Day 1: Friday, October 4
Newman attribute (to reflect on today)
Example of humility
Intention
That we find opportunities to alleviate the sufferings of those who are homeless and marginalised
From his writings …
“I sought to hear the voice of God
And climbed the topmost steeple,
But God declared: ‘Go down again –
I dwell among the people.’ ”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 2: Saturday, October 5
Newman attribute
Child of Mary
Intention
That we learn to see Jesus in the members
of our families
From his writings …
“I have my mission, I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do his work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 3: Sunday, October 6
Newman attribute
Priest of God’s altar
Intention
That we are blessed with more vocations to the priesthood
From his writings …
“Had Angels been your priests, my brethren, they could not have condoled with you,
sympathised with you, have had compassion on you, felt tenderly for you, and made
allowances for you, as we can; they could not have been your patterns and guides, and have led you on from your own selves into a new life, as they can who come from the midst of you.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 4: Monday, October 7
Newman attribute
Man of prayer
Intention
That we find joy and consolation in the habit of prayer
From his writings …
“The rosary seems so simple and easy, but you know God chooses the small things of the world to humble the great.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 5: Tuesday, October 8
Newman attribute
Guardian of conscience
Intention
That the voice of our conscience leads us to seek what is true and good
From his writings …
“We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 6: Wednesday, October 9
Newman attribute
Counsellor of converts
Intention
That we conform more closely to God’s will and purpose for our lives
From his writings …
“Regarding Christianity, ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 7: Thursday, October10
Newman attribute
Educator of the laity
Intention
That we may be inspired to gain a deeper understanding of the teaching of our faith.
From his writings …
“I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious, but who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold and what they do not, who know their creed so well that they can give an account of it.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 8: Friday, October 11
Newman attribute
Servant of the Church
Intention
That we are given the grace to see the Church as more than a human institution but the Body of Christ.
From his writings …
“The Church of God cannot change; what she was that she is. What our forefathers were, such are we; we look like other men, but we have that in us which none others have,—the latent element of an indomitable fortitude. This may not be the age of saints, but all times are the age of martyrs.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Day 9: Saturday, October 12
Newman attribute
Model of friendship
Intention
That we are helped to cultivate the gift of charity
From his writings …
“The love of our private friends is the only preparatory exercise for the love of all men.”
Prayer
Pray one decade of the rosary (any you choose) for this intention, and add the following prayer:
O God our heavenly Father, we offer You heartfelt thanks for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman. In him You give us an inspiring example of priest and teacher, heroic and humble in his labour for the salvation of souls and the pursuit of holiness. Through his intercession we ask You to lead us by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit, and so grant us peace and joy, in the one fold of the Redeemer. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Catholic Herald is reproducing this novena with the kind permission of the Newman Canonisation Committee. View it at Newmancanonisation.com/novena
