Novena to Saint Anne

Tuesday is the day dedicated to Saint Anne. A novena of nine Tuesdays can be made by those who wish to honor her by special devotions or a novena of nine consecutive days at one's own choice.

In making a novena, recite the novena prayers as found below. If possible, hear Mass every day and receive Holy Communion at least once during the novena.

INDULGENCES

The faithful who devoutly say some prayers in honor of Saint Anne on nine successive Tuesdays are granted:

The faithful who offer their devout supplications in honor of Saint Anne, with the intention of so continuing for nine successive days, are granted: An indulgence of seven years, once on any day of the novena.

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Glorious St. Anne, filled with compassion for those who invoke you and with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present affair which I recommend to you under your special protection. (Here ask tor favor you wish to obtain.) Vouchsafe to recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all, obtain for me the grace of one day beholding my God face to face, and with You and Mary and all the saints, praising and blessing Him through all eternity. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

First Day:

Great Saint Anne engrave indelibly in my heart and in my mind the words which have reclaimed and sanctified so many sinners: "What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world if he lose his own soul?" May this be the principal fruit of these pious exercises by which I will strive to honor thee during this Novena. At thy feet I renew my resolution to invoke thee daily not only for the success of my temporal affairs and to be preserved from sickness and suffering, but above all, that I may be preserved from all sin, that I may gain the victory over my depraved inclination and that I may succeed in working out my eternal salvation. O my powerful Protectress, do not let me lose my soul, but obtain for me the grace of winning my way to heaven, there with thee, thy blessed spouse and thy glorious daughter, to sing the praise of the most holy and adorable Trinity forever and ever. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: Honor Good Saint Anne all the days of your life, by some prayer or short ejaculation.

A Prayer in honor of the Blessed Virgin and St. Anne:

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; thy grace be with me. Blessed art thou amoung women, and blessed be St. Anne, thy Mother, from whom thou didst proceed without stain of sin, O Virgin Mary; but of thee was born Christ Jesus, Son of the living God. Who liveth and reigneth, God, etc.

(Indulgence: 100 days Indulgence--Pius VII.)

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Second Day:

Glorious Saint Anne how canst thou be otherwise than overflowing with tenderness toward poor sinners like myself, since thou art the grandmother of Him Who shed Blood for them, and the mother of her whom the saints call the advocate of sinners? To thee, therefore, I address my prayers with confidence. Vouchsafe to commend me to Jesus and Mary so that, at thy request, they may grant me remission of my sins, perseverance, the love of God, charity for all mankind, and the special grace [here mention your intentions] of which I stand in need at this present time. O my powerful Protectress, let me not lose my soul, but obtain for me that, through the merits of Jesus Christ and the intercession of Mary, I may have the happiness of seeing them, of loving and praising them with thee for all eternity. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: When you pray to Saint Anne do not fail to ask of her the love of Jesus and Mary. It is the most beneficial prayer you can offer and it will always be granted.

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Third Day:

Beloved of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, Mother of the Queen of Heaven, take us, and all who are dear to us, under thy special care. Obtain for us the virtues thou didst instill into the heart of her who was destined to become the Mother of God, and the graces with which thou wast endowed. Sublime model of Christian womanhood! Pray that we may imitate thy example in our homes and families, listen to our petitions, and obtain our requests, Guardian of the infancy and childhood of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain the graces necessary for all who enter the marriage state, that imitating thy virtues they may sanctify their homes, and lead the souls entrusted to their care to eternal glory. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: Ask of God, through the intercession of Saint Anne and of Saint Joachim, the virtues proper to your state of life and the grace to worthily fulfill all its obligations.

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Fourth Day:

Glorious Saint, I kneel in confidence at thy feet for thou also hast tasted the bitterness and sorrow of life. My necessities, the cause of my tears, are as follows: [Here mention your intention]. Good Saint Anne, thou, who didst suffer much during the twenty years that preceded thy glorious maternity, I beseech thee, by all thy sufferings and humiliations, to grant my prayer. I pray thee, through thy love for thy glorious spouse, through thy love for thy immaculate child, through the joy thou didst feel at the moment of her happy birth, not to refuse me. Bless me, bless my family and all who are dear to me, so that some day we may all be with thee in the glory of heaven for all eternity. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: Patience under suffering is the shortest road to heaven, and a great sign of predestination. When crosses overtake you, ask Saint Anne to give you patience and resignation to bear them.

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Fifth Day:

Great Saint, how far I am from resembling thee, I so easily give way to impatience and discouragement; and so easily give up praying when God does not at once grant my request. That is why I am so wretched and so poor in virtue. Prayer is the key to all heavenly treasures and I cannot pray, because my weak faith and languid confidence fail me at the slightest delay of divine mercy. O my powerful Protectress, come to my aid, cause my confidence and fervor, supported by the promises of Jesus Christ, to redouble in proportion as the trial to which God in His goodness subjects me is prolonged, that I may thus obtain, like thee, more than I can venture to ask. In the future, I will remember that I am made for heaven and not for earth, for eternity and not for time; that consequently I must ask, above all, the salvation of my soul which is assured to all who pray properly and who persevere in prayer. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: One of the greatest graces you can ask of God through Saint Anne's intercession, is unshaken confidence in the promise made by Jesus to those who pray.

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Sixth Day:

Glorious Saint Anne, mother of the august Mother of God, I beg thee to obtain, through thy intercession, the pardon of my sins and the assistance I need in my troubles. What can I not hope for if thou deignest to take me under thy protection? The Most High has been pleased to grant the prayers of sinners whenever thou has been charitable enough to be their advocate. Humbly prostrate at thy feet, I beg thee to help me in all spiritual and temporal dangers; to guide me in the true path of Christian perfection, and finally, to obtain for me the grace of ending my life with the death of the just, so that I may contemplate face to face thy beloved Jesus and thy daughter Mary in thy loving companionship throughout eternity. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: Invoke Saint Anne's aid whenever God requires you to make a painful and difficult sacrifice; she will make it easier for you.

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Seventh Day:

Good Saint Anne, so justly called the mother of the infirm, the cure of those who suffer from disease, look kindly upon the sick for whom I pray; alleviate their sufferings; cause them to sanctify their sufferings by patience and complete submission to the divine will; finally deign to obtain health for them and with it the firm resolution to honor Jesus, Mary and thyself by the faithful performance of duties. But, merciful Saint Anne, I ask thee above all, salvation of the soul, rather than bodily health, for I am convinced that this fleeting life is given us solely to assure us a better one. Now, we cannot obtain that better life without the help of God's graces, I earnestly beg them of thee for the sick and for myself, the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of His Immaculate Mother and through thy efficacious and powerful mediation, O glorious Saint Anne. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: A sure way of making yourselves dear to Saint Anne is to be charitable to your brethren, all of whom are her children. Apply yourselves to relieving their corporal necessities; be zealous for their salvation; never let a day pass without praying for the conversion of sinners and the deliverance of the souls in Purgatory.

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Eighth Day:

Remember, O Saint Anne, thou whose name signifieth grace and mercy that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help and sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, good and kind mother; I take refuge at thy feet and sinful as I am, I venture to appear before thee, groaning under the weight of my sins. O holy Mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, despise not my petitions but hear me and grant my prayer. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: Holiness is the highest gift to which a creature can aspire. With the aid of divine grace you can obtain it. God even commands you to strive for it with all your might: for that reason are you a Christian. Make the resolution to do everything in your power to win that treasure. There have been Saints in all conditions of life; why cannot you, with the help of God, do what they have done?

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Ninth Day:

Most Holy Mother of the Virgin Mary, glorious Saint Anne, I, a miserable sinner, confiding in thy kindness, choose thee today as my special advocate. I offer and consecrate my person and all my interests to thy care and maternal solicitude. I purpose to serve and honor thee all my life for the love of thy most holy daughter and to do all in my power to spread devotion to thee.

O my very good Mother and advocate, deign to accept me as thy servant and to adopt me as thy child. O glorious Queen, I beg thee, by the Passion of my most loving Jesus, the Son of Mary, thy most holy daughter, to assist me in all the necessities both of my body and my soul. Venerable Mother, I beg thee to obtain for me the grace of leading a life perfectly conformable in all things to the divine will. I place my soul in thy hands and in those of thy kind daughter; I confide it to thee, above all at the moment, when it will be about to separate itself from my body in order that appearing under thy patronage before the Supreme Judge, He may find it worthy of enjoying His divine presence in thy holy companionship in heaven. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be To The Father

Practice: Pray daily to Saint Anne for the love of Jesus and Mary and for victory over that evil inclination which is most hurtful to your soul.