I have prayed the St Andrew Christmas Novena for many years, including this year. I am also offering almost all my masses in December for the intentions of all my friends as my Christmas gift.

Today is the official beginning of the 9 days before Christmas. So in a special way my Novena of 9 masses begins today.

Last week I felt called to pray a Novena to our Lady of Czestochowa for a young lady who was in serious condition. The mother in law told me a story of how her son and daughter in law had a very serious diagnosis for their baby the womb. He prayed to his grandmother and he called his mother and said ‘I found a pinecone.’ Which she said ‘so, you are a groundkeeper.’ He said ‘I was digging and I found a pinecone in the ground with a rosary wrapped around it.’

The baby was born perfectly healthy. But it made me think of a chapel in the Shrine in DC where Mary is connected with pinecones. It is the chapel of Our Lady of Siluva. It is considered ‘Lithuania greatest treasure.’

The woman got better, and went home yesterday. Still has cancer but a healing took place.

Went to next room, and told them about the pinecone. They live on PineCone Ave. They tell me that daughter shared this story day before. There dog came into kitchen and brought in pinecone and dropped it on kitchen floor. So I added there names to the novena.

Thinking that when I see a pinecone called to add name to my Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa.

Tell couple have to see a pinecone. Next room see pinecone around clock in hospital. Add lady name. She is getting better.

So our Lady and the pinecone are showing me who to add to my Novena.