Christmas Novena

To Our Dear Friends...

As 2024 comes to a close, we join with you in embracing 2025 with firm hope. Along with being the “Jubilee Year of Hope”called for by Pope Francis, 2025 also happens to be the first centenary of the canonization of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who made an anthem of hers the saying of St. John of the Cross that we obtain from our Good God all that we hope for. In these dark, trying times, we hope so much for each of you, our faithful friends and generous supporters. May Christ, our Hope, dawn in your lives in an unfading way this Christmas and New Year.
Please join us in praising God during the upcoming season’s Liturgies.

Christmas Liturgy Schedule

Mass in the Night:
December 24 - 9:00PM

Christmas Day Mass:
December 25 - 9:30 AM

New Year's Day Mass:
January 1 - 9:30 AM

Novena: December 16-24

Novena Prayer

Father, we praise you and thank you for Jesus,
the Word of God made flesh.
Help us to become attentive to His presence in our hearts
as did Mary, the Mother of God.
Strengthen us in your love, that our hope and confidence
may remain bright in a world of darkness.
Make a path ready for the Lord to enter our hearts.
Hear our prayer for all our brothers and sisters,
and grant these petitions we now present to you. Amen.

Prayer Requests

The Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Covington, LA.

Covington CarmelEdith Turpin

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Covington Chronicle: Fall 2024

After kicking off the slow turn towards fall with Sr. Marie Louise’s birthday at the end of August, we set our sights on renewing our vows
on September 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This has been a tradition among Discalced Carmelites since St. Teresa began her
reform in the 1500s, as she looked to reestablish the traditions of the first hermits who gathered on Mount Carmel in the 1200s. This time of
renewal is always a special moment to recommit to our shared life of love and prayer for the Church and the world. It also prepares us for the veritable feast of Carmel that awaits us as we celebrate the Solemnities of St. Thérèse and St. Teresa in October and the feasts of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity and of all Carmelite Saints in November!

In addition to celebrating our Carmelite brothers and sisters who have gone before us, we also spent many a happy hour these months
with Carmelites who still walk among us. In September, we spent a marvelous week of fraternal sharing, recreation, and spiritual enrichment with our dear brother Fr. Iain Matthew, OCD, one of our favorite professors from the Teresianum courses we took a couple of years ago. Then, at the end of October, we shared a wonderful breakfast with our local vocation, Br. Vincent Thomas, OCD, who recently made his first profession of vows with the Friars of the Washington Province and had many a delightful story to share about his experiences in the novitiate.

Now we look forward in hope to the Jubilee Year that awaits us all in 2025. What a joy to be Pilgrims of Hope together!