Novena Prayer in honor of St. John Marie Baptiste Vianney

Just the other day, I was talking with Fr. Bline about the seminary and all things parish. After the phone conversation, the thought came to me that we as a parish should be praying for Fr. Bline as he enters this new life at the seminary. While I am sure all of you are praying for him, especially in thanksgiving for his ministry, his goodness, and ultimately the love he shared with all of you, I want to invite our parish to pray a novena for Fr. Bline leading up to the beginning of seminary. In light of this, I asked Fr. Bline what novena he would like us to pray for him. He chose a novena to St. John Vianney, the patron of priests.

So beginning on the feast day of St. John Vianney, August 4, please join me in praying this novena for Fr. Bline every evening at 7:00 p.m. in the Church. If you cannot make it, please pray it at home. It will be a good time to pray for him, to give thanks to God for him and to thank God ahead of time for how God will bless him and the seminarians in the days ahead. The novena will be provided in next week’s bulletin.