
CV NEWS FEED // All Catholics share in the wonderful gift of the communion of saints. Our friends here on earth as well as our heavenly intercessors are ready to bring our many needs and petitions before God. One of the ways we can engage their assistance is by praying a novena.
What is a novena?
The word “novena” comes from the Latin word for “nine,” and it is a prayer said over nine days. During this time, we ask Our Blessed Mother or one of the saints for a specific intention.
How long have Catholics been saying novenas?
The first novena actually predates the Church itself. After Our Lord’s ascension into heaven, the apostles and Our Lady prayed together for nine days in the upper room. On the ninth day, the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, the birthday of the Church.
Since then, the practice of devoting nine days of prayer for a particular cause or in honor of a particular saint has been embraced by Catholics throughout the world.
For more on the Catholic tradition of asking angels and saints to pray for us, see this great article from Ascension Press.
Why pray a novena?
We need to practice both faith and works to live a good life and make it through the trials of each day. To paraphrase St. Augustine, we should work as if everything depends on us, and pray as if everything depends on God.
Praying a novena is a helpful form of devotion because it allows us to focus on praying for a particular attention during a set amount of time. There are novenas dedicated to praying for all sorts of causes and in honor of numerous saints.
Join CatholicVote’s Novena to Defend the Family!
CatholicVote will be praying a Novena in Defense of the Family beginning on May 22, leading up to the feast of the Visitation on May 31.
Attacks on the family have escalated dramatically in a few short years. The sanctity and very nature of marriage and humanity are being undermined by the promotion of lifestyles and “gender identities” that destroy lives, happiness, and innocence.
Some demons “can only be driven out by prayer and fasting,” (Mark 9:29) and that’s why CatholicVote is asking for Our Lady’s intercession to do battle for us, our families, and our children.
During the month of June, CatholicVote will once again mobilize parents and communities to protect their children from pornographic books and media displayed in our libraries in the name of “gender identity.” Our good works must be accompanied by prayer, so join us in this novena as we prepare to fight for the foundation of society.
