Is creating a novena allowed?

[mizcap129]

I have been feeling drawn to begin practicing my faith more (ok, to be totally truthful, any practice by me of my faith would be more than what I’m currently doing now ), and my conscience is telling me that due to the circumstances in my life that are giving me the most problems, I may want to try a novena or two.

I know of many novenas, but is there an online database of sorts to find out if there is a novena that would apply to my particular situations? And, if not, is it ok for me to make something up on my own, providing that it’s in keeping with official doctrine? For example, if there isn’t a novena for say, organ donation (which is one of the issues I’m dealing with), could I, say a decade of the rosary, an Our Father, a Glory Be, and then think about what it is I’m asking for and have it be legitimate?

More importantly, will God even listen to my prayers even though I haven’t been to Confession in years (I am planning to go this weekend). I just want to know that, even if the answer to my various prayers happens to be ‘no’, I would like to have the knowledge that the answer was no because that’s not what God has in store as opposed to because I haven’t practiced my faith in years.

Christi-Ann

 

[Paul_Folbrecht]

There’s nothing necessarily ‘official’ about a novena. While I normally use ones written by others in prayer books, I recently did use something informal.

Twelve days ago my wife was admitted to the hospital due to complications with our first pregnancy, then just at 18 weeks (weak cervix, contractions. We had just had the ultrasound, discovered it was a boy, and had already chosen the name “John Paul”.

This was a very serious situation through which less than 50% of babies pass through successfully. We decided to go out on a limb a bit (because he’s not canonized) and say a novena to Pope John Paul II. I searched for one but did not really find one that seemed appropriate and that we liked, so I made up the words.

Yesterday Pam came home from the hospital and is now on bed rest at home - things are looking up!

 

[mizcap129]

There’s nothing necessarily ‘official’ about a novena. While I normally use ones written by others in prayer books, I recently did use something informal.

Twelve days ago my wife was admitted to the hospital due to complications with our first pregnancy, then just at 18 weeks (weak cervix, contractions. We had just had the ultrasound, discovered it was a boy, and had already chosen the name “John Paul”.

This was a very serious situation through which less than 50% of babies pass through successfully. We decided to go out on a limb a bit (because he’s not canonized) and say a novena to Pope John Paul II. I searched for one but did not really find one that seemed appropriate and that we liked, so I made up the words.

Yesterday Pam came home from the hospital and is now on bed rest at home - things are looking up!

God bless all three of you! My recent pregnancy was high risk as well, so I know the anxiety that both you and your wife are going through. I will certainly keep your family in my prayers.

 

[bpbasilphx]

**This was a very serious situation through which less than 50% of babies pass through successfully. We decided to go out on a limb a bit (because he’s not canonized) and say a novena to Pope John Paul II. I searched for one but did not really find one that seemed appropriate and that we liked, so I made up the words.

Yesterday Pam came home from the hospital and is now on bed rest at home - things are looking up! **

You may want to report this to whatever organization in Rome is gathering material for Pope John Paul II’s cause.

 

[Paul_Folbrecht]

You may want to report this to whatever organization in Rome is gathering material for Pope John Paul II’s cause.

Hello again,

Actually, I am quite sure that what we’ve experienced could not possibly be regarded as any kind of healing miracle by Church authorities. If doctors tell you there is a 50% chance of A occurring, and it does not occur - that is not a miracle.

As you are probably aware, the standards used for recognizing miracles for the cause of canonization are quite stringent.

Of course, I believe God did help us, and I happen to believe JP’s intercession was a factor. God determines everything and allows or disallows everything that occurs, so it really does not even make sense to make a distinction between ‘nature’, probabilities, and God’s actions. (But a miracle is something special, something that flouts physical laws.)

By the way, I noticed the new suffix under your handle and read some of your last posts. What you posted in that thread about Islam was spot-on. Dead on.