NORTH PLATTE (SNR) – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Patrick and Holy Spirit parishes in North Platte worked together to host more than 100 people at two May 6 retreats with the Seven Sisters Apostolate.
Eighty-three attended the day retreat at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church and 20 attended the evening retreat.
Participants traveled from Scottsbluff, Spalding, McCook, Hyannis and local towns to hear guest speaker Janette Howe from St Paul, Minn., foundress of the Seven Sisters Apostolate.
Howe’s presentation was titled “Real Women Wear Armor” as she related the Bible verse “putting on the armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-18). She compared historical solider equipment to prayer and described St Joan of Arc as a model in present-day life for “soldiers of Christ.”
She also explained how members of the Seven Sisters Apostolate, across six continents, 23 countries and all 50 United States, help the Catholic Church. Seven Sisters groups help strengthen the Church by ensuring that a holy hour is prayed each day of the week for the sole intention of a specific priest or bishop, to strengthen and to sanctify the priests. There are more than 2,000 organized groups with seven women in each group praying one holy hour per week for the assigned priest/bishop.
The agenda for the day retreat included a continental breakfast and scriptural rosary. Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt of Grand Island, Father Mark Seiker, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and Father Josh Brown, pastor of St. Patrick. North Platte stretches across both sides of the Platte River, the dividing line between the dioceses of Lincoln and Grand Island. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is part of the Lincoln Diocese, and St. Patrick and Holy Spirit parishes are part of the Grand Island Diocese.
Howe gave two retreat talks and the day session ended with singing the Divine Mercy Chaplet led by members of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish. The evening retreat was an abbreviated version of the program.
The Seven Sisters Apostolate has been active in the Diocese of Lincoln since 2017.
When a Seven Sisters group is formed in a parish, the initial recipient should be the parish pastor. After the pastor has a committed group, subsequent groups may be formed for others, such as the assistant pastor, a retired priest, a priest serving in a particular non-parish assignment, or a bishop.
The group’s intention is directed toward the priest’s office more than the individual, so the group prays for the priest until he is reassigned, at which time his successor becomes the recipient of the prayers.
Each member commits to a holy hour on a specific day of the week, at any time on that day. Ideally, the holy hour is prayed in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament – either in an adoration chapel or in front of a tabernacle – but it is not restricted to the parish of which the Seven Sister is a member.
The commitment of one hour per week of prayer is for a period of one year, but can remain open-ended, as each individual discerns her call to continue year after year.
To inquire about starting a Seven Sisters group, contact the diocesan coordinator Rhonda Litt by texting or calling 402-525-6396, or by emailing her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
