Items of Interest
AARON NEVILLE, SINGER, PAYS TRIBUTE TO ST. JUDE
People from all walks of life find inspiration through participation in our St. Jude Solemn Novena. This includes Aaron Neville, the Grammy Award-winning singer ("Don't Know Much," duet with Linda Ronstadt), who grew up in the Calliope Housing Project in New Orleans where the International Shrine of St. Jude is located. In an interview in "The Catholic Digest" he admits to using drugs and spending time in prison for car theft during a low period in his life. He went from having a hit record in the 1960's (Tell It Like It Is) to unloading freight on the docks in the 1970's in order to support his wife and kids. It was time when his marriage was falling apart. (He and his wife have since reunited,) He credits his survival to God and his Catholic faith. "One day I remembered my mother telling me about St. Jude, and I started going whenever I heard they were having a St Jude novena," he recalls. He now dedicates each of his albums to the saint of hopeless causes, and one of the earrings he wears in a St. Jude medal.
NOVENA PREACHER RECEIVES HEART'S DESIRE
THROUGH INTERCESSION OF ST. JUDE
Fr. Tony Ricard was still a parochial vicar when he
preached the Spring of '98 Solemn Novena to St. Jude. He had been invited to preach
previous novenas but he had not joined in the novena prayers for the full nine days.
"This time I really wanted a special favor from the Lord", he said, "and so
I decided not just to preach the novena but to pray the novena".
The special favor he was asking was a call to the pastorate. Our Lady Star of the Sea, a
parish in a transitional neighborhood in New Orleans, lacked a pastor. Fr. Tony submitted
his name and waited for the call. In the meantime he preached the St. Jude novena
praying, "Lord, if it be your will, give me an opportunity to serve the people
at Our Lady Star of the Sea. Day by day, Fr. Tony spoke, "In Praise of Our
Ancestors", the theme of the novena. Each day he placed his heart's desire before the
Lord and called upon the intercession of St. Jude.
Shortly after the novena was over, a new pastor was named and it was not Fr. Tony.
Disappointed, he accepted God's will knowing that such acceptance is a sign of God's
favor. How surprised he was when four months later the new pastor of Our Lady Star of the
Sea was transferred and Fr. Tony was asked to take his place.
Fr. Tony has accepted an invitation to return to St. Jude Shrine and preach the Spring
novena of 2000. He will do so with one more reason to honor the "Saint of the
Miracles".
PUBLIC ROSARY DEVOTION RESTORED DURING NOVENA
In his letter on Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Paul VI encouraged a renewal in praying the rosary. He also taught that the devout recitation of the rosary can be an excellent preparation for the celebration of Mass and a "continuing echo thereof. In response to this encouragement we now include the rosary in our St. Jude devotion. The 6:30 P.M. congregation will pray the rosary in various ways Monday through Friday prior to the novena talk at 7:00 P.M. Through the rosary and the novena prayers we invoke both our powerful patrons on behalf of those in need.
BUS AND TAXI ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN CONTINUES
In order to draw the public's attention to St. Jude, the shrine is sponsoring an advertising campaign using the buses and taxis that travel about the city. One exterior bus card reads: "A candle, a prayer, a blessing. Dial 524-JUDE". Inside the bus a rider may read "Stop in and say a special prayer today", on a poster with a picture of the church. Many taxis carry the sign, "Take Time Out to Pray". 524-JUDE is a phone line that gives an inspirational message as well as information about the shrine and novena services. These media efforts are supported in part by the sale of special jubilee candles available from the gift shop.
