Novena to the Holy Spirit

About This Novena

Our Novena has been amalgamated from two Novenas. The first is the Imprimatur of a Novena granted by Patrick O'Boyle, Archbishop of Washington, to the capital's Cathedral, in March 1948. The second is the special novena drafted by the Westminster Diocese Vocations Team to help us grow in personal holiness, drafted in 2020, especially for pilgrims to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.

St John Vianney once preached: "When we have the Holy Spirit, the heart expands and bathes itself in divine love. And so, we should say every morning, O God, send me Thy Spirit to teach me what I am and what Thou art."

Act of Consecration to the Holy Spirit

(To be said each day of the Novena)

I bow before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses and offer myself, body and soul to You, the Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the strength and light of my soul. In You I live and move. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You.

Mercifully guard my every thought. Grant that I may always watch for Your light, listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Mindful of the suffering of Jesus, meditating on His Holy Wounds, trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His stricken heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You.

Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father, and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord for Your servant is listening." Amen.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

(To be said each day of the Novena)

Lord Jesus Christ, before ascending into heaven You promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples. Grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love.

Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and desire only the things that are eternal. Give me the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel that I may always choose the way of pleasing You and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know You and myself and grow perfect on the path to holiness; the Spirit of Piety that I may seek to serve You and Your Church; and the Spirit of Fear and Awe that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards You, and dread to displease You in any way. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and inspire me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

Day One - The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit! Lord of light! From Thy clear celestial height, Thy pure beaming radiance give!

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Meditation: Our mighty and eternal God, who baptised us by water and the Holy Ghost, has given us the means to achieve the forgiveness of all our sins and to aspire to live in His ways of mercy and love.

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Two - The Gift of the Fear of God

Holy Spirit, come Thou, Father of the poor! Come, treasure which endures! Come Thou, Light of all that live.

Meditation: This gift brings us to our knees in reverence and awe before the glory and greatness of God, like Moses before the burning bush. In the heat of His love, we are confronted with all that is unworthy within us.

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Three - The Gift of Piety

Holy Spirit, thou, of all consolers, best, Visiting the troubled breast, Dost refreshing peace bestow.

Meditation: The gift of Piety creates in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect for His sake, persons and things consecrated to Him.

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Four - The Gift of Fortitude

Holy Spirit, thou in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe.

Meditation: By the gift of Fortitude, the soul is strengthened against natural fear and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude understands that "He that perseveres to the end shall be saved".

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Five - The Gift of Knowledge

Holy Spirit, Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit Thou these hearts of Thine, And our inmost being fill!

Meditation: The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth, in their relation to God. Knowledge is a fountain of life to those that possess it.

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Six - The Gift of Understanding

Holy Spirit, if Thou take Thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay, All his good is turned to ill.

Meditation: Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Ghost, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our beloved faith. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive.

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Seven - The Gift of Counsel

Holy Spirit, heal our wounds - our strength renew; On our dryness pour Thy dew! Wash the stains of guilt away!

Meditation: The gift of Counsel endows the soul with prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must be done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel is common sense given by the Holy Spirit.

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Eight - The Gift of Wisdom

Holy Spirit, bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray!

Meditation: Embodying all the other gifts, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of Wisdom it is written, "all good things come to me with her, and innumerable riches, through her hands".

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Day Nine - The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit, thou, on those who evermore Thee confess, and Thee adore, In Thy sevenfold gifts, descend.

Meditation: The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect our virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits: charity, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, modesty, self-control and chastity, that I may never weary in the service of God. Amen.

Please recite one Our Father; one Hail Mary; and seven times the Glory be.

Veni Creator Spiritus

Come Holy Spirit, Creator come, from thy bright heavenly throne. Come take possession of my soul and make it all thine own. Thou who are called the Paraclete, best gift of God above, the living spring, the living fire, sweet unction, and true love. Thou who are sevenfold in thy grace, finger of God's right hand. Your promise, teaching little ones, to speak and understand. O guide my mind with thy blest light, with love my heart inflame. And with thy strength which ne'er decays, confirm my mortal frame. Far from me drive the deadly foe. True peace unto me bring. And through all perils lead me safe, beneath thy sacred Wing.