THE NOVENA

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 Contents
ORIGIN...............................................................................................................3
HOW TO PRAY THE NOVENA?...................................................................4
NOVENA FOR THE CAUSE OF LIFE...........................................................5

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 ORIGIN
 This Catholic prayer practice likely originated from the “first
novena” shared in the Acts of the Apostles. Before Jesus ascended
into Heaven, the disciples gathered together to ask him about the
restoration of Israel. Jesus said to them, “It is not for you to know
the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own
authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1: 7-8).

 So the disciples and Mary waited together, praying for the Holy
Spirit to guide them. Finally, nine days later, the Holy Spirit came
down on them. “When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they
were all in one place together” (Acts 2:1). When the disciples
prayed together for nine days for the coming of the Holy Spirit,
they modelled the novena prayer method that is so popular today


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 HOW TO PRAY THE NOVENA?
 The novena is prayed to obtain a special grace or intention. It’s
generally a petition that needs to be taken to God’s ears, for when
we need to trust that it’s being heard and to persevere in our
prayer, that’s why there are nine days of repetition.

Identify your intention.

 Before you commit to praying for nine days, take some time to
consider what your intention is for prayer and remember: asking
the Holy Spirit for guidance is never a bad idea!

Choose a novena.

 After you’ve taken some time to prepare yourself for prayer, select
a novena that matches your intention.

Dedicate nine days.

 Once you start a novena, dedicate time each day to being present
with God and pray it with Him. Sometimes staying on track is
difficult.

Embrace the novena.

 When you set out on this prayer journey, try to embrace it each
day fully. Each day might look a little different for you, but try to
accompany your time in prayer with other acts of faith.

Be patient.

 Remember, novenas aren’t magic. If you come to the end of your

novena and your prayers appear to be unanswered, know that
God hears your prayers and loves you. And often, our prayers are
not answered in the way we hoped. Ask for God’s help in trusting
in Him and in desiring that His will be done. 

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NOVENA FOR THE CAUSE OF LIFE