A Prayer Service for St. Katharine Drexel – March 3
(Canonized October 1, 2000)
Leader: Let us pray…
Ever loving God, You called Saint Katharine Drexel to teach the message of the Gospel and to bring the life of the Eucharist to the Black and Native American peoples. By her prayers and example, enable us to work for justice among the poor and oppressed. Draw us all into the Eucharistic community of your Church, that we may be one in You. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Side 1: Eucharist
The Eucharist is a never-ending sacrifice. It is the Sacrament of love, the supreme love, the act of love. Help us each moment today and always to communicate myself to You by doing Your will. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, lover of the Eucharist, pray for us
Side 2: EVANGELIZATION
We look up in wonder at God’s wonderful ways and thought how little we imagine what may be the result of listening and acting on a desire He puts into the heart. Nourish before Him great desires…May our desire be to bring Him hearts, for all are His by right, having been purchased by every drop of His blood. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, model for those who evangelize, pray for us.
Side 1: PEACE
Peacefully do at each moment what at that moment ought to be done. If we do what each moment requires, we will eventually complete God’s plan, whatever it is. We can trust God to take care of the master plan when we take care of the details. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, steadfast in trust, pray for us.
Side 2: SERVANT OF THE POOR
Kindness is the natural fruit of goodness of heart. He (Jesus) loved every human being as the image of God…and so all that came within range of His benevolence were treated kindly for God’s sake and their own. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, lover of the poor, pray for us.
Side 1: SUFFERING OF CHRIST
Often in our desire to work for others we find our hands tied, something hinders our charitable designs, some hostile influence renders us powerless. My prayers seem to avail nothing, my kind acts are rejected, I seem to do the wrong thing when I am trying to do my best. In such cases I must not grieve. I am only treading in my Master’s steps. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, follower of the suffering Christ, pray for us.
Side 2: THE CROSS
(Christ) may be leading me out to a cross. If so, I can have no hesitation about following Him! I must follow Him closely, so that…I shall be near Him, my good Shepherd, Who will help me to carry it, for He still bears His Cross in each one of His children. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, bearer of the cross, pray for us.
Side 1: DEVOTION TO MARY
Teach us, O my dear Mother, the lesson of sacrifice. Help me, Mother, to take from the hands of Jesus, in the spirit of humble love, devotion to my daily crosses. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, daughter of Mary, pray for us.
Side 2: BUILDING FOR ETERNITY
Out of our common todays and yesterdays, we are building for eternity. No thought, no work of ours ever dies. We shall meet them all again, and in the world to come shall find our gathered harvest. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, woman of vision, pray for us.
Side 1: PRAYER AND WORK
The active life to be productive must have contemplation. When it (contemplation) gets to a certain height it overflows to active life and gets help and strength from the heart of God. This is the way the saints produced so much fruit, and we’re all called to be saints. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
Saint Katharine Drexel, model for the union of prayer and work, pray for us.
Leader: CLOSING PRAYER:
We wish to be one who conscientiously takes part in the unfolding of God’s plans, and eventually have a glorious part in the final unfolding of time into the glory of God’s Kingdom in heaven. If we are disciples of Jesus, we shall be happy to spend ourselves and be spent for the salvation of souls. – Saint Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
ALL: Saint Katharine Drexel, pray for us.
Edited/Captured from the St. Katharine Drexel Church (Mechanicsburg, PA) Website – Prayer and Novena
Cindy Louden, OFS (Vice Minister, SKD Regional Council & Minister, Living Word Fraternity
March 3, 2024
