novena st anthony mary zacccaria

8/16/2019 Novena St Anthony Mary Zacccaria

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Steadfast

Prayer

Piety

DivineKnowledge

Wisdom

Perfection

Love ofGod

Faith

Holiness

BrotherlyLove

Novena to Saint Anthony Mary

Zaccaria


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Scripture texts in this work are taken from t he New American Biblewith Revised New Testament © 1986, 1970 Confraternity of ChristianDoctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of thecopyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New AmericanBible may be reproduced in any form without permission in

writing from the copyright owner.

Nihil Obstat: Fr. Gabriel M. Patil, CRSP, Provincial SuperiorImprimatur: Fr. Giovanni M. Villa, CRSP, Superior General

Rome, Nov 15, 2008

Solemnity of Mother of Divine Providence

The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declaration that a bookor pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-1-60743-276-0

Copyright © 2009, Barnabite Fathers All rights reserved. Request for permission to make copies

of any part of the book should be mailed to:Barnabite Publications, 4301Hectown Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18020 or email: [email protected]

email [email protected]

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NOVENA toSt. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

FEAST DAY July 5

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“At the school of Nazareth every family learns to be a workshop of love, unity and openness to life”

(Holy Father John Paul II, 28 December 2003)

I dedicate this novena booklet to my friends Greg, Mary,and their children; Elizabeth Peter and Matthew.

May they continue to grow in holiness as a family patterned after

the Holy Family of Nazareth.


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Foreword

In the first half of the fifteenth century in Italy shone the luminous figureof Anthony Mary Zaccaria. This young saint, full of passion for God’s love, wasa great reformer of religious customs of the clergy and the Christian people.

Above all, he was the founder of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul (Barnabites), the

Angelic Sisters of St. Paul, and the Laity of St. Paul. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, born in Cremona, Italy in 1502, was a student andgraduate in medicine from the University of Padua; a doctor of body and soulin his native city; a fervent catechist and a zealous priest in Milan and elsewhere.For a decade his apostolate was characterized by an intense devotion to the MostBlessed Sacrament of the altar (he was the promoter of the Forty Hours Devotion),and by a passionate love of the cross and the crucified Christ (he instituted theringing of bells on Friday afternoon to commemorate Christ’s death). Anthony

Mary was guided by an extraordinary zeal of St. Paul, chosen by him to be hismaster and model on earth, and his special patron in heaven. Exhausted from his pastoral work, Anthony Mary died at only 36 years old,leaving behind admirable examples of penance and of spirituality. In the novena here presented, his ascetic-mystic thought continuouslyemerges. This thought can be found in his six Sermons and eleven Letters, whichremained as his testament and a mirror of his soul and his missionary call: inthese writings resounds an unceasing appeal against vices, and toward holiness.

Cardinal Ratzinger wrote: “I have to say that the image of this saint is dearto me because he is one of the great figures of Catholic reform… an authenticman of God and of the Church, a man burning with zeal, a demanding forger ofconsciences, a true leader able to convert and lead others to good.” Like all the saints, Zaccaria is a figure of permanent relevance: an encounter

with him symbolizes an invitation to return to a charism of a unique vocation, areturn desired by the Second Vatican Council, as an indispensable element of truerenewal. The Church venerates the saints and honors their images. Celebratingtheir names and their memory, she proclaims Christ’s marvels in his servants and

proposes to the faithful examples to imitate (Sacrosantum Concilium, 11). The saints manifest the face and the presence of God in the world. Theycontribute to the spiritual life of the Church on earth, and form with us onemystical body. As friends and coheirs of Christ, they intercede for us. As ourbrothers and benefactors, they teach us the way to reach heaven. (Lumen Gentium,49-50) Anthony Mary Zaccaria merits to be known and followed in his teachings: hecounts among the category of priests, who in the course of centuries, have left a

splendid example of holiness. As a spiritual master, he continues to spread andproclaim the Word of God and to teach the “sublime wisdom of Jesus Christ”(Liturgy of July 5)

Bishop Andrea M. Erba, CRSP Bishop Emeritus of Velletri-Segni,

Rome, 15 November 2008 Solemnity of Mother of Divine Providence


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St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria,continue your work as doctor and priestby obtaining from God healingfrom my physical and moral sickness,so that free from all evil and sin,I may love the Lord with joy,fulfill with fidelity my duties,

work generously for the good of my brothers and sisters,and for my sanctification. I also beg of you to secure for methe special favor I seek in this novena…(State your intention here.)

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.

Gracious Father,fount of holiness,

with hearts full of confidence

and loving obedience to your will, we pray, together withSt. Anthony Mary Zaccaria,for the grace of a life of virtue,in imitation of Christ, your Son. Incline our heartsto the promptings of the Holy Spirit,so that He may guide us

and keep us in the path that leads to you. And by His help may we becomegenuine disciples of your immeasurable goodnessand unfathomable love for all.

This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Opening Prayer

(for each day)

Closing Prayer

(for each day)

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Day 1 – for FAITH

It is necessary that you always trust in God’s help and come toknow by experience that you are never to be without it.

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Constitutions XVII)

(Opening Prayer, page 4)

First Reading From the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (1:8-12)

I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you,because your faith is heralded throughout the world. Godis my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in proclaimingthe gospel of his Son, that I remember you constantly, always asking in my prayers thatsomehow by God’s will I may at last find my way clear to come to you. For I long to see

you, that I may share with you some spiritual gift so that you may be strengthened, that is,that you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another’s faith, yours and mine.

Second Reading From the letter of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria to the Reverend Father Bartolomeo Ferrari (Letter VI)

Dearly beloved in Christ, why do you entertain any doubts? Haven’t you experienced inthis undertaking that you never lacked the necessary means to help those in need? Nothingis more certain and reliable than experience. Those who love you do not possess the wealtheither of a Paul or of a Magdalene; they do, however, trust in the One who enriched them both.

Thus as a result of both your faith and theirs God will provide for any person under your care. You can be sure that, before you speak and in the very moment of speaking, Jesus Crucified will anticipate and accompany, not only every word of yours, but your every holy intention.Don’t you see that He Himself has opened the doors for you with His own hands? Who,then, will hinder you from entering the hearts of people and from changing them socompletely as to renew them and beautify them with holy virtues? Nobody, of course −neither the devil nor any other creature.

Invocations

St. Anthony, precursor of Catholic reform…Pray for us.St. Anthony, faithful administrator of the divine mysteries…Pray for us.St. Anthony, priest solicitous in making gain in others…Pray for us.

Prayer Christ, our Savior, you endowed St. Anthony Mary with the light and flame of a solid faith.Increase our faith, so that we may learn to love the living true God. We ask this throughChrist our Lord. Amen.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be…

(Closing Prayer, page 4)

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Day 2 – for STEADFAST PRAYER

You will never make any progress if you do not arrive attaking the utmost delight in prayer.

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Constitutions XII)


First Reading From the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians (3:2, 5-6)

Pray perseveringly, be attentive to prayer, and pray in a spiritof thanksgiving. Be prudent in dealing with outsiders; makethe most of every opportunity. Let your speech be always gracious and in good taste, andstrive to respond properly to all who address you.

Second Reading From the letter of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria to Carlo Magni (Letter III)

Enter into conversation with Jesus Crucified as familiarly as you would with me anddiscuss with Him all or just a few of your problems, according to the time at yourdisposal. Chat with Him and ask His advice on all your affairs, whatever they may be,

whether spiritual or temporal, whether for yourself or for other people. If you practicethis way of prayer, I can assure you that little by little you will derive from it both greatspiritual profit and an ever-greater love relationship with Christ. I am not going to addanything else, for I want experience to speak for itself.

InvocationsSaint Anthony, Man ever absorbed in prayer…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, Imitator and Missionary of the Crucified Lord…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, Ardent adorer and promoter of the Eucharist…Pray for us.

Prayer Christ Redeemer, you found Saint Anthony Mary in steadfast, compassionate and lovingconversation with you, the suffering One. Grant that through his intercession we may

make progress on the way of the Cross toward the glory of the resurrection. We ask thisthrough Christ our Lord. Amen.



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Day 3 – for Piety

Do not be afraid nor faint-hearted because of want of exteriorcompunction and devotion -- as they call it -- for God is with you more truly and more lovingly than with those who enjoyconsolations of the heart.

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Constitutions XII)


First Reading From the first letter of St. Paul to Timothy (4:4-10)

Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to berejected when received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the invocation of Godin prayer. If you will give these instructions to the brothers, you will be a good ministerof Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching you have

followed. Avoid profane and silly myths. Train yourself for devotion; for, while physicaltraining is of limited value, devotion is valuable in every respect, since it holds a promiseof life both for the present and for the future. This saying is trustworthy and deserves fullacceptance. For this we toil and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God,

who is the savior of all, especially of those who believe.

Second Reading From the twelfth chapter of the Constitutions by St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

God very often takes away exterior fervor and devotion for various reasons, namely: thatman may understand that this is not within his own power, but God’s gift, and thus he mayhumble himself more and more; that man may learn how to progress interiorly by himself,and to find out and painfully see that it is his own fault if he loses fervor and devotion.

Hence, realize that, if someone loses fervor for being deprived of exterior fervor, you cannotconclude that he never had true fervor, but simply he is spiritually inconstant.

And so be assured that if you apply yourselves to true devotion (which is readiness forservice in obedience to God’s will) instead of seeking sensible sweetness, you will becomeonce and for all so fervent as to be unable to limit yourselves in the things that are pleasingto God.

InvocationsSaint Anthony, Man divine and holy…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, Man resolute in acting…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, Man relentless against lukewarmness…Pray for us.

Prayer Christ Priest, you granted Saint Anthony Mary an angelic piety for the Eucharist and madehim its ardent adorer and untiring apostle, grant that we too, pure of heart, could taste theineffable gift of God. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.



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Day 4 – for Divine Knowledge

Man first leaves aside the exterior world and enters his owninterior world, and only then from there he ascends to theknowledge of God.

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria , Sermon II)


First Reading From the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians (1:15-19)

I, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love forall the holy ones, do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, thatthe God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom andrevelation resulting in knowledge of him. May the eyes of (your) hearts be enlightened,that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of gloryin his inheritance among the holy ones, and what is the surpassing greatness of his powerfor us who believe.

Second Reading From the fourth sermon of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

If eloquence does not seem to you to be a great quality, knowledge certainly is such anexcellent thing that everybody wishes to have it. You have been taught by Adam how great

is its value when, for the pleasure of becoming like God in the knowledge of good and evil,he disobeyed the commandment of the Lord God. But no matter how excellent qualityknowledge is, it, too, is of very small advantage.

I am not telling you of this regarding only the knowledge of worldly things, but even moreregarding the knowledge of God’s secrets, like having the prophetic gift, and knowledge ofsupernatural things by the prophetic light, as proven by that most evil prophet, Balaam,by his own ruin (Num 31:8). And with far greater reason I affirm the uselessness of theknowledge of things that God alone knows, and we too come to know by faith even that

faith which empowers man to work miracles.

InvocationsSaint Anthony, Prudent in discernment…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, Adorned with all virtues…Pray for us.Saint Anthony Mary, pride of great teachers…Pray for us.

Prayer Christ Teacher, you enriched with divine knowledge St. Anthony Mary to make him father

and guide of souls toward perfection, teach us how to announce “the spiritual vivacity andthe living spirit everywhere.” We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.



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Day 5 – For Wisdom

O Wisdom above all wisdom! O inaccessible Light! You turnthe learned into ignorant, and those who see into blind; and,

on the contrary, you turn the ignorant into learned.(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Sermon I)


First Reading From the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (2:6-15)

We do speak a message of wisdom among the mature, butnot the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, whoare coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has beenhidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers ofthis age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived

what God has prepared for those who love him” but God has revealed it to us by hisSpirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows thethoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows thethoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world butthe Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is

what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit,expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

Second Reading From the first sermon of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

God knew how to arrange creatures in that admirable order that you see. Notice that,in his Providence, God leads man, created free, in such a way as to force and compel himto enter that order; yet without forcing or compelling him to do so. O Wisdom above all wisdom! O inaccessible Light! You turn the learnedinto ignorant, and those who see into blind; and, on the contrary, you turn theignorant into learned, and the peasants and the fishermen into scholars and teachers.

Therefore, my friends, how can you believe that God, the very apex of wisdom, mayhave been wanting in resourcefulness and unable to accomplish His work? Don’t believethat. In fact, God’s wisdom “reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other andorders all things well.”

InvocationsSaint Anthony, enlightened by the sublime science of Jesus Christ…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, Man inspired by the sublime wisdom of God…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, wise educator of the people of God…Pray for us.

Prayer All powerful Father, you sent your Son so that through Him we might call ourselves yourchildren, and truly to be such. Grant to us the gift of wisdom to know the mystery of your

will. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.



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Day 6 – for Perfection

Strive continuously to increase what you have begun in yourselfand in others because the heights of perfection are limitless.

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Sermon XVIII)


First Reading

From the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians(13:10-11)

I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I maynot have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authoritythe Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing youdown. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God

of love and peace will be with you.

Second Reading From the sixth sermon of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria

Choose what is good and leave out what is bad. But which is the good side of createdthings? It is their perfection, while their imperfection is the bad side. Therefore, draw nearto their perfection and withdraw from their imperfection.

Look, my friends: if you wish to know God, there is a way, “the way of separation” as

spiritual writers call it. It consists in taking into consideration all created things with theirperfections and in distinguishing God from them and all their imperfections, so as to say:“God is neither this nor that, but something far more excellent. God is not prudent; He isPrudence itself. God is not a particular and limited good; He is the Good, universal andinfinite. God is not just one perfection, He is perfection itself without any imperfection. Heis the all good, the all wise, the all powerful, the all perfect, etc.”

InvocationsSaint Anthony, magnanimous hero, you have fought without pay the good fight…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, exultant champion, you have quickly finished the race…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, blessed servant, you have remained faithful unto death…Pray for us.

Prayer Christ, Head of the Church, you called St. Anthony Mary to fight lukewarmness, “thispestiferous and great enemy” of you Crucified, grant to the Church not “small saints” butbig ones to reach the fullness of perfection. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.



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Day 7 – for Love of God

What is necessary, yes, I emphasize, necessary, is to have lovethe love of God, the love that makes you pleasing to Him

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Sermon IV)


First Reading From the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (Rom 8: 28, 35-39)

We know that all things work for good for those who loveGod, who are called according to his purpose.

What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, orfamine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written: “For your sake we are beingslain all the day; we are looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I amconvinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things,nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able toseparate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Consider what a great love is demanded of us: a love that can be none other but the loveof God.

If eloquence does not profit, if knowledge is of no benefit, if prophecy is of little worth,if working miracles does not make anyone pleasing to God, and if even almsgiving andmartyrdom are of no avail without love; if it has been necessary, or most convenient, forthe Son of God to come down on earth to show the way of charity and the love of God; ifit is necessary for anyone who wants to live in union with Christ to suffer tribulations andadversities according to what Christ, the only teacher, has taught by words and actions;

and if no one can go through these difficulties, carrying this load without love, for lovealone lightens the load, then the love of God is necessary. Yes, without God’s love nothingcan be accomplished, whereas everything depends on this love.

InvocationsSaint Anthony, True friend of God…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, True lover of Christ…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, Friend and herald of the Holy Spirit…Pray for us.

Prayer All merciful Father, you so loved the world that you gave your only-begotten Son for theforgiveness of sin, through His Holy Blood sanctify us in love. We ask this through Christour Lord. Amen.



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Day 8 – for Brotherly Love

Let us run like madmen not only toward God but also towardour neighbors, who alone can be the recipients of what wecannot give to God, since He has no need of our goods.

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria , Letter II)


First Reading From the letter of St. Paul to the Romans (13:8-10)

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments,“You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,”and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, (namely)“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.


You wish to know how to acquire the love of God as well as to find out whether it is in you?One and the same things help you acquire, expand, and increase it more and more, andreveals it as well when it is present. Can you guess what it is? It is love of your neighbor.

God is a long way from our direct experience; God is spirit; God works in an invisiblefashion. Thus, His spiritual activity cannot be seen except with the eyes of the mindand of the spirit, which in most people are blind, and in all are wavering and no longeraccustomed to seeing. But man is approachable, man is body; and when we do somethingto him, the deed is seen. Now, since He has no need of our things, whereas man does, Godhas set man as a testing ground for us. In fact, if you have a friend very dear to you, you

will also hold dear those things he loves and cherishes. Therefore, since God holds man ingreat esteem, as He has shown, you would show meanness and indeed little love for God,

if you did not think very highly of what He bought at a great price.

InvocationsSaint Anthony, man gentle and humane…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, man burning with charity…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, man ruthless against vices…Pray for us.

Prayer Eternal Father, you love everyone and want everyone to be saved, grant that we may find

you and love you in our brothers and sisters, so that they too may find you in us. We askthis through Christ our Lord. Amen.



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Day 9 – for Holiness

I know the summit of perfection Jesus Crucified wants you toreach; the abundant graces He wishes to give you; the fruitsHe wants to gather in you; and the peak of holiness to whichHe wants to lead you.

(St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Letter XI)


First Reading From the first letter of St. Paul to Thessalonians(4:2-4, 7-8)

You know the instructions we gave you in the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you grow inholiness: that you abstain from immorality, each of you guarding his member in sanctityand honor God has not called us to immorality but to holiness; hence, whoever rejectsthese instructions rejects, not man, but God who sends his Holy Spirit upon you.

Second Reading From the letter of St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria to the honorable Bernardo Omodei and MadonnaLaura (Rossi) (Letter XI)

Anyone willing to become a spiritual person begins a series of surgical operations in hissoul. One day he removes this, another day he removes that, and relentlessly proceeds untilhe lays aside his old self. What I do say is: I would like you to be intent on doing more

every day and on eliminating every day even licit sensual inclinations. All this is, indeed,for the sake of the willingness to grow in perfection, of diminishing imperfections, and ofavoiding the danger of falling prey to lukewarmness.

Do not think that my love for you or the good qualities you are endowed with,may have me desire that you be just little saints. No, I greatly desire that youbecome great saints, since you are well equipped to reach this goal, if you willit. All that is required is that you really mean to develop and give back to JesusCrucified, in a more refined form, the good qualities and graces He has given you.

InvocationsSaint Anthony, angel in flesh and bones…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, youth grown as a lily…Pray for us.Saint Anthony, rich man stripped of everything…Pray for us.

Prayer Holy Father, you predestined us to be holy and without blame in your presence, enlightenour hearts so that we may know the hope of our vocation. We ask this through Christ our

Lord. Amen.



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