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October 4, 2019Speaker Spotlight: Janette Howe
The ministry of the Seven Sisters Apostolate fosters the obligation of all of us to pray for priests. Its’ mission is simple—one holy hour, one priest, each week, one heart in prayer. Essentially, seven women spend one hour on a specified day each week in prayer for a priest.
The idea came to Janette Howe, foundress and coordinator, as she felt a desire to pray more frequently for her pastor at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Minn. back in 2010. Her son was also in the seminary at the time and her pastor was generous in his guidance and support for her son. This was a small way to repay him for his pastoral care.
In the spring of 2011, while in prayer, Janette “heard” the words seven sisters in her heart. Thinking, at first, that what she heard was referring to the Chaplet of the Seven Sorrows, she heard it again.
She prayed and waited for more insight. After some time, she sensed that God was calling her to invite six others to offer a holy hour once a day for her pastor. It soon became clear to her that prayer during this holy hour should be directed to two things—it should be only for the pastor and it should ask for the priest’s deepening devotion to our Blessed Mother.
That’s how the Seven Sisters Apostolate unfolded and has now expanded to praying for more than 250 priests from around the world having reached as far as Australia. Within our diocese, there’s a group of women in Minot who have all the priests there covered in prayer. Janette is hoping a wave of prayer can cross the diocese.
“God is orchestrating something here, and it’s speaking to women right now,” Janette explained humbly. “The work is His.”
Presentation at Thirst Conference
Howe will be in Bismarck for the Thirst Conference on Oct. 25-27 to offer two breakout sessions to those interested in finding out more about the Seven Sisters Apostolate.
Her first session is titled “Why do we pray for priests?” Janette will explain the obligation of all of us to pray for priests.
“It’s not a favor we do for priests by leaving Mass and casually saying, ‘Hey, father, I’m praying for you,’” Janette explained. “It’s a privilege. I want people to come away from the talk realizing that and seeing the depth of the call to pray for priests.”
Why sisters? Many people ask why men aren’t invited to join the apostolate. While there’s no question that men’s prayers are just as valuable, but the apostolate remains true to the original inspiration for seven women—Seven Sisters.
And, during her second talk, Janette will convey the model given to us by one of the most important women in Jesus’ earthly life—Mary Magdalene—along with examples of great saints.
In this second address to the Thirst audience, Janette will talk about more practical matters in dealing with obstacles and distractions in prayer. It’s about learning how to persevere in what we are called to do in prayer, especially during a holy hour which is new to most people, she explained.
“I use the example of Mary Magdalene, a true model of a woman who knows who she is and her role to lavish the Lord in all she is about,” Janette said. “Through her example and of the great saints, we start to feel small to the delight of anyone involved in deep prayer. We focus down on how we are but a drop in the ocean of prayer.”
Janette will be offer breakout sessions during the Thirst Conference on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 3:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 10:15 a.m.