Novena

“ But yet, whilst it shall please the divine providence to preserve my life, I beseech thee, my loving protector and affectionate father, to obtain for me of his divine majesty, that I may live as one that is to die, and as I would wish to have lived at the hour of my death; ever imitating thy virtues, and fulfilling the most holy will of God, that so my temporal death may be to me a passage into life everlasting. I also beseech thee to obtain for me that which I ask in this Novena, if it be for the glory of God and for the good of my soul. ”

“ THE soul must be in the state of grace; for the devotion of a sinful heart pleases neither God nor the saints.
2. We must persevere, that is, the prayers for each day of the novena must never be omitted.
3. If possible, we should visit a church every day, and there implore the favor we desire.
4. Every day we ought to perform certain specified acts of exterior self-denial and interior mortification, in order to prepare us thereby for the reception of grace.
5. It is most important that we receive holy communion when making a novena. Therefore prepare yourself well for it. ”

“ Remember, thou wert miraculously preserved from even the shadow of sin, because thou wert destined to become not only the Mother of God, but also the mother, the refuge, and the advocate of man; penetrated, therefore, with the most lively confidence in thy never-failing intercession, we most humbly implore thee to look with favor upon the intentions of this novena, and to obtain for us the graces and the favors we request. Thou knowest, O Mary, how often our hearts are the sanctuaries of God, Who abhors iniquity. ”

“ In the various tribulations of life, in great afflictions, dangers and temptations, when we require special assistance from God, an almost certain means to obtain it is to make a Novena in honour of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. How many souls have been heard by God, by having had recourse to the Most Holy Virgin through a Novena!
The Children of Mary apply themselves with special devotion and fervent piety to the celebration of her festivals, and, in return, the Blessed Virgin obtains for them an abundance of heavenly blessings. ”

“ At length, she yielded to her desires, saying she felt fully persuaded that this novena would ensure her recovery through the Blessed Virgin's intercession, and her confidence was not misplaced. The curé immediately began the novena, engaging in it the sodality of the Holy Family. Whilst at Mass on the morning of the last day, the 17th of Mary's month, the patient was seized with the most violent attack possible, the worst she had ever had, although during the novena, the paroxysms had increased in intensity. Suddenly it ceases. A number of persons begin to pray and recite the chaplet ”

“ We will that those who are legitimately prevented from attending the novena, or who are in places where the devotions cannot, in the judgment of the ordinary, be conveniently carried out in church, shall equally enjoy the same benefits, provided they make the novena pri- vately and observe the other conditions. ”

“ Next day, the first Wednesday in the month, she commenced by Holy Communion a novena to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and [107] Mary. Twenty times, day and night, did she press to her lips the precious medal hung around her neck. For several days of the novena, our Lord severely tried her faith anew. Her sufferings increased greatly, likewise her fervor and confidence, and soon the most blessed results were the recompense of this poor woman's prayers. ”

“ In all parts of the earth, at this moment, that holy, innocent, undented oblation is presented to Thee, which must always ascend before Thee as an odor of sweetness. Oh, permit us, then, to unite an unreserved oblation of our whole being, and a fervent renewal of our vows, to the first oblation which Jesus offered in the Temple, and also to all the Masses now going on throughout the world. We most humbly beg of Thee to accept this Victim, infinitely greater than any favors we could ask, as a powerful motive for granting us the intentions of this novena. ”

“ O most pure Virgin, conceived without sin, and from that very first instant entirely beautiful and without spot, O glorious Mary, full of grace, and Mother of my God, Queen of angels and of men, I humbly worship thee as Mother of my Saviour. Inasmuch as God has taught me by the esteem He has for thee, and by His respect and submission towards thee, what honors and homage I ought to render thee, deign, I beseech thee, to accept this novena which I consecrate to thee. ”

“ The poor patient, as well as ourselves, must submit to the decrees of Him who strikes and heals at will. At the end of fifteen days I was inspired with the thought of making a novena in honor of the Immaculate Conception, the medal of which, called the miraculous, we all wear. On the fourth day of the novena, as we were about to recite the prayers around her bed, the good Mother desired Holy Communion. ”

“ The sole exercises consisted of repeating, three times a day, the invocation: 'O Mary! conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!' On Wednesday, April 24th, the second or third day of the novena, she felt an irresistible desire to arise. It was yet very early in the morning; a little child assisted her to dress. Finding that her limbs support her, she begins to think it must [153] be something miraculous, and, filled with joy, she wishes to announce the news to her mother, who is in an adjoining room. ”

“ However, the feeling became so strong that I thought it my duty to consider it prayerfully next morning; and not to oppose so good an impulse, I determined to make a novena, and I commenced it on the 16th. From that moment my confidence was boundless, and like a child who reasons no longer, but sees only what he feels sure of obtaining, it sustained me amidst the new trials to which I was subjected; for on the 19th, and several days after, my sufferings were redoubled, affecting at once both stomach and chest. ”

“ Those who have the Holy Spirit produce nothing bad; all the fruits of the Holy Spirit are good. Without the Holy Spirit all is cold; therefore, when we feel we are losing our fervour, we must instantly make a novena to the Holy Spirit to ask for faith and love. ”

“ She determined at once to make a Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes to obtain the cure of Ernest's eyes. She procured [pg 809] some of the celebrated miraculous water, and sent it to Ernest, telling him that on a certain day she would commence the Novena, requesting him to apply the water to his eyes each day, and say the prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes contained in the little book recently published. The account of the apparition greatly interested Ernest, and, though not yet a Catholic, he did not hesitate to comply with both of Edith's requests. ”

“ Novena for Christmas.
1.O GOD and Saviour of our souls, sweet Infant Jesus, Whom the angels and shepherds adored in the stable of Bethlehem on that holy night when Thou wert born of the Virgin Mary, we offer Thee our profound adoration and our most earnest thanksgiving for having become man for our redemption and salvation; grant that we may apply all our powers to fulfil Thy gracious designs, that we may become perfectly renewed in heart and inflamed with Thy holy love. ”

“ He had been in this infirm condition six years, when his sister informed him of a remarkable cure just wrought at the Ursuline Convent, Quebec, where she was herself a lay Sister, advising him also to apply for relief to their Benefactress, the Mother of the Incarnation. A first Novena not having produced any sensible improvement, the good religious sent him some of the water of the tomb, urging him to make a second Novena, and to endeavour to approach the Holy Communion at its conclusion. ”

“ Convinced that those things which are impossible to human means are infinitely easy to thee, and relying with an humble, steadfast faith on the sacred words of truth itself, that whatever we ask the Father in the name of Jesus should be granted, I now most humbly implore, in that adorable name, in virtue of that promise, and through the abundant mercies of the sacred heart of Jesus, the particular favor I petition for in this Novena. ”

“ He receives the Viaticum and Extreme Unction, makes his profession as on death-bed, becomes insensible, and is given an hour to live by the doctors. The religious commence a novena, in which they are joined by the people, for his recovery. ”

“ For making a novena in honor of St. Joseph, an indulgence of 300 days, -on each day, and a plenary indulgence during the novena or on any one of the eight days following it. — Pius IX., Nov. 28, 1876.
AN OFFERING TO ST. JOSEPH.
GREAT St. Joseph, thou generous depositary and dispenser of immortal riches, behold us prostrate at thy feet, conjuring thee to receive us as thy servants and as thy children. Next to the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary, of which thou art the faithful copy, we acknowledge that there is no heart more tender, more compassionate, than thine. ”

“ The Novena to the Virgin of the Rosary begins with an enumeration of the Fifteen Promises of the Virgin to the devotees of the Rosary. In the first she promises to grant whatever special grace is asked of her. He who prays the rosary will be converted if he is a sinner, and in any event will be admitted to life eternal. “All that is asked of her will be secured quickly” (p. 4) .
The list of miracles performed by the image of the Virgin of the Rosary is endless and occupies all the pages from 37 to 90 of the Novena. ”

“ Francis, that we may obtain the graces and favors we ask for in this novena; pray for us, especially, that we may obtain the grace of perseverance; of a holy death and a happy eternity. Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory, five times. ”

“ Novena to the Sacred Heart.
FOR THE FIRST FRIDAY IN EACH MONTH.
[This Novena must be commenced so as to end on the eve of the first Friday of the month. Each person should specify some particular intention.] ”

“ Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.
Ninth Day
COME, O Holy Comforter, and grant us a relish for heavenly things. Produce in our souls the flowers and fruits of virtue, so that, being filled with all sweetness and joy in the pursuit of good, we may attain unto eternal blessedness. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, etc.
(For making the novena to the Holy Ghost at Pentecost there is an indulgence of 7 years and 7 quarantines each day; at other times, of 300 days each day. — Pius IX. Nov. 26, 1876.) ”

“ The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, Who is given to us " (Rom. V. 5) . In this novena, therefore, we must consider, above all, the great value of divine love, in order that we may desire to obtain it, and endeavor, by devout exercises, and especially by prayer, to be made partakers of it, since God has promised it to him who asks for it with humility: "Your Father from heaven I will give the good Spirit to them that ask Him" (Luke xi. 13) . ”

“ The Father arose, instantly cured. So well has the saint kept this promise, that this devotion in his honor became universally known as the Novena of Grace. Its efficacy is not restricted to the dates mentioned. It may be made very appropriately in preparation for the feast of St. Francis Xavier, viz., the 3d of December. Though any prayers may be said in honor of the saint, the following are generally recommended.
Prayer to St. ”

“ Philomena," who never failed him in his hour of need, heard many plaints from him in which he charged her with working the marvels that were effected through his ministry. Such was the humility of the "wonder-worker" of our own age.
The gift of a medal of St. Philomena was often the preliminary manifestation of miraculous power. This gift was followed by a request that a novena be made to the saint, Father Vianney promising to pray also. The result was frequently the desired miracle, which was in reality the outcome of the curé's powerful pleading with God. ”

“ I am already fully in the darkness of terrible sin and do not know whether this darkness has come for all, or whether I alone am punished with blindness.
“If Thou wilt save me, God of Nina, then I pray to Thee, lighten up darkness and show me where my palace stands! I will accept the religion of Thy name, I will [65] erect and glorify the wooden cross, I will build a temple of prayer, following the teachings of Saint Nina, and become a true Christian.” ”

“ O Queen of heaven, rejoice, Alleluia; for He Whom thou wast meet to bear, Alleluia, hath risen, as He said, Alleluia; pray for us to God, Alleluia.
During Advent
Ant. The Holy Ghost shall come down upon thee, Mary; fear not, thou shalt hold within thy womb the Son of God, Alleluia.
From Christmas until Candlemas
Ant. A wondrous mystery is revealed to-day: marvels are wrought. God is made man; He still remaineth what He was, and hath taken upon Him what He was not, suffering neither confusion nor division.
Lord, have mercy on us. ”

“ On one of the walls he had undertaken to reproduce the apparition of the most Holy Virgin to Saint Nina. The latter was seen down on her knees stretching out her arms and receiving a holy cross made of fine vineyard branches. The fear, happiness, love to God and perfectly boundless submission to His holy will were expressed not only in the character features of the Saint, but in every movement, nay, in every fold of her garment. ”

“ There are women, also, whom we should call Nuns, who, though not residing in Waldubba, go at times thither, and live in a familiarity with these saints, that has very little favour of spirituality; and many of these, who think the living in community with this holy fraternity has not in it perfection enough to satisfy their devotion, retire, one of each sex, a hermit and a nun, sequestering themselves for months, to eat herbs together in private upon the top of the mountains. ”

“ Behold the men whom I have created, how they speak against me. Tell me what ye would that I should do to them, for verily I will not slay them till I have heard your words."
And Nun, the great god whose dwelling is in the waters of the sky, made answer, "My son Ra, greatest of gods, mightiest of kings, thy throne is set fast, and thy fear will be upon all the world when thou sendest out thy daughter, the apple of thine eye, against those who attack thee." ”