she was happy as a clam. Today my sister Euli and her husband and kids went to see her. She was doing fine. She was just getting ready to go take a walk under the power lines. (We used to live in the country and a road ran under the power line where she often went for a walk). Euli said to her, "I don't think you can do that Mom, you broke your leg." Mom said, "What? Oh that was ages ago!"

Mom opening another card

Here is mom enjoying a Get well card from my sister, Barb.

Mom enjoying a get well card

And enjoying another card - from a Joy Notes friend.

I didn't have a camera with me in the hospital - but she got two cards while she was there. And she was so happy to get them. When she read them it was like a complete revelation to her.... "Oh, Get well.... I'm going to get well!" She looked at them over and over.

My week in the hospital was a very blessed and holy time. It actually was like being on a private retreat for a whole week. Granted I didn't get a lot of sleep - but I prayed lots and looked out the window and just enjoyed everything I could see. The cars and trucks and buses zipping down the freeway, the trains going back and forth, jets zipping by and every so often a MedSTar (hospital emergency helicopter) coming in for a landing over our head. The huge message I got - was that all this life - this activity - this world was completely in God's hand.

One time I watched a seagull flying over the; rushing freeway, the long freight train pulling its load, the high rises of business buildings.. and the thought came so powerfully to me that the seagull was doing God's will - and enjoying the wind and its flight - and why was I so caught up trying to be more than I was or trying to do more than is really possible to do? The message was, "Take a load off?I can handle the world." So I watched that seagull just floating above all the hustle of man's accomplishments and not really impressed by it at all. Just enjoying the breeze, the sky and looking for the next meal that God was sure to provide.

It was a powerful week - without the computer - deadlines and stuff... not sure how I'm going to move ahead in the future - but I want to be more open to each day as it comes.. and enjoy life more. My mom really has it the best. With dementia she just lives so totally in the moment... and God took very good care of her - and allowed me to be with her and take care of her.... how awesome is that?

When push comes to shove its all about the love we have for each other - and God's gift to us in so many ways - our family, our friends, our Church - everything.

Blessings,
Sr. Patricia

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Sr Patricia