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Darlene
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 868 |
| First Name: | Darlene | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Christian, trusting His love and forgiveness |
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Posted: Tue Feb 20th, 2007 06:40 pm |
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Hello Again,
I have heard Catholics speak about praying a novena for a particular concern. Can someone please enlighten me on what this is, and how one should go about praying a novena? Thanks.
Darlene
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. II Corinthians 13:14
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5353 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Tue Feb 20th, 2007 09:31 pm |
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Darlene wrote: I have heard Catholics speak about praying a novena for a particular concern. Can someone please enlighten me on what this is, and how one should go about praying a novena? Thanks
St. Jerome tells us that the number nine is indicative of suffering and grief, so a novena is traditionally a set of prayers said over nine days. It may have originated with the Greeks and Romans' practice of mourning for nine days, which may have been practiced by Roman Christians and recorded in the catacombs. Historical information on novenas is available at New Advent.
A novena is a private prayer; it is not part of the Church's public liturgy. Still, any Catholic religious store will have dozens of novena booklets to various saints and various manifestations of Mary and Jesus. A novena to the Holy Spirit is also appropriate on the days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost, as are other novenas in preparation for major feasts or for the feasts of saints.
Novenas can be formal or simple. You can simply pray a rosary in honor of a saint each day, mentioning your request or intention, or say an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. Or you can attend daily mass for nine days. Or you can buy one of the booklets and follow it daily. The number nine is not magic but linked to tradition. There is no harm to a 10-day novena. Some even specify five or seven days of prayers.
EWTN has several novenas available online. Search the document library for Novenas.
St. Charles Borromeo in Picayune, MS, has several novenas available. Scroll down to "Prayers" on the left side navigation button.
There are many other sources as well. In my area, novenas to St. Jude and Our Lady of Perpetual Help are particularly popular.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2101 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Tue Feb 20th, 2007 10:29 pm |
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It may have originated with the Greeks and Romans' practice of mourning for nine days, which may have been practiced by Roman Christians and recorded in the catacombs.
The explanation I have heard is that it is in imitation of the nine days of prayer offered by the original Christians in the upper room between the day of Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost day.
David
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