July 11 begins the Summer Novena in Honor of Saint Thorlák, prayed during the nine days leading up to his summer feast day of July 20. As we do for St. Thorlák’s feast in December, we are again offering our novena prayers as a spiritual bouquet to the Diocese of Reykjavik, and encouraging everyone to join voices to our prayer.

INTENTIONS EACH DAY OF ST. THORLAK NOVENA

For the parishioners and clergy of…

Day 1 Parish of the Holy Cross, Selfoss (July 11)
Day 2 St. Joseph Parish and the Discalced Carmelites, Hafnarfjörður (July 12)
Day 3 St. John Paul II Parish, Keflavík (July 13)
Day 4 St. Mary Parish, Reykjavík; and for the Lay Missionaries of Charity there (July 14)
Day 5 St. Thorlák Parish: St. Thorlák Church, Reyðarfjörður; Corpus Christi Chapel, Egilsstaðir; Holy Family & St. John Vianney Church, Höfn (July 15)
Day 6 St. Peter’s Parish, Akureyri, and the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus there (July 16)
Day 7 St. John the Evangelist Parish, Ísafjörður (Westfjörds). (July 17)
Day 8 St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Stykkishólmur, including Borgarnes, Akranes, Ólafsvík, and Grundarfjörður (July 18)

Day 9 Christ the King Parish, Reykjavik, and for the Missionaries of Charity and the Missionary Sisters of Christ the King there. We pray today especially for the intentions of Bishop David Tencer, and for all clergy and religious in Iceland; and for blessings upon all souls harbored in St. Thorlak’s homeland, that they may know the love of God and the Peace of Christ (July 19)

JULY 20 = FEAST OF SAINT THORLAK

This bouquet reflects the prayer on a regular basis throughout the year by the Domestic Prayer Missionaries of Saint Thorlák, a volunteer corps of missionaries-in-place whose work is to pray from where we are, in our current circumstances, in our present states of body and mind. We are “domestic,” meaning, staying in place; we pray from wherever we are able to be, transforming “everywhere” into one, common household, one family of God: “Domestic” Missionaries of St. Thorlák do our work from within the “home” of God’s Household. Thus, the domestic form of missionary work differs from that of missionaries who leave home to do their work elsewhere, publicly.

The Domestic Prayer Missionaries’ focus is prayer in any way we are capable, including all forms of communication: fully spoken, low speaking, variably spoken and non-speaking. Our prayer takes the form of however we best express our hearts and intentions to God, in the place best suited to our abilities: at home, in chapel, outdoors; standing, kneeling, sitting, walking; wherever we connect fully with God at any given moment. Many Domestic Missionaries spend their time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, but others may pray better in motion. Some “practice the presence of God” throughout the day, offering as we go, and some simply focus on the breath in prayer (e.g., breathe in “My Jesus,” breathe out “Mercy”) to create a “chapel of the heart” wherever we happen to be. Domestic Missionary prayer deliberately minimizes physical and social demands to keep our efforts focused on prayer. We draw special inspiration from the ways of Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, whose Practice of the Presence of God is an excellent model for anyone, in any state of ability or disability, to offer prayers efficaciously and sincerely alongside those called to more conventional and active forms of missionary work.

Please join us, and share with others who would be glad to pray with us for the Bishop and Diocese of Reykjavik! Novena prayers are free to download, print, and share from the Autism Consecrated website. An audio format of the novena may be found here.