03/18/2022
by Bishop Michael J. Sis, Diocese of San Angelo
Dear friends in Christ,
Pope Francis will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome at 11:00 am San Angelo time (CDT) on Friday, March 25, 2022. I will also pray the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary at Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Angelo at the same time.
The Catholic bishops of Ukraine are urging the faithful in their country to prepare for the Act of Consecration with a prayer novena beginning on Thursday, March 17, for nine consecutive days.
In preparation for this Act of Consecration, I recommend praying a novena from March 17 through 25, in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, who are suffering such tragic violence.
There are many ways to pray such a novena. One could pray the Rosary, or the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), or any of a number of different formats for a novena to the Blessed Mother. As examples, I am attaching here two well-known novenas (one in English and one in Spanish) to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In offering the novena at this time, I recommend adding the particular intention of praying for Ukraine and Russia, and for a peaceful resolution to the current war in Ukraine.
Thank you very much for your compassionate prayer support of our suffering brothers and sisters.
In the peace of Christ,
Bishop Michael Sis
San Angelo
English: https://sanangelodiocese.org/novena-to-the-immaculate-heart-of-mary
Spanish: https://sanangelodiocese.org/novena-al-inmaculado-corazon-de-maria
Todos los días se ora: "¡Corazón inmaculado de María!, desbordante de amor a Dios y a la humanidad, y de compasión por los pecadores, me consagro enteramente a ti. Te confío la salvación del alma mía. Que mi corazón esté siempre unido al tuyo, para que me separe del pecado, ame más a Dios...
