The Gift of Prayer

Stained glass Nativity

Dear Friend of St. Jude,

At Christmas when I look at a beautiful Nativity scene, my heart is filled with love for the Holy Family. I am reminded how our Savior came to us, born into a world of poverty, oppression and injustice, and how Mary and Joseph were homeless, cold, hungry and in search of a place to lay their heads.  

Thank you for remembering and honoring our Holy Family’s union with the poorest of the poor among us…and for helping our Pallottine priests and brothers bring the love of Christ to those in desperate need.    

At this special time of year, we honor the poor Child of Bethlehem with prayer, and especially prayer for others. I invite you to give the gift of prayer to someone you may know who needs the power of prayer in their life. Perhaps a relative is battling an addiction…a child is going through a difficult time…or a dear friend is fighting a serious illness.   

We will be honored to call upon St. Jude’s powerful intercession for those in your life who need help and hope. All you need to do is visit our website and send me your prayer intentions. Your petitions will be lovingly remembered in prayer during our novenas and Masses throughout the Christmas season.  

I urge you to share this wonderful gift with those you love today. As you remember those you care about, may I also ask you to join in our miraculous work – and grow in holiness as you draw closer to God – by supporting our ministry with a Christmas offering.   

Inspired by St. Jude, we Pallottines bring the message of hope to people who are struggling around the world. From delivering food and spiritual care to people in isolated villages of the Andes Mountains…to providing an education to orphans in Sudan…to providing shelter and emergency relief to refugees in Nigeria, our priests and brothers work on the front lines, caring for the poorest of the poor.   

Your gift today will help us bring food to feed hungry families, medicine to save lives, clean drinking water to keep children from dying from water borne diseases – all with an abundant measure of God’s love.   

This Christmas, I invite you to take time to deepen your relationship with Christ and renew your faith. Allow your love of family and friends to lift your spirit during this season of joy.

Please know that we are deeply grateful for all you do. Thanks to your prayers, sacrifices and financial support, we Pallottines do the work God has called us to do. Through our ministries, we reach so many people who do not know the love of our Savior. Our hope is that everyone will eperience the richness of God’s everlasting love.

May you and your loved ones enjoy a most blessed Christmas!

Wishing you the hope of our Newborn King,

Fr. Peter Sticco, S.A.C.
Novena Director

P.S. This Christmas, please give the most precious gift of prayer. Send your prayer requests, including your own needs and intentions, on our website so we may pray for you and those you love. I will make sure your prayer requests are remembered in the prayers and Masses at our Shrine and in daily Mass that is celebrated on St. Jude’s tomb in the Vatican.  

About Fr. Peter Sticco

Fr. Peter Sticco, S.A.C. is the Novena Director of the St. Jude Shrine in Baltimore, MD.