Novena For Ireland Begins!

The Novena for Ireland has begun. From today until the 21st May, the eve of the referendum, we will pray to the Holy Family for the cause of marriage, children and family. Further details can be found in the Novena for Ireland section above, or on the novena website: novena4ireland.worldpress.com.

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, an appropriate day to begin. In her apparitions to the shepherd children she asked them to pray and offer penance for the conversion of the world. Her calls is as necessary today as it was in 1917, indeed even more so. Sadly her message was largely ignored, her warning seemingly dismissed, to our cost. In our novena we respond to her call, so let us ask her to help us faithfully carry out these spiritual exercises in these days.

Gathering Intercessors

We are having a great response to our Novena For Ireland. Thanks to the efforts of many in Ireland and around the world the news is getting out. Thanks to all of you promoting this initiative. In case it needs to be said I will say that the novena is not a political movement, it is a spiritual exercise, a gathering of intercessors who will pray for nine days, and fast for one, for the cause of marriage and family life. 

Please continue to pray for this and if you can promote the novena among your friends and colleagues. If you can convince your pastors to promote it also that would be wonderful. There is no copyright on the prayer, so if people want to print their own cards they are free to do so. At this time we encourage you to pray for the referendum in Ireland, but the prayer can also be used for other threats to marriage and the family. Our friends in the US are facing such a threat with the case currently before the USSC. For the prayer and details of the novena see the novena website: www.novena4ireland.wordpress.com.

The novena is not confined to us Catholics, all Christians and all men and women of faith can get involved. Many of our non-Catholic brethren may feel uncomfortable with the prayer, so I have written an alternative for them, and that too can be promoted and printed freely. Here is the link.

Thank you again. Have courage.