Novena for the Franciscans
Contents
Show HideThe Franciscans are a religious order founded by St. Francis of Assisi. The order originated in the 13th century in Italy. The Franciscans are still a prominent religious order in our Church today.
Over the centuries, the Franciscans have done a lot of important work in our Church. Let’s offer prayers in this Novena for the Franciscans that God will bless and assist the Franciscans in all they do.
About the Franciscans
St. Francis of Assisi first established the Franciscan religious order in 1209. The first members of the Franciscans lived primarily in cities. They focused on poverty, preaching, begging, and meeting the spiritual needs of those around them.
After St. Francis established a small group of followers to join him in his work, he and his followers traveled to Rome to seek papal approval of their order. In 1210, the Franciscan religious order received official Church approval.
The rule of the Franciscans allowed for no ownership of personal property, as the members were to practice radical poverty and beg for all they needed while they preached.
In 1212, St. Clare of Assisi helped bring about the establishment of the first female Franciscan religious order, the Poor Clares. The Poor Clares were contemplative and lived in a monastery.
St. Francis continued active involvement in leading the Franciscan religious order throughout the 1210s, but he eventually became sick. He died in 1232, but his religious order lived on and became prominent in the Church during the centuries that followed.
During St. Francis’ lifetime, the Third Order of St. Francis was also established. Francis saw a need for an order that allowed for married people, single people, and secular priests to live the Franciscan way of life without entering a monastery.
St. Francis also established the Secular Franciscan Order. About a century after his death, the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance was established. Other sects were established over the centuries that followed, including a confraternity called the Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Francis, an order called the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal.
Hallmarks of Franciscan spirituality include the view of all of God’s creation as good and joyful. It also emphasizes the humility Jesus practiced in choosing to become Man. Additionally, Franciscan spirituality also emphasizes devotion to the Eucharist. Their simple, poor way of life is viewed as an imitation of Jesus during His earthly ministry. Franciscans also focus on ministry to the poor.
Over the centuries, many saints of the Church have been members of the Franciscan religious order. St. Bonaventure, who was a bishop and a Doctor of the Church, was a Franciscan. St. Bernadine of Siena, St. Anthony of Padua, Blessed John Duns Scotus, St. Padre Pio, and St. Maximilian Kolbe were also Franciscans.
Why Pray the Novena for the Franciscans?
You can pray the Novena for the Franciscans if you are discerning a vocation to the Franciscan religious order or if you have already discerned that God is calling You to serve Him as a member of the Franciscan religious order. You can also pray the Novena for the Franciscans if someone you know is discerning entering the Franciscans or is preparing to enter the Franciscans.
Additionally, you can pray the Novena for the Franciscans for the entire Franciscan religious order or for a particular group of Franciscans. You can use this novena to ask God to help the Franciscans with a particular struggle or in a particular aspect of their work.
Novena for the Franciscans Prayers
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
You call many men and women to serve You in the religious life. The Franciscan religious order does a lot of important work for Your Church. Our modern world is in need of more religious vocations to carry out Your work in society. You can inspire more religious vocations and give the grace that is needed to respond generously to Your call.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You call more men and women to serve You as Franciscans.
Help us to always be eager to carry out Your will in our lives. Give us the grace to love You more fully each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
You have blessed us abundantly through the ministry of many holy priests in Your Church. Many of Your priests have also taken religious vows to serve You as members of religious orders. You can give all priests in the Franciscan religious order the grace that they need to carry out their vocations faithfully.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You pour out Your grace on all Franciscan priests.
Help us to grow in devotion to You each day of our lives. Give us the grace to always unite ourselves fully to You in every circumstance we face.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
You call each of us to serve You in a particular way in our lives. Each vocation has its own challenges and difficulties. Brothers in religious orders can face trials in many ways. You can give all brothers in the Franciscan religious order the grace they need to serve You faithfully.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You pour out Your grace on all Franciscan brothers.
Help us to always be eager to serve You in whatever ways You call us to. Give us the grace to grow in intimacy with You each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
We are all in great need of Your assistance and grace as we seek to carry out Your will in our lives and to bring souls to You. You call many women to serve You in the Poor Clares and in the active orders of Franciscan sisters. You can give all women Franciscans the grace they need to carry out their vocations faithfully.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You pour out Your grace on all Franciscan nuns and sisters.
Help us to love You more and more each day of our lives. Give us the grace to surrender all aspects of our lives fully to You.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
You call all of us to serve You with devotion, and the specific path You call us to follow does not look the same for each person. You call some of Your people to serve You in the unique path of lay members of religious orders. You can give all lay Franciscans the grace they need to serve You as You call them to.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You pour out Your grace on all lay Franciscans.
Help us to serve You wholeheartedly in all that we do. Give us the grace to grow closer to You each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
Members of the Franciscan religious order do a lot of holy work for Your Church. Many groups of Franciscans devote themselves to works of charity. Franciscans choose to work among the homeless, the poor, and others who are in need. You can grant efficacy to all the holy efforts of Your Franciscans.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You grant success to all the holy work that Your Franciscans undertake.
Help us to always do all things out of love for You. Give us the grace to serve You eagerly in whatever manner You call us to.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
Members of religious orders choose to serve You through vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The Franciscans choose to devote themselves to poverty as fully as they can. Truly embracing poverty can be very difficult, but You can give all Franciscans the grace they need to live out the poverty You call them to.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You help all Francsicans to truly embrace poverty.
Help us to always rely on You for all things in our lives. Give us the grace to truly surrender every aspect of our lives to You each day.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
You call each one of us to serve You with devotion, and the piety with which we serve You throughout our lives can help us to grow in that devotion. Throughout the lives of holy work and prayer that the Franciscans practice, they are in great need of piety.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You help all Francsicans to grow in the piety they need for holiness.
Help us to take every opportunity You give us to grow in virtue and holiness. Give us the grace to grow closer to You each day of our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Novena for the Franciscans - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You and praise You for blessing Your Church with the Franciscan religious order. We ask You today to pour out Your grace on all Franciscans.
It is not always easy to trust in You in our lives. You call us to trust You without reservation, but it can be difficult to fully surrender ourselves to You. As the Franciscans live out the radical poverty You call them to practice, they are in great need of total trust in You to provide all they need.
Please bless all members of the Franciscan religious order, and we particularly ask today that You help all Francsicans to grow to total trust in You.
Help us to surrender all parts of our lives to You, even when it is very difficult. Give us the grace to place our relationship with You above all else in our lives.
And we especially ask in this novena for (mention your intentions here).
Lord, hear our prayers!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.