Read the latest newsletter from the Society of Mary Theologate, Casa di Maria, in Rome, Italy

Lord Jesus, you call the Marist novices to serve you in love and humility. Every vocation in the Church is holy and is given for the building up of your body the Church into a living temple. Please reveal to them the vocation you are calling them to follow, the road that will lead them to deepest intimacy with you and to the fullness of life, love and joy that are yours alone to give. Give them courage, Lord, to say yes to their vocation as Mary your mother said yes to hers. Amen.

Read the latest newsletter from the Society of Mary Cerdon International Novitiate, in Davao City, Philippines

For those who have lost a child

Let us pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community, and may receive peace of heart from the Spirit of Consolation.

What can we say to parents who have lost a child? How can we console them?
There are no words.
You see, when one spouse loses the other, they are a widower or a widow. A child who loses a parent is an orphan. There’s a word for that. But when a parent loses a child, there’s no word. The pain is so great, that there’s no word.
And it’s not natural to outlive your child. The pain caused by this loss is especially intense.
Words of encouragement are at times banal or sentimental, they’re not helpful. Spoken with the best intention, of course, they can end up aggravating the wound.
To offer comfort to these parents who have lost a child, we need to listen to them, to be close to them with love, to care responsibly for the pain they feel, imitating how Jesus Christ consoled those who were afflicted.
And those parents who are sustained by their faith can certainly find comfort in other families who, by suffering such a terrible tragedy as this, have been reborn in hope.

View the November Prayer Intention Pope Video – a global initiative to disseminate the Holy Father’s monthly intentions (Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network).

Who is Father Jean-Claude Colin, SM?

Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, SM was the founder of the Marist Fathers of the Society of Mary. He was ordained a priest in 1816 and believed that the Blessed Mother wanted a group of men and women to do her work in the world. Through this inspiration and determination, he, along with twelve men, established a religious order that would have priests, brothers, sisters, and laity. Fr. Colin founded the Marist Fathers and Brothers which was approved in 1836 by the Holy See. Through his leadership, Marist missionaries spread Christ’s message through Mary’s spirit. The cause for canonization of the Venerable Jean-Claude Colin, S.M., has been introduced.

Learn more about Fr. Colin.

Download Fr. Colin Novena Booklet