"Official" Novena

[regression]

Hello, I have been searching for a novena to St. Rita of Cascia. I am finding slightly different version online. One says say three Our Father’s, Hail Mary’s and Glory Be’s after the novena, while others do not. Is there such a thing as an “official” novena? If so, where would I go to find them?

Thanks.

 

[DavidFilmer]

Is there such a thing as an “official” novena?

No.

The forms of novenas originate as a pious custom, and are usually created by someone who has “standing,” such as a Dominican (or a Dominican House or Province) defining the terms of a novena to a Dominican Saint.

Popes have taken a certain number of these devotions and taught that they may obtain Indulgences. This gives them a “quasi-official” status (the Magesterium has embraced them, although the Magesterium did not promulgate them).

You can read the list of “indulgenced novenas” in the book known as *The Raccolta *(most appear at the end of this chapter):
franciscan-sfo.org/ap/rac/novenas.htm

(and, it is interesting - the only novena dedicated to a specific human individual outside of the Holy Family is to St. Vincent de Paul).

St. Rita of Cascia was a (very unlikely) Augustinian Nun. Any Augustinian who creates a novena to her has some “standing” which makes it “more official” (though not really “official” at all) than a novena created by anyone else.

But, unless some Pope embraces a particular form as a component of an Indulgence, there is really no “official” (or even “quasi-official”) version of any novena.

 

[regression]

Thanks for all the info. I learn something new just about everyday on this site.

David