Current Novenas
St. Joseph Novena
Saint Joseph has always been particularly special to the Marians. He is one of the patrons of our Congregation, and his name is given as an honorary title to each director of the Association of Marian Helpers. With this in mind, the Marians of the Immaculate Conception invite you to participate with us in our Novena to St. Joseph. This Novena leads us to the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since our earliest days on Eden Hill, the Marians have asked St. Joseph to watch over us. We continue to entrust to him the needs of our Congregation and our ministries. May St. Joseph watch over us all as quietly and faithfully as he watched over the Holy Family. You may send your intentions to be remembered in our St. Joseph Novena.
Easter Triduum Masses and Lilies
The three days of the Easter Triduum are an especially sacred time. Even when we are at home or at work, the Church encourages us to keep the spirit of those days.
Documents from Vatican Council II explain to us:
Christ redeemed us all and gave perfect glory to God principally through His Paschal mystery: dying He destroyed our death and rising He restored our life. Therefore the Easter Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the entire liturgical year.
General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar, 18
The expression "Triduum" means "three days." These three days are counted the same way the Hebrews counted their days: from dusk to dusk. Thus, it spans from Holy Thursday and Good Friday to the Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday.
The Marian Fathers invite you to send them your special intentions as they celebrate the Easter Triduum. You also can share the graces of this Sacred Triduum with others. To announce a gift of remembrance, you may select one of our Easter Gold cards to be sent to your loved ones.
As a heartfelt gesture toward our Merciful Savior, we decorate the Shrine with spring flowers. You may request to offer a Lily or to have a Votive Candle lit for your special intentions.
Divine Mercy Novena
This is a very special time for us here at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy as we prepare for our annual celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday. In the Diary of St. Faustina, Jesus asked that the Feast of Divine Mercy, known today as Divine Mercy Sunday, be preceded by a Novena to The Divine Mercy. A Novena is nine days of prayer in preparation for a feast. In the case of the Novena to The Divine Mercy, we pray the Chaplet of The Divine Mercy each day for a specific intention. Our Lord told St. Faustina, "I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw ... strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death" (Diary, 1209).
Please join us at the National Shrine as we follow our Lord's wish to bring to Him various intentions during our nine days of prayer. If you would like to enroll someone in the Novena, we will gladly send out an enrollment card to the person whom you have enrolled.
Easter Octave
As we journey through this holy season of Lent — a time of prayer, repentance, fasting, and works of mercy — we retreat into a desert of our own making to find the real God amid the clutter and din of our life. By observing these 40 days — from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday — we take part in a practice that is rooted deep within our Catholic tradition. We are called to prepare for the Easter Triduum and the realization of God's great love for each of us — a transforming, personal love that was demonstrated by Christ's death on the cross. Although innocent and free from sin, He was condemned to death and suffered the Passion for us. He sacrificed His human body on a cross and died for each of us. As we prepare for the resurrection of Christ — a central mystery of our Catholic faith — I invite you to share His gifts of love and mercy with those closest to you by enrolling them in our Easter Octave which starts on Easter Sunday and ends with the Feast of Divine Mercy at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy. If you like, a special card will be sent to your loved ones informing them that they have been enrolled in the Octave. In addition, a seven-day votive candle is also available. And, as always, our Congregation — the Marians of the Immaculate Conception — will remember your special intentions.