The Holy Father now in the Czech Republic

The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has arrived in the Czech Republic. He will be touring the country for 3 days. While there, he will see the Infant of Prague at the Church of Our Lady of Victory.

EWTN will have coverage of his trip from 10 AM to 12 PM CST and 5:30 PM to 7 PM today. Tomorrow, it will have coverage from 11 AM to 2:30 PM. Monday, it will have coverage of the final mass at 4 PM to 6 PM. EWTN is found on channel 35 on Charter Cable in Opelousas.

The photo above is of the Infant of Prague in his new raiments for the Pope's visit. At St. Landry Catholic Church, we have a statue of the Infant of Prague. It sits in the southeast corner of the church either next to St. John Vianney or the Blessed Mother. To see the statue in St. Landry Catholic Church, see the bottom of this posting.

Infant of Prague Novena Prayer

O Jesus, Who has said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened," through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.

(Make your request)

O Jesus, Who has said, "All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you," through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask your Father in your name that my prayer will be granted.

(Make your request)

O Jesus, Who has said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass away," through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.

(Make your request)

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Divine Infant Jesus, I know You love me and would never leave me. I thank You for Your close Presence in my life.

Miraculous Infant, I believe in Your promise of peace, blessings, and freedom from want. I place every need and care in Your hands.

Lord Jesus, may I always trust in Your generous mercy and love. I want to honor and praise You, now and forever. Amen.

The Holy Father will celebrate mass on Monday for the Feast of St. Wenceslas, patron saint of the Czechs and martyr. King Wenceslas helped to depose an anti Christian regime and is credited with bringing Christianity to the Czech people. The mass will be celebrated in Stara Boleslav, where Wenceslas was murdered by a brother who was sympathetic to anti Christian forces. September 28 in the Czech Republic is a national day of pilgrimage to Stara Boleslav.

Many of us know of St. Wenceslas from the carol.

Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath'ring winter fuel.
"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."
"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;
Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.
"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."
In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.