Novena to St. John Paul II Day 9

The feast day of the great apostle of Divine Mercy, St. John Paul II, is Oct. 22. In preparation for the celebration, we've begun a special novena that extends from Oct. 13 through Oct. 21.

We encourage you, through this novena - drawn from the official prayer of the Diocese of Rome - to ask for the intercession of St. John Paul II and Our Blessed Mother for the New Evangelization of the Church. In light of the new challenges the Church faces in the contemporary world, St. John Paul II said it is the "supreme duty" of the Church to "proclaim Christ to all peoples" (Redemptoris Missio, 3).

Together in prayer, let's follow his call. On behalf of my fellow Marians and Marian Helpers around the world, I invite you to join in this novena as we pray that the Light of Christ may shine ever more brightly to all the corners of the world.

You'll find below that on each of the nine days, we have chosen a specific intention for the New Evangelization.

- Fr. Joseph, MIC
Director of the Association of Marian Helpers

• Oct. 13: Our Holy Father
• Oct. 14: Our Bishops
• Oct. 15: Our Priests and Deacons
• Oct. 16: Religious and Consecrated
• Oct. 17: Lay Apostles and Teachers
• Oct. 18: Married Couples and Families
• Oct. 19: The Youth
• Oct. 20: Sick and Suffering
• Oct. 21: Holy Souls in Purgatory

Oct. 22: Happy Feast Day of St. John Paul II.

Day Nine: Preparing the world for the Second Coming
We pray especially for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.


Meditation
Saint John Paul II, when you dedicated the international Shrine of Divine Mercy in Krakow-Lagiewniki, Poland, in 2002, you said, "I wish solemnly to entrust the world to Divine Mercy. I do so with the burning desire that the message of God's merciful love, proclaimed here through Saint Faustina, may be made known to all the peoples of the earth and fill their hearts with hope. May this message radiate ... throughout the world. May the binding promise of the Lord Jesus be fulfilled: from here there must go forth 'the spark which will prepare the world for his final coming'" (see Diary, 1732). Through your powerful intercession, help us to do our part to spread this message of Divine Mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus.

Prayer
"God, merciful Father, in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman. Bend down to us sinners, heal our weakness, conquer all evil, and grant that all the peoples of the earth may experience your mercy. In You, the Triune God, may they ever find the source of hope. Eternal Father, by the Passion and Resurrection of your Son, have mercy on us and upon the whole world!" Amen.

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If you missed a day of this novena, fear not. Read this.

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