# Novena to Our Lady Help of Christians with St. John Bosco
*2017-05-15*

> Bill Young begins a nine‑day novena to Our Lady Help of Christians as recited by St. John BOSCO, reflects on recent events at Fatima, and leads the community in the Rosary and prayers.

## Opening Reflections

Good evening, I’m Bill Young. After a beautiful Mother’s Day we begin the novena to Our Lady Help of Christians, which St. John BOSCO composed for May 15‑23. I also mention the recent 100th anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima and Pope Francis’ canonization of two of the three shepherd children. I’m awaiting the possible canonization of Blessed Lucia. I share a personal experience of seeing mysterious “triangle” shapes, wondering what the Holy Spirit might be communicating.

## The Novena Prayers

We pray the novena before the Blessed Sacrament for nine days, using the three sets of prayers for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each set includes the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, a prayer to the Holy Sacrament, and the Hail Holy Queen, ending with a petition to Mary, Help of Christians. The prayers are repeated for each mystery, invoking the Trinity and asking for Mary’s intercession.

## The Rosary of Our Lady of Fatima

After the novena prayers I lead the daily Rosary in honor of Our Lady of Fatima, beginning with the opening prayer to the Holy Spirit, followed by the Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, and a series of Hail Marys for hope, love, and peace. Each decade is concluded with a Glory Be and the Fatima prayer for peace. I also recite the Joyful Mysteries, reflecting on the Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Presentation, and Finding the Child in the Temple, offering the usual prayers for each mystery.

## Concluding Prayers and Invitation

We finish with the Hail Holy Queen, a prayer for the merits of Christ’s passion, and invocations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Joseph, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Louis de Montfort. I invite listeners to contact me via email or the podcast site, and to join a future free movie night of “The Little Shepherds” at St. David’s Catholic Church in South Florida.

*May this novena deepen our trust in Mary, Help of Christians, and draw us closer to the Holy Trinity.*