How to Pray a Novena

A novena is a set of prayers repeated for nine consecutive days, usually with a particular intention in mind. Novenas take many forms. Some are prayed directly to God while others seek the intercession of saints or express a Catholic devotion. Novenas are often prayed leading up to a special occasions such as Divine Mercy Sunday.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Choose a novena text. Some feast days have novena prayers that go along with them. If you have a particular intention, look for a patron saint. For example, St. Joseph is the patron saint of workers. Choose one of his novenas if you are praying for employment. If there is no obvious choice, a novena of the Blessed Virgin Mary works for most intentions.
2. Specify your intention. The more specific you are, the clearer the Lord's response. Plus, if you know exactly what you are asking for, it's easier to see God's answer in your life.
3. Ask someone to say it with you. You don't have to pray at the same time in the same place. Your prayer partner can help you to remember and will strengthen your prayers.
4. Pray the novena each day for nine days, stating your intention each time. Update your intention if there are any changes.
5. Thank God for hearing your prayers. Remember that God does not answer every prayer, but He always listens. If He does not respond directly, He may have something better planned for you.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are praying a novena as a group, chanting it can increase the intensity of your prayer.