March 4th - 12th
Novena of Grace to St. Francis Xavier
The Novena of Grace was promoted by the cure of Fr. Marcellus Mastrilli in 1643. At the point of death from a brain injury, he was cured through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, and afterward died a martyr in Japan. The wonderful favors, both spiritual and temporal, which have been obtained through this novena have cause it to become known as the Novena of Grace. It is celebrated from March 4 to March 12, the anniversary of the canonization of St. Francis Xavier.
Sign of the Cross
Lord, open our lips.
And we shall praise Your Name.
Glory …
Opening Prayer
(choose one of the following prayers)
Let us Pray:
O most admirable
and loving St. Francis Xavier,
in union with you,
we adore the Divine Majesty.
While joyfully giving thanks to God
for the wonderful graces,
which God conferred upon you in life,
and for the greater glory with which
God has gifted you in heaven,
we come to you with heartfelt love,
asking you to secure for us,
by your powerful intercession,
the precious blessings
of living and dying
in the state of grace.
We also ask you to obtain the favors
we seek in this Novena.
(Pause for personal petitions
or see a list of petitions)
But if what we ask
is not for the glory of God,
or for the good of our souls, obtain for us
what is most conducive to both.
Amen.
Let us Pray:
Lord God, our Father,
we honor the memory
of the Apostle of the East,
St. Francis Xavier.
The remembrance of the favors
with which You blessed him during life
and of his glory after death,
fills us with joy;
and we unite with him
in offering to You our sincere tribute
of thanksgiving and of grace.
We ask You to grant us,
through his powerful intercession,
the inestimable blessings
of living and dying in the state of grace.
We also ask You to grant us the favors
we seek in this novena.
(Pause for personal petitions
or see a list of petitions)
But if what we ask
is not for the glory of God
and the good of our souls,
grant us, we pray,
what is more conducive to both.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Closing Prayer
(Prayer of the Church)
Let us Pray:
Almighty God, by the preaching of St. Francis Xavier
You won many peoples to Yourself.
Give his zeal for the faith to all who believe in You,
that Your Church may rejoice
to see the virtue and number of the faithful
increase throughout the world.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.