MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Beginning of the novena to Our Lady of Sorrows

«Holy Mary, Virgin of the night, we implore you to stay close to us when pain looms, when trials break in, when the wind of despair whistles, and when the black sky of troubles, the cold of disappointments, or the stern wing of death weighs upon our existence».
The words of this beautiful prayer by the Servant of God Tonino Bello perfectly introduce the beginning of the novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Mary knew suffering and had the strength to “stand” firm before the cross of her Son.
In this novena, we ask for her help in facing the dark moments of our lives; we will discover her at our side, as our companion on the journey.

For further reflection:
• Prayers for Our Lady's sorrows and tears

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was introduced in Rome by the Syrian Pope Sergius I toward the end of the seventh century, together with other Marian feasts. It is not intended so much to commemorate the historical event of Mary's birth, whose circumstances are unknown, as to highlight her unique place in the context of salvation history: on this day, Christians have the opportunity to commemorate Mary as a sign of God's fidelity to the promises made under the Old Covenant and of hope for the fulfillment of the New.
Today, we address Mary with the prayer written by Saint John Paul II on September 8, 1980, on the occasion of this feast.

O Virgin who was born,
hope and dawn of salvation for the whole world,
kindly turn your motherly gaze upon us all,
gathered here to celebrate and proclaim your glories!
O faithful Virgin,
who were always ready and eager to welcome, preserve, and ponder the Word of God,
may you grant that we too, amid the dramatic events of history,
may we always keep our Christian faith intact,
a precious treasure handed down to us by the Fathers!
O powerful Virgin,
that with your foot you may crush the head of the tempting serpent,
grant that, day after day, we may fulfill our baptismal promises, through which we renounced Satan, his works, and his seductions,
and may we give the world a joyful testimony of Christian hope.
O merciful Virgin, who have always opened your motherly heart to humanity’s prayers, sometimes divided by lovelessness and, sadly, also by hatred and war, grant that we may all always grow, according to the teaching of your Son, in unity and peace, so as to be worthy children of the one heavenly Father. Amen!

For further reflection:
• The Glories of Mary

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
Beginning of the novena to Saint Joseph of Copertino

“People fail, but God never does. If you have faith in God’s providence, you will receive what you desire” (Saint Joseph of Copertino).
With the same trust as the Saint in God’s faithfulness and power, we can begin today the novena to Saint Joseph of Copertino, whom the Church commemorates on September 18.

For further reflection:
• Saint Joseph of Copertino. The saint of wonders

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

Born in 1245 in Sant’Angelo in Pontano (Marche), Nicholas joined the Augustinians. For several years he wandered through various towns in the Marche, from one convent to another, searching for the ideal place to put down roots and fulfill his need for solitude, prayer, and strict asceticism. He eventually reached Tolentino and never left. He devoted himself primarily to public preaching, ministry in the confessional, and caring for the sick and poor, for whom, with the permission of his superiors, he established a small fund to draw on in the most urgent cases. His personal sanctification was achieved through several distinctive traits: unconditional obedience, faithful poverty, and transparent humility, all nourished by deep prayer and austere asceticism. During his life, he performed numerous healings witnessed by many inhabitants of Tolentino, to whom the Saint always said: “Do not speak of this. Thank God, not me. I am only an earthen vessel, a poor sinner.” He died in 1305.

For further reflection:
• Saint Nicholas of Tolentino. The smile of humility

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Beginning of the novena to Blessed Virgin Mary of La Salette

«Come closer, my children, do not be afraid, I am here to announce great news to you»; these are the first words that Our Lady of La Salette addresses to Mélanie and Maximin, the visionaries to whom she would then entrust her message of sorrow and hope.
At La Salette, Mary shows herself once again as our companion on the journey; let us pray to her and entrust ourselves to her with complete confidence, beginning the novena today.

For further reflection:
• Novena to the Beautiful Lady of La Salette

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Most Holy Name of Mary

On September 11, 2019, on the eve of the memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary, Pope Francis said: «Tomorrow we celebrate the memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary. I invite everyone to look to Our Lady and let yourselves be inspired by Christian sentiments from her, so that you may increasingly live like and imitate her Son Jesus». Popular devotion to the name of Mary dates back to the mid-12th century, although the feast dedicated to this name was formally instituted only in 1513 by Pope Julius II, who initially granted it solely to the Spanish diocese of Cuenca. First celebrated on September 15 and later moved to the 17th of the same month, it was extended to all of Spain in 1671 and then definitively to the entire Church from 1685 onward, through the work of Pope Innocent XI. Saint Pius X eventually moved the memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary to September 12, the day on which it is still liturgically celebrated today as an optional memorial.
Let us take advantage of this memorial to feel Mary beside us, our companion on the journey.

For further reflection:
• Pray, pray, pray
• On your word – September-October Mass booklet