Deepen your prayer life — Novena

Beginning on St. Andrew's feast day, November 30, the following prayer is recited 15 times a day until Christmas Eve. This prayer helps us focus and meditate on the true meaning of Christmas, and prepares our hearts for His coming. St Andrew Novena:Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was bornof the most pure Virgin Mary,at midnight, in Bethlehem,in the piercing cold.In that hour vouchsafe, O my God,to hear my prayers and grant my desires,(mention your intentions).Through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ,And of His blessed Mother.Amen. St Andrew Christmas chaplets can...

Are you ever faced with an emergency and don't have time to pray a nine day novena? When Mother Teresa was facing an emergency situation she would pray an 'Emergency Novena' - nine Memorares in petition, then a tenth in thanksgiving. This is also known as an Express, or Flying novena. Like the rosary, you can use your fingers to count the prayers, but it is so much nicer using a chaplet. Memorare:Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession, was left unaided....

After I was newly confirmed into the Catholic church, I started to learn who the saints were and how they could be a part of our lives.  Not long after, when I was pregnant with our fifth child, I learned about St Jude, patron saint of hopeless and desperate cases. It was getting close to my due date, and our toddler was having some terribly sleepless nights.  I was exhausted, and worried how I would cope with a new baby. So in desperation, I began a novena to St Jude. And the results shocked me! Our toddler, who hadn't yet...