This evening we start the Novena of Grace in honour of St. Francis Xavier. We celebrate it on the Sunday to Sunday around the 12 March. It usually is well into Lent, but with the late Easter this year, Lent will start in the middle of it, as Ash Wednesday is this coming Wednesday.  Last year a number of the Jesuit scholastics who live within the parish gave homilies throughout the Novena.  It was so appreciated that they once again have been invited to preach at the novena masses this year.  They will preach at most of the Sunday mass this week and next week.  In addition they will preach at the 10 am and evening masses throughout the week.  It is a special moment for these young men who are approaching ordination to the priesthood to preach to us.  Many of them are doing so where English is not their native tongue.  I know you will welcome them generously.

The prayer of the Novena is as follows:

Lord God, our Father, we honour the memory of the Apostle of the East, St. Francis Xavier.  The remembrance of the favours with which you blessed him during life, and his glory after death, fills us with joy, and we unite with him in offering to you our sincere tribute of thanksgiving and grace.

We ask you to grant to us, through his powerful intercession, the inestimable blessings of living and dying in the state of grace.  We also ask you to grant us the favours we seek in this Novena.

(Pause for personal petitions)

But if what we ask is not for the glory of God and the good of our souls, grant us we pray, what is more conducive to both.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen

Then say: Our Father.  Hail Mary.  Glory Be

If you seek some information on this Novena of Grace in Honour of St. Francis Xavier go this

Wikipedia article.