St therese novena gift set .. Confused...

[Becca19962014]

A friend who lives and works abroad no email/telephone and put takes months (so I cannot ask her!) has sent me in the post a booklet and rosary gift set. The book is called St Therese Novena and prayers and appears to now be out of print. It's a lovely gift.

I've been struggling a lot recently since losing my religious community and that's why she sent it (back it January and it's only just arrived!) I've never done a novena before (I've a rosary which I occaisonally pray).

Do I read the readings each day and say the prayer? Is that it? Or do I need to use the rosary in some way as well (given its a gift set I assume so).

Apologies if this is really obvious!!

You need to say the novena prayer each day, doesn't matter what time unless it's especially convenient. The reading will help you to focus and may be part of the novena. I think the rosary is probably an extra gift as St Therese is known for her love of the rosary.

Thankyou for your help!

Although Novenas are very simple I actually find them very helpful and powerful. Maybe it’s the simplicity of committing to daily prayer, no matter how short and simple. I only started to pray novenas on a regular basis recently but I have found them very effective and profound - which I was surprised about, as I my usual form of prayer is contemplative.

The simple essence of a Novena is to pray with an intention in mind for nine days. Sometimes the prayer is different each day, sometimes it’s the same. Here is a website that I love as they send you daily reminders to your email if you request them. They also invite you to join worldwide Novenas when approaching major FeastDays. They have a long list of Novenas to choose from. A very easy and enjoyable way to pray regularly. www.praymorenovenas.com/

God bless us all as we increase our prayer and devotion to God!

Thankyou for explaining.

I was a formal Benedictine oblate so am used to praying several times a day, though now without my community I still do the prayers and consider myself an oblate (informally of course), I've been doing this novena for five days now so a site with others will be really helpful if I want to do another.

Becca that sounds so interesting, is that in the Catholic or Anglican church? How did you become a formal oblate, is that a third order?

Catholic. Basically I lived as a nun as much as I could in my day to day life so same sort of vows (you can be married and be an oblate/work etc but keep the rule as much as you can) but you're not living in the monastery. It was strictly Benedictine and did all eight services and, though I still have my medal and breviary with services I really miss being a part of them. For me it was because I couldn't actually join them in the monastery because of my health. It took a lot of studying and prayer but was well worth it.

I contacted monasteries I was interested in being affiliated with (Benedictines all live in monasteries, no nunnaries) and visited and saw how they lived and asked about becoming an oblate. Apparently there is an online chapter now as well. There were books to read and study about st Benedict. And every year you're supposed to go back and renew vows, though that's not always possible. Ideally you're affiliated to a monastery close to where you live so you can partake in community life but it's not compulsory. Mine was about as far away as it could be!

I miss it so much. But I find comfort in still having my breviary with daily prayers in it and say them when they do as much as I can.