Within the Church and its rich tradition are the various forms of prayer that we have the opportunity to participate in. One form of prayer is intercessory prayer, where we ask Jesus, Mary or a particular saint or a specific grace or favor for ourselves or for another person. A form of intercessory prayer is a Novena. The word Novena comes from the Latin word novem, meaning nine. Therefore a Novena is a nine-day period of prayer, usually to a particular saint in preparation for their feast day.
In the New Testament the example of a group gathering for prayer for a period of time is in the Acts of the Apostles where Mary the Mother of Jesus is gathered with the disciples after the ascension of Jesus seeking the presence of the Holy Spirit as a newly formed community. When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:13-14) Their gathering together in prayer lead to the great gift of Pentecost and the birth of the Church.
Within the Church and its rich tradition are the various forms of prayer that we have the opportunity to participate in. One form of prayer is intercessory prayer, where we ask Jesus, Mary or a particular saint or a specific grace or favor for ourselves or for another person. A form of intercessory prayer is a Novena. The word Novena comes from the Latin word novem, meaning nine. Therefore a Novena is a nine-day period of prayer, usually to a particular saint in preparation for their feast day.
In the New Testament the example of a group gathering for prayer for a period of time is in the Acts of the Apostles where Mary the Mother of Jesus is gathered with the disciples after the ascension of Jesus seeking the presence of the Holy Spirit as a newly formed community. When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. (Acts 1:13-14) Their gathering together in prayer lead to the great gift of Pentecost and the birth of the Church.
As the Church grew into a community of prayer, most especially gathering for the Eucharist, the church also saw groups forming for intercessory prayer as a vital aspect of its life and mission. This grew into many traditional forms of prayers by honoring Saints and Mary for a particular title or grace and these days of prayer usually happened at a particular time. Along with the Novena to the Holy Spirit nine days before Pentecost we also have the Novena to St. Anthony in June and the Novena to St. Jude in October. Praying a Novena means that we set aside nine says of special prayer and ask God for special graces and favors for our good and for the good of others.
In some shrines and churches there are also along with the nine day Novena a weekly Novena’s to a specific Saint or in memory of a specific title of the Mary the mother of Jesus. For instance many parish have a weekly Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal or Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
As the Church grew into a community of prayer, most especially gathering for the Eucharist, the church also saw groups forming for intercessory prayer as a vital aspect of its life and mission. This grew into many traditional forms of prayers by honoring Saints and Mary for a particular title or grace and these days of prayer usually happened at a particular time. Along with the Novena to the Holy Spirit nine days before Pentecost we also have the Novena to St. Anthony in June and the Novena to St. Jude in October. Praying a Novena means that we set aside nine says of special prayer and ask God for special graces and favors for our good and for the good of others.
In some shrines and churches there are also along with the nine day Novena a weekly Novena’s to a specific Saint or in memory of a specific title of the Mary the mother of Jesus. For instance many parish have a weekly Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal or Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
At St. Ann’s we have both the Solemn Novena to St. Ann every July 17th to July 26th and the weekly Novena to St. Ann and to the Passionists Saints every Monday. The Solemn Novena attracts thousands of people every July. It is for many people their annual retreat, their special time of prayer during the year. Each Monday many people also come and particulate in the weekly Novena. Along with the prayers to St. Ann and the Passionist Saint there is also a homily given by one of the Passionists on a specific theme relevant for the spiritual life of those making the Novena.
On this web site we have provided the prayers for the Monday Novena. We hope that you will join us each Monday in this great tradition. During July the prayers for the Solemn Novena will also be posted on the web page. May this form of intercessory prayer help to strengthen your faith and give you the peace of knowing that we truly have intercessors who make the journey of faith with us and lead us to a deeper sense of God’s will for us.
At St. Ann’s we have both the Solemn Novena to St. Ann every July 17th to July 26th and the weekly Novena to St. Ann and to the Passionists Saints every Monday. The Solemn Novena attracts thousands of people every July. It is for many people their annual retreat, their special time of prayer during the year. Each Monday many people also come and particulate in the weekly Novena. Along with the prayers to St. Ann and the Passionist Saint there is also a homily given by one of the Passionists on a specific theme relevant for the spiritual life of those making the Novena.
On this web site we have provided the prayers for the Monday Novena. We hope that you will join us each Monday in this great tradition. During July the prayers for the Solemn Novena will also be posted on the web page. May this form of intercessory prayer help to strengthen your faith and give you the peace of knowing that we truly have intercessors who make the journey of faith with us and lead us to a deeper sense of God’s will for us.
