NOVENA TO ST. PATRICK
March 8 -March 16
O Blessed Apostle of Ireland!
glorious St. Patrick! who didst become my father and benefactor long before my
birth, receive my prayers, and accept the sentiments of gratitude and
veneration with which my heart is filled towards thee. Thou wert the channel of
the greatest graces to me; deign then to become also the channel of my grateful
thanksgivings to God for having granted me, through thee, that precious gift of
faith, which is dearer than life. O most blessed father, and patron of my
country! do not, I beseech thee, despise my weakness. Remember, that the cries
of little children were the mysterious invitation thou didst receive to come
among us. Listen then to my most humble supplications; I unite them to the
praises and blessings which will ever follow thy name and thy memory throughout
the Irish Church; I unite them to the prayers of the multitude of my ancestors,
who now enjoy eternal bliss, and owe their salvation, under God, to thy zeal
and charity. They will eternally share thy glory, because they listened to thy
word, and followed thy example. Ah! since I am descended from saints, may I
blush to differ from them; may I begin from this moment to love God with all my
heart, and serve him with all my strength. For this end I most humbly beg thy
blessing, O great St. Patrick! and thy particular intercession, for obtaining
whatever grace thou seest to be most necessary for me, and also the particular
intentions of this Novena.
(Mention intentions here)
O charitable Shepherd of the Irish Flock!
who wouldst have laid down a thousand lives to save one soul, take my soul, and
the souls of all Christians, under thy special care, and preserve us from the
dreadful misfortune of sin. Thy zealous preaching provided us the blessings of
religious instructions which we now enjoy; obtain that none of us may receive
them in vain. Thou didst teach our ancestors how to connect the pursuit of
virtue with that of science; deign also to take my studies under thy
protection, and to obtain for me the grace to sanctify them by a pure motive of
pleasing God and my superiors. I most humbly recommend to thee this country,
which was so dear to thee while on earth. Protect it still; and above all,
obtain for its pastors, particularly those who instruct us, the grace to walk
in thy footsteps, that they may share in thy eternal bliss. Amen.
V. Pray for us, O glorious saint Patrick.
R.
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