Mass for the Canonization of Sisters of Nazareth


NEW THIRD THURSDAY EVENING MASS INTENTION
With the recent canonization of St. John Paul II (this past Divine Mercy Sunday) and over a half a year of Masses of Thanksgiving for that blessed event, it now seems like we should now advance to directing our focus and prayers toward the numerous other potential causes for sainthood which wait for further confirmation and miracles, answers to the intercessions as we so clearly saw with the intercessory power via St. John Paul II.
This having been said, we have proposed that the "Third Thursday” evening Mass to be offered for the canonization of the Eleven Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth from Nowogrodek. In this, “The Year of Consecrated Life” as deemed by Pope Francis, it seemed only appropriate to begin our monthly Mass dedicated to this cause. We will continue to pray for this intention for subsequent months while we ask our parishioners to offer other suggestions for our prayerful focus at the “Third Thursday” evening Mass.. There are many ‘Servants of God”, “Venerables” and “Blesseds” simply waiting for their official recognition as “Saints” of the Church as the process of the occurrence as well as confirmation of miracles allows them to be so called. Please let us know your suggestions and we will include them in our list of Third Thursday Evening Canonization Masses accordingly. It worked with St. John Paul II!!! Remember, they are our friends and are eager to intercede on our behalf. Prayer is powerful!
To those unfamiliar with the Eleven Sisters (pictured in a painting by famed Polish artist, Jan Styka), their story of quiet love and heroism is worthy of sharing. Their martyrdom was the ‘fruit’ of the tragedy which befell their part of Europe during World War II. Nowogrodek, then in territory deemed Polish after the Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania as well as the post partitioned lands after the Treaty of Versailles, the lands fell victim to the armies of both the totalitarian regimes of Nazi Germany an Soviet Russia during the great war. Having survived the humiliation of the Soviet invasion of 1939 the sisters were then exposed to the horrors of the Nazis following Hitler’s occupation of their lands in 1942. Their dissolution was necessary in keeping with the goals of that regime as well, thus, on the early morning hours of August 1, 1943, the Eleven Sisters were trucked off to a site in the nearby forest, executed, and buried in a mass grave. To the forces of evil: problem solved... To the forces of good: acts of love. Now we can ask for their intercession as we pray for their help and the consequent elevation to the rank of sainthood. Please join us on the Thursday of the month at 7 PM as we remember and honor these twelve brave women!


David Krakowski

(editor's note: Sr. Mary Rosaline, who taught at our parish elementary and high schools lived with these sisters at their convent before the war. Being an American she left before their martyrdom but she taught her students about the Sisters and their sacrifice.)

PRAYER TO OBTAIN GRACES
God of mercy and love, you did not spare Your Son Jesus but gave Him up to suffer for our sake. He proved His love by laying down His life for us. Following the example of Jesus, the eleven Sisters of Nowogrodek made the total sacrifice of themselves for those near and dear to them and entered into the joy of eternal life. God of love, from each sacrifice You call forth new strength and kindle new faith. By the example of the eleven sisters, help us to imitate them by giving witness to Your love by our lives and by our loyalty to the teachings of Christ so that we may one day rejoice with them in heaven. For Your greater glory and for our spiritual benefit, glorify these sisters also here on earth. Grant us through their intercession the grace we need. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

                             Sr. Stella