How to pray a novena

A novena is a traditional Catholic prayer where our Lord is asked to answer a specific need or prayer request over a period of nine days. It is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. This period of nine days is based on the nine days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pentecost when the disciples gathered in the upper room and devoted themselves to prayer. This is often considered to be the first novena. A novena can be a spiritually enriching prayer experience and is commonly used within the Catholic Church. 

Starting to pray a novena

There are a few essential guidelines to keep in mind while praying a novena but there is no single correct form or right way to pray a novena.

1. Choose a novena

Novenas can be tailored to your specific prayer request or you can pray a novena on its traditional prayer dates or saints feast days.

2. Pray once per day with the intention

Once per day the novena prayer is said asking God for your particular intention. Usually, a novena will have either one set prayer for each day or it will have a standard introductory or concluding prayer which includes a daily prayer that varies from day-to-day.

3. Meditate on the prayer

A beneficial practice used by all the saints is to meditate on some truth of the Faith at least once per day for five to fifteen minutes. Meditation in this sense is not magical and is not based on eastern mysticism. Instead, you simply raise your heart and mind to God and contemplate some truth of Catholicism.

Novenas are a wonderful way to grow closer to God in your faith. We are blessed in the Catholic Church to have access to the communion of saints, a part of God’s family. We are reminded we are not alone and that we can help each other through prayer to God.

Pray novenas to experience God's bountiful blessings…!