Homeschool planning is in full force in our home.  We start our homeschooling year with a novena, thanks to the wise counsel of a holy Priest and the prompting of a veteran homeschooling friend.

The novena starts July 22 and ends on July 30, the eve of the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola.   It can also begin on July 23 and end on his feastday, July 31.

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN US!

Let us form a communion of prayer to discern God’s will, Glorify God, and raise one another up. 

It seems that no matter, how many years one has been at this, the balancing of interests and needs of our families, while ever-changing never gets any clearer or even any easier.   Each year we are faced with decisions about our children’s education, what grade, what subjects, what books along with trying to fit into a 24 hour day all the other things we do that are necessary to keeping our homes, like laundry, dishes, etc.  We wonder how many outside activities we can reasonably take on, what to make sure we include and what we may have to omit.  In the end each of us desires to do the Will of God, for ourselves and for our families, each and every member.  The desire to do His Will does not necessarily always translate though into a clear understanding at all times what exactly His Will may be and so we try very hard to balance all the decisions that our multi-faceted vocation entails and discern what He is really asking us to do.  ~G.M.

Novena to St. Ignatius of Loyola

 

V. In the Name (✠) of the Father…

R. Amen.

 

Suscipe (Prayer by St. Ignatius)

V. Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty,

R.  My memory, my understanding * and my entire will * All I have and call my own. * Thou hast given all to me, * To Thee, O Lord, I return it. * Everything belongs to Thee; * do with it as Thou wilt. * Give me only Thy love and Thy grace, * That is enough for me. Amen.

 

Anima Christi (Prayer by St. Ignatius)

V. Soul of Christ,                                R. Sanctify me.

V. Body of Christ,                               R. Save me.

V. Blood of Christ,                             R. Inebriate me.

V. Water from the side of Christ,    R. Wash me.

V. Passion of Christ,                          R. Strengthen me.

V. O Good Jesus (☨),                         R. Hear me.

V. Within Thy wounds,                     R. Shelter me.

V. Separated from Thee,                  R. Let me never be.

V. From the evil one,                        R. Protect me.

V. At the hour of my death,             R. Call me.

V. Into Thy presence,                       R. Lead me.

V. That I may praise Thee,              R. With all Thy angels and saints, forever and ever. Amen.

 

Prayer for Generosity (by St. Ignatius)

V. Lord, do Thou teach me to be generous.

R. Teach me to serve Thee as Thou deserves: * To give and not to count the cost, * To fight and not to heed the wounds, * to toil and not to seek for rest, * to labor and not to ask for reward, * save that of knowing * that I do Thy divine and holy Will. Amen. *

 

Novena Prayer

V. O glorious Patriarch, St. Ignatius of Loyola,

R. We humbly beseech thee to obtain for us from Almighty God, * above all things else, * deliverance from sin, * which is the greatest of evils, * and next, from those scourges * wherewith the Lord chastises the sins of His people.

V. And by thy glorious merits we beseech thy benevolent intercession before the throne of Almighty God, that He may grant us:

(Pause and state your intentions)

V. May thine example, O Loyal Knight of Our Lady, enkindle in our hearts an effectual desire,

R. To employ ourselves continually in laboring for the greater glory of God * and the good of our fellowmen; * obtain for us, likewise, from the loving Heart of Jesus (☨) Our Lord, * that grace which is the crown of all graces, * that is to say, the grace of final perseverance and everlasting happiness. * Amen.

V. Laudetur Jesus (☨) Christus! (Praise be Jesus Christ)

R. Nunc et in æternum. Amen. (Now and forever)

V. In the Name (✠) of the Father…

R. Amen.

 

Printable Novena to St. Ignatius of Loyola

 

St. Ignatius, ora pro nobis