[The Novena is to be prayed on 9 consecutive days.]
OPENING PRAYER:
Ever Loving God,
you called St. Katharine Drexel
to teach the message of the Gospel
and to bring the life of the Eucharist
to the Black and Native American peoples.
By her prayers and example,
enable us to work for justice
among the poor and oppressed.
Draw us all into the Eucharistic community of Your Church,
that we may be one in You.
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.
Day One: EUCHARIST
The Eucharist is a never-ending sacrifice.
It is the Sacrament of love,
the supreme love, the act of love.
Help me each moment today and always
to communicate myself to You
by doing Your will.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
lover of the Eucharist,
pray for us.
Day Two: EVANGELIZATION
I looked up in wonder at God’s wonderful ways
and thought how little we imagine
what may be the result of listening and acting
on a desire He puts into the heart.
Nourish before Him great desires…
May our desire be to bring Him hearts,
for all are His by right,
having been purchased by every drop of His blood.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
model for those who evangelize,
pray for us.
Day Three: PEACE
Peacefully do at each moment
what at that moment ought to be done.
If we do what each moment requires,
we will eventually complete God’s plan,
whatever it is.
We can trust God to take care of the master plan
when we take care of the details.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
steadfast in trust,
pray for us.
Day Four: SERVANT OF THE POOR
Kindness is the natural fruit of goodness of heart.
He (Jesus) loved every human being
as the image of God…
and so all that came within range of His benevolence
were treated kindly for God’s sake and their own.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
lover of the poor,
pray for us.
Day Five: SUFFERING OF CHRIST
Often in my desire to work for others
I find my hands tied,
something hinders my charitable designs,
some hostile influence renders me powerless.
My prayers seem to avail nothing,
my kind acts are rejected,
I seem to do the wrong thing
when I am trying to do my best.
In such cases I must not grieve.
I am only treading in my Master’s steps.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
model for those who evangelize,
pray for us.
Day Six: THE CROSS
(Christ) may be leading me out to a cross.
If so, I can have no hesitation about following Him!
I must follow Him closely, so that…
I shall be near Him, my Good Shepherd,
Who will help me to carry it,
for He still bears His Cross
in each one of His children.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
bearer of the cross,
pray for us.
Day Seven: DEVOTION TO MARY
Teach me, O my dear Mother,
the lesson of sacrifice.
Help me, Mother, to take from the hands of Jesus,
in the spirit of humble love,
devotion to my daily crosses.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
daughter of Mary,
pray for us.
Day Eight: BUILDING FOR ETERNITY
Out of our common todays and yesterdays
we are building for eternity.
No thought, no work of ours ever dies.
We shall meet them all again,
and in the world to come
shall find our gathered harvest.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
woman of vision,
pray for us.
Day Nine: PRAYER AND WORK
The active life to be productive
must have contemplation.
When it (contemplation) gets to a certain height
it overflows to active life
and gets help and strength from the heart of God.
This is the way the saints produced so much fruit,
and we’re all called to be saints.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
St. Katharine Drexel,
model for the union of prayer and work,
pray for us.
CLOSING PRAYER:
I wish to be one who conscientiously
takes part in the unfolding of God’s plans,
and eventually have a glorious part
in the final unfolding of time
into the glory of God’s Kingdom in heaven.
If we are disciples (of Jesus)
we shall be happy to spend ourselves
and be spent for the salvation of souls.
– St. Katharine Drexel
Brief pause for reflection
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St. Katharine Drexel,
pray for us.
[Printed with ecclesiastical approval.]
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