Thursday, February 6, 2020

Day 3: Sr. Dorothy Stang Novena

Wednesday, February 12, 2020, marks the 15th anniversary of the murder of Sr. Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur and graduate of Julienne High School (1949).  To celebrate the anniversary of her martyrdom and to carry on her legacy, the Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School community will be praying a novena in her honor.  The daily text is below.  To learn more about Sr. Dorothy, click this link.


February 6

From the Gospel of Matthew we hear: “Blessed are the lowly: they shall inherit the earth.”

Sr. Dorothy said: "We need to be poor with the poor and re-appropriate a kind and tender relationship with Mother-Earth. Then we will know how to act."

As a child, Sr. Dorothy lived on a farm here in the Dayton area.  Sr. Dorothy’s kind and tender relationship with the earth was engendered in her by her father who taught her to love the earth, to smell its warm, rich soil and to rejoice in what it produced. From her mother, she learned love and generosity for those who have less.  Sr. Dorothy’s wisdom of sustainable farming and protecting the least among us has gone far from the land of Ohio, to the richness of the Amazon.


Today’s suggested action:
Plant something; a seed or hope in someone's heart. Enjoy a delicious fruit given to you by "Mother Earth who is so tender and kind."


Prayer:
Let us pray:  God of Creation, We pray that those who work with the land--from the Ohio Valley, to the fertile fields of California, Florida and Brazil--be treated justly and with respect.  We also pray that we might have a more profound respect for all the Earth, our Common Home.  Help us to see the beauty of your creation, and work to protect it for all peoples.  This we ask through Christ, Our Lord.  Amen.

May the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit be glorified in all places through the Immaculate Virgin Mary.  Amen.


[The text of this Novena is adapted from https://www.sndohio.org/sister-dorothy/dorothy-stang-novena]

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