Novena: prayer for the lapsed and the missions

This stained glass image of St Thérèse comes from the windows of the church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea in St Annes. It reminds us of Thérèse's desire to be a missionary and her role as patron of the missions. It was always her desire to draw people to Christ, so in this final week of the novena we pray for the spread of the Gospel at home and abroad.

Intention for this week: the lapsed and the missions

In Carmel for the last nine years of her life, Thérèse never set foot outside of the monastery. Yet she greatly desired to be a missionary, and would like to have gone to Vietnam to promote the spread of the Gospel. Missionaries and the work of evangelisation became a special focus of her prayer, as she longed to draw people close to Christ. On this Home Mission Sunday, as we begin the final week before her relics visit our Diocese, we pray that Thérèse may help those who have fallen away from practising their faith. She once said that she wanted to be a missionary “until the end of time.” May her wish be fulfilled in our Diocese.

Intercession:
Let us pray for all who no longer practise their faith, and for the spread of the Gospel throughout the world – that by the intercession of St Thérèse people everywhere may hear and respond to the Gospel.