always pray with humility, confidence and perseverance. * Help me to grow more and more in the spirit of prayer, * so that my whole life may become a prayerful oblation to God. * May I always seek the face of the living God.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)

Ninth DayV: The Ninth Day: St. Thomas, Patron of Students.

“I give thanks to my God always for you,R: For the grace of God that is given you in Christ Jesus, (bow head)V: That in all things you are made rich in Him,R: In all utterance, and in all knowledge.” (1 Cor 1:5)V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: We implore thy intercession that all men may be open to the Truth * and

always seek to better know Him who is the Truth, the Way, and the Life. * May they thus better serve God and neighbor as Our Lord desires. * St. Thomas, pray especially for theologians, priests and seminarians, * that in their studies and research they may come to a deeper knowledge of revealed doctrine in keeping with the mind of Holy Mother Church. * May their lives reflect the holiness of the word of God which they seek to more fully know and understand.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)

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St. Vincent Ferrer Foundation of Texas, Inc.© 2012

‘Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus”

March 7

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Novena to St. Thomas Aquinas

Novena to St. Thomas Aquinas

Daily Novena Prayer

V: In the Name ! of the Father... R: Amen.(Prayer of the Day)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: Patron of Catholic universities, schools and students, * I thank God for the

gifts of light and knowledge He bestowed on thee, * which thou used to build up the Church in love. * I thank God, too, for the wealth and richness of theological teachings thou left in thy writings. * Not only wast thou a great teacher, thou moreso lived a life of virtue and made holiness the desire of thy heart. * If I cannot imitate thee in the brilliance of thy learned knowledge, * aid me to follow thee in the humility and charity which marked thy life. * As St. Paul taught, charity is the greatest gift, and it is open to all. * Pray for me, I beg thee, that I might grow in holiness and charity * and in particular, I implore thee to obtain the favors I ask during this novena,

(Mention Your Requests)

V: Assist us, O Lord, we beseech Thee, through the merits of St. Thomas Aquinas.

R. That what our endeavors cannot obtain may be given us by his intercession. Amen.

(Litany of St. Thomas)

V: In the Name ! of the Father... R: Amen.

Intentions for the Novena:

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Seventh DayV: The Seventh Day: St. Thomas, Defender of the Church.

“These things I write to thee ... that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God,

R: Which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:14...15)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: From thy youth, thou learned to love the Church, thy spiritual home. * In thy

teaching, thou sought to explain and defend the doctrine of Holy Mother Church. * Thou understood that true wisdom means to let oneself be instructed by the Church, * for Our Lord guaranteed that the Holy Ghost would always guide the Church, infallible and indefectible, leading it to all Truth. * At the end of thy life, thou said, * “I have taught and written much .... according to my faith in Christ and in the holy Roman Church, to whose judgment I submit all my teaching.” * Intercede for the Body of Christ today. * That it may grow stronger and fruitful in the world. * That her faith may be restored. * That all her pastors, theologians and catechists may have thy same spirit of submission to her teaching. * Raise up holy priests, that they may all be salt of the earth and light of the world. * Bless the Pope in his efforts to guide the Church. * Pray for missionaries as they work to baptize all nations, teaching them all Christ commanded. * And may the Spouse of Christ be restored by the power of the Holy Ghost.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)

Eighth DayV: The Eighth Day: St. Thomas, Teacher of Prayer.

“Be instant in prayerR: Watching in prayer with thanksgiving.” (Col 4:2)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: Thou knowest that prayer is the source of wisdom * and spent long hours in

conversation with God. * Prayer became thy very life. * Whenever thou pondered over a problem * be it in faith or any other matter * thou turned first to prayer to seek God’s enlightenment * and thou concluded thy discernment in praying for His holy Will. * Now in heaven Thou enjoyest forever the Beatific Vision, seeing God face to face. * Pray for me too, that I might become a person of profound prayer. * Obtain for me the grace that I might

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March 5

March 6

Fifth DayV: The Fifth Day: St. Thomas, Afire with Love for the Blessed Sacrament.

“Amen, amen I say unto you: Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man,R: And drink His blood, you shall not have life in you.” (Jn 6:54)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: Thou hadst a great love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist * and spent many

hours in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. * Thou once said that thou learnest more from prayer before the Tabernacle than from many hours of study. * The Church owes thee a debt of gratitude for the beautiful and sacred hymns thou wrote in honor of the Eucharist * for the feast of Corpus Christi at the request of Pope Urban IV. * Pray for me too, * That I might be inflamed with an ardent love for the Holy Eucharist. * Help me to always esteem and reverence this wonderful Sacrament. * Aid me to always pray devoutly at Mass, meditating upon the Passion of our Lord. * May I receive Holy Communion with a pure soul, fasted body, and great fervor. * May I often visit Our Lord in the Tabernacle. * Remind me to always genuflect and kneel in adoration before Our King and Savior. * May the Holy Eucharist strengthen me to love God and neighbor and to be consoled at the hour of my death.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)

Sixth DayV: The Sixth Day: St. Thomas, Filled with Charity.

“Charity is patient, is kind: R: Charity envieth not, dealteth not perversely;V: Is not puffed up; is not ambitious, seeketh not her ownR Is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil;V: Rejoiceth not in iniquity,R: But rejoiceth with the truth.” (1 Cor 13: 4-6)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: Thou wast noted during thy life for thy charity. * Pray for me and help me to be

more deeply rooted in the supernatural virtue of charity. * May I always bear in mind Our Lord’s words: “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). * Help me to practice charity in a concrete ways, not with just words, but with sacrifice. * May it begin in my family and radiate to everyone I meet.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)6

March 3

March 4

Litany of St. Thomas Aquinas

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Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, have mercy on us.Lord, have mercy on us, Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us.God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.God the Son, Redeemer of the world have mercy on us.God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.Holy Mary, *Glorious Mother of the King of kings,*Saint Thomas of Aquinas,*Worthy child of the Queen of virgins,*St. Thomas most chaste,*St. Thomas most patient,*Prodigy of science,*Silently eloquent,*Reproach of the ambitious,*Lover of that life which is hidden with

Christ,*Fragrant flower in the garden of Saint

Dominic,*Glory of the Friars Preachers,*Illumined from on high,*Angel of the Schools,*Oracle of the Church,*Incomparable scribe of the Man-God,*Satiated with the odor of His perfumes,*

Perfect in the school of His Cross,*Intoxicated with the strong wine of His

charity,*Glittering gem in the cabinet of the Lord,*Model of perfect obedience,*Endowed with the true spirit of holy

poverty,*Lamb of God, Who takest away

the sins of the world,spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,have mercy on us.

O, how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory,

For the memory thereof is immortal. Because it is known with God and man,And it triumpheth crowned forever.What have I in Heaven,

or what do I desire on earth!Thou art the God of my heart,

and my portion forever.Let us pray. O God, through Whom Thy

Church is glorified by the wonderful learning of Thy blessed Confessor Thomas and profiteth still from his holy labors: grant, we pray, that we may grasp his teaching with our minds and show it, as he did, in our lives. Through Jesus Christ ( ) our Lord.

Amen.* Pray for us.

First DayV: The First Day: St. Thomas, Called by God.

“He that loveth father or mother more than Me, is not worthy of Me;R: And he that loveth son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me.”

(Mt 10:37)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: Pray for all young people who are discerning God’s divine will for their life. *

Intercede especially for those discerning a holy vocation to the priesthood or religious life. * Help them all hear and be docile to the call of God. * Inspire them to make choices and to act enlightened by Truth, motivated by charity for God and an unselfish love for others. * Help them to see their state in life and duties as a path to holiness, to serve God and neighbor. * May all priests, religious, married couples and single persons build up the Church through lives of unselfish devotion and love.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)

Second DayV: The Second Day: St. Thomas, Lover of Purity.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification;R: That you should abstain from all fornication.”V: Know how to possess your vessel in sanctification and honorR: Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not GodV: For God has not called us unto uncleanlinessR: But unto sanctification. (1 Thes 3...7)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: Intercede for us, that each person, family, and all society may once again

value the virtue of chastity. * We pray that those in media and entertainment will work to promote a Catholic view of marriage and family life. * We pray that our schools will foster purity. * We pray that our priests and parishes will proclaim the Church’s true moral teaching * We pray that priests and religious will be celibate, living purely and chastely. * May Catholic moral standards act as a leaven in society and the Church, bringing about a greater respect for human life and God’s most holy and perfect Law.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)

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Feb 27

Feb 28

Third DayV: The Third Day: St. Thomas, Example of Humility.

“And whosever shall exalt himself shall be humbled:R: And he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Mt 23:12)

V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: As a young student and learned doctor, thou bore insults patiently without

retaliating * Thou wast endowed with a keen mind, but recognized God is the source of all gifts. * Thou humbly acknowledged thy dependence on God, * that man is nothing * that we are dust and to dust we shall return. * Thou begged God to enlighten thee so thou wouldst act only for His greater glory. * Pray for me too, * That I may learn to act out of humility and never from the empty desire for esteem and honor among men. * Help me to disdain human respect, seeking only God’s glory, the sanctification of souls, and right intentions. * May I seek to humble myself now, that God may favor me with mercy upon my death * and exalt me in eternal life hereafter.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)

Fourth DayV: The Fourth Day: St. Thomas, Devoted to Truth.

“But doing the truth in charity, we may in all things grow up,R: In Him who is the head, even Christ.” (Eph 4:15)V: Saint Thomas Aquinas,R: Thou devotest thy life to seeking the Truth and explaining it to others. * Thou

dedicated thy mind to God * and by the light of the Holy Ghost studied the Sacred Scriptures ever more deeply. * The gifts and grace thou received as a saint, theologian, and philosopher make thee the greatest Doctor of the Church. * In thy discussions, thou made Truth thy primary aim, * always seeking to inflame Catholics with love of the Church * and seeking to convert all to the Mystical Body of Christ, including heretics, Jews, Muslims, and Pagans. * Obtain for me too a great love of Truth. * Help me to ponder God’s word and draw from it the light and spiritual nourishment necessary to my state in life. * Keep me firmly rooted in the Truth. * Never let me be swayed by false teachings. * Never let me abandon thy one Catholic Church. * I pray also for those lost in darkness, help them come into the light of Truth.

(Recite the Daily Novena Prayer)5

March 1

March 2