St. Francis Woods Campus Prayer Opportunities
All are welcome to drop by and visit St. Francis Woods, our Motherhouse. We have several places conducive to prayer and meditation, including an outdoor labyrinth and stations of the cross.
If you wish to join us in prayer, below is the schedule for prayer and Mass:
Regular Schedule: Prayer (Monday to Friday) at 7:30 a.m. followed by Mass, and at 4:45 p.m. Otherwise call 815-469-4895 x895.
Holy Hour for vocations from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays
Sacred Heart Holy Hour - every first Friday of the month from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
For information on our retreat house, the Portiuncula Center for Prayer ("The PORT"), visit www.portforprayer.org.
For vocation discernment, check out our Come & See page!
Help us celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week (NVAW) on January 13 through 19, 2012.
We invite you to help us pray for those discerning their vocation in life.
Vocation Prayer
Loving God, thank you for the gifts and talents you have given me. In turn, I pray that I can share these gifts with others. The Church needs generous and loving people for service and leadership. Help me to know what is mine to do so that I can respond generously to this need. Holy Spirit, guide me to become the kind of person you desire me to be. Help me to trust, to listen and to be obedient to your Holy will. This I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer of St. Francis Before the Crucifix
Most high, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart.
Instill in me a correct faith, a certain hope and a perfect love;
a sense and a knowledge, Lord,
so that I may do your holy and true command.
Prayer of Thomas Merton
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me,
Nor do I really know myself.
And the fact that I think I am following your will
Does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
Does in fact please you.
And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire
And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road
Though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore I will trust you always.
Though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death
I will not fear for you are ever with me.
And you will never leave me to face my struggles alone.
Prayer of St. Ignatius
Dearest Jesus, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to love and serve you as you deserve,
To give and not to count the cost,
To fight and not to heed the wounds,
To toil and not to seek for rest, To labor and to look for no reward,
Except that of knowing that I do your Holy Will. Amen.
For more vocation reflections and prayers, go to Vocation-Network.org.
Jubilarians
Each year we celebrate the jubilees of our Sisters who have been shaped by God’s hand into women full of grace with a clear vision and deep faith. Jubilee is that time when we mark the milestones of ministry in a world where anniversaries do not often reach double digits. We hope you will be touched by their faith as many of you have been touched by their presence in your life. Click here to visit our Jubilarians page.
Young Adult Connections
Diocese of Joliet Young Adult Ministry serves young adults in their 20s and 30s. Contact Paul Jarzembowski Email: pjarzembowski@dioceseofjoliet.org Phone: 815-834-4047.
SUMMIT is a group of young adults in the Joliet/Will County area dedicated to bringing young adults in their 20s and 30s to Christ through networking, formation and service. Please visit http://www.summityoungadults.com for information on young adult events in the Will County area in the Diocese of Joliet or look for us on Facebook!