As August winds down, countless staff, students, parents and guardians are preparing for the return of students to school. After the abrupt shut down in March, it has been months since students were in their classrooms. In these next weeks as final preparations continue, Bishop Crosby has invited us all to join in a Novena for a safe return. 

This Novena begins Monday, August 31 and finishes on the first day of school for students: September 8.

From the Novena's introduction:

On [these] 9 days of prayer, we will join together – parishes and schools, staff and students, parents and grandparents, parishioners and community members and we will pray for the protection of all, for the peace of all, for the wisdom and courage for us all.

Our Novena will come to completion on the first day of school – September 8^th, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Bishops of Canada have dedicated our nation to Mary and have placed us under her loving protection as she brings our cares and concerns to her Son. The Diocese of Hamilton, including every one of our six English speaking and our one French speaking school boards, rests under the protection of our Lady of the Annunciation. Like Mary, let us ponder all God has done for us, let us be filled with the Holy Spirit, and let us always turn to her Son who died to save us and is even now at our side, strengthening us.

The full Novena is available as a PDF from the Diocese:  https://hamiltondiocese.com/uploads/docs/News/NovenaInPreparation_2020-2021.pdf