What is a Novena?

[trumpet152]

 

[Lorrie]

answers.com/Novena

 

[Wildgraywolf]

Here’s the short answer from the Catholic Encyclopedia newadvent.org/cathen/: A nine days’ private or public devotion in the Catholic Church to obtain special graces.

 

[Sir_Knight]

No fixed rules need be laid down, generally speaking, for the making of a novena beyond that of persevering in prayer through the space of nine days – following the example of the Apostles who prayed for nine days for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Novena can also be done for 18 days – 9 days of prayer of petition followed by 9 days of prayer of thanksgiving even if the request hasn’t been answered yet. There is also a 54-day novena – three 9-day Novena’s in prayer of petition followed by three 9-day Novena’s in prayer of thansgiving.

The efficacy of any novena depends in great measure on the piety and devotion of the individual. The following suggestions will increase the fervor of your novena:

1. *] Participate, if possible , in the public novena services, since there is added efficacy in the union of the faithful at prayer.
   
   *] Receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion during your novena.
   
   *] Promise an act of public gratitude, should your petition be granted; have holy Mass celebrated in thanksgiving; make your favor public for the encouragement of others; spread devotion to the Novena
   
   *] While making your request, be sure to honestly leave yourself open to God’s will – meaning be willing to accept God’s answer even if it comes in a way that you do not expect or want.
   … Hope this helps.

 

[LoverofMary]

Can a person, in the Roman Catholic tradition, write their own novena prayers or offer up, say, nine Our Fathers over nine days as a Novena? Or do the prayers have to be prescribed by the church to make it a novena?

 

[Catholic1954]

You may offer up your own prayers.

 

[Edward_H]

I’ve heard that it has some historical roots dating back to the 9 days in between the Ascension (40 days) and the Decent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost, 50 days). The Apostles were “alone” and prayed for 9 days in between in the upper room.

I don’t know about the authenticity of this meaning/origin, but I don’t want to pass on in accuracies.

Fwiw.