05/15/2026
✝ “Jesus has made Himself the Bread of Life to give us life. If you really want to grow in love, come back to the Eucharist. Come back to Adoration.” ~ Saint Teresa of Calcutta
✝ Our final Family Gathering of the year is this Sunday following 9 a.m. Mass. Finish the year strong by completing the Spiritual Exercises too. And remember to register for next year- grades kindergarten through 10th.
✝ 40 Hours is almost here! Spend some time with Jesus in church Sunday 1-7 p.m. as well as Monday and Tuesday 9:15 a.m.-7 p.m. Father Rienzo will conclude each day with Vespers and Benediction starting at 7 p.m.
✝ Pray the attached Holy Spirit Novena in preparation for Pentecost a week from Sunday. Start today!
✝ Come support one of our FFF families and celebrate John’s life!
✝ RETROUVAILLE: Rediscover the Love in Your Marriage! Couples learn to build communication skills and to increase intimacy. It provides help for marriage problems, difficulties or crises. To register for July 31-August 2 at the Family Life Center in Malvern, call 215-766-3944 or visit MarriageHelpDelVal.org.
NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
FOREWORD
The novena in honor of the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the direction
of Our Lord Himself when He sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit
on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the
Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light, strength and love so sorely needed
by every Christian.
The Novena begins on the day after the Solemnity of the Ascension. After the reflection and the prayer
each day pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, seven Glory Be prayers, the Act of Consecration to the
Holy Spirit, and the Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body, to You,
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 and am. 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 and grant that I may always watch for Your light,
listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask
You, by Your compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking
at His Five Wounds, trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His opened Side and 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
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your
work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to 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 aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of
Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may
ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear
my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the
Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the saints,
the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may
be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me,
dear Lord with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.
FIRST DAY (Friday after the Ascension)
Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming radiance give!
The Holy Spirit
Only one thing is important- eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared- sin. Sin is the
result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of
Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with
love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily for "…the Spirit too comes
to the aid of our weakness; for we know not how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes
with inexpressible groanings" (Romans 8:26).
Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, Who have vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and
have given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us Your sevenfold Spirit,
the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge
and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.
SECOND DAY (Saturday, 6th Week of Easter)
Come, Father of the poor. Come, treasures which endure. Come, Light of all that live!
The Gift of Fear
The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God and makes us dread nothing so much as to
offend Him by sin. It is a fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence
and filial submission to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us
from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us from God. "Those who fear the Lord prepare
their hearts and humble themselves before Him” (Sirach 2:17).
Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, pe*****te my inmost heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God,
before my face forever. Help me to shun all things that can offend You and make me worthy to appear
before the pure eyes of Your Divine Majesty in heaven, where You live and reign in the unity of the ever
Blessed Trinity, God world without end. Amen.
THIRD DAY (7th Sunday of Easter)
You, of all consolers best, visiting the troubled breast, dost refreshing peace bestow.
The Gift of Piety
The gift of Piety begets 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 as well as those who are vested
with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and
superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his
religion not a burdensome duty but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labor.
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein such a love for God that I may find
satisfaction only in His service and, for His sake, lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen.
FOURTH DAY (Monday, 7th Week of Easter)
You in toil art comfort sweet, pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe.
The Gift of Fortitude
By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear and supported to the end in the
performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy which move it to undertake
without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to
endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "But the one who perseveres
to the end will be saved" (Matthew 24:13).
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts
after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I
may never be overcome and separated from You, my God and greatest Good. Amen.
FIFTH DAY (Tuesday, 7th Week of Easter)
Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit You these hearts of Yours, and our inmost being fill!
The Gift of Knowledge
The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth-in their relation to
God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out their only
true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity
and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light we put first things first and
prize the friendship of God beyond all else. "Knowledge is a fountain of life to its possessor” (Proverbs
16:22).
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father. Show me the
nothingness of earthly things that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Your glory and my
own salvation, looking ever beyond them to You and Your eternal rewards. Amen.
SIXTH DAY (Wednesday, 7th Week of Easter)
If You take Your grace away, nothing pure in man will stay; all his good is turned to ill.
The Gift of Understanding
Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy
religion. By faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It
enables us to pe*****te the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to
newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears
eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us. We begin to "live in a manner worthy of the Lord so as to
be fully pleasing in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians
1:10).
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds that we may know and believe all the
mysteries of salvation and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Your Light and in the light of glory
to have a clear vision of You and the Father and the Son. Amen.
SEVENTH DAY (Thursday, 7th Week of Easter)
Heal our wounds-our strength renew; on our dryness pour Your dew, wash the stains of guilt away.
The Gift of Counsel
The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence enabling it to judge promptly and
rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by
Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our
daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common
sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation.
Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways that I may always do Your holy will. Incline
my heart to that which is good. Turn it away from all that is evil and direct me by the straight path of
Your commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long.
EIGHTH DAY (Friday, 7th Week of Easter)
Bend the stubborn heart and will. Melt the frozen, warm the chill. Guide the step
