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From Sunday 12th March until Monday 20th March we will hold our annual Novena of Masses praying for the intercession of the sleeping St Joseph.

The Novena to the Sleeping St. Joseph has become a popular devotion that has sprung up in recent times. It has been given much credence recently by Pope Francis who has talked about his personal devotion to St. Joseph.

During a speech for families the holy father said “I really like St. Joseph because he is a man of strength and silence. In my office, I have an image of a sleeping St. Joseph, and while he sleeps, he takes care of the church. When I have a problem or am faced with a difficulty, I will write it on a piece of paper and I will place it underneath St. Joseph, so that he may dream on it. That means for him to pray for that problem”.

Down the years many Saints and Popes have had a particular devotion to St. Joseph and placed themselves under his protection.

Each evening there will be Mass celebrated in Termonbacca at 7:30pm, followed by Novena prayers (with the exception of Sunday 12th March which will combine with the monthly Sr Clare Mass at the earlier time of 7pm.)

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Everyone is welcome to come along and join in person or alternatively online via Termonbacca YouTube channel. Any prayer petitions you wish to have included can be sent to Termonbacca through Facebook or by emailing termonbaccaderry@gmail.com, and they will be placed beneath St Joseph and a candle will be lit for those intentions.

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The Prayer

O St Joseph you are a man greatly favoured by the Most High. The angel of the Lord appeared to you in dreams, while you slept, to warn and guide you as you cared for the Holy Family. You were both silent and strong, a loyal and courageous protector. Dear St Joseph, as you rest in the Lord, confident in His absolute power and goodness, look upon us (me). Please take our (my) need into your heart, dream of it and present it to your Son. Help us (me) then, good St Joseph, to hear the voice of God, to arise and act with love. We (I) praise and thank God with joy. St Joseph we (I) love you.

Amen

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 In today’s world, when people have asked for help from others, many times they will be answered with the phrase “leave it with me and I’ll sleep on it”! Perhaps in this novena that is what St. Joseph is saying to us and perhaps also asking us to have the same blind faith and trust in the loving providence of God that he had when he accepted his life’s mission.

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