SOLEMN NOVENA IN HONOUR OF ST. GERARD MAJELLA

The Solemn Novena begins each year on October 8th and ends on October 16th the feast day of St. Gerard.  Each day of the Novena has ten sessions to which thousands of people from near and far come to give thanks and to make their petitions.  People can also receive a blessing of the first class relic of the Saint which is kept here in St. Joseph's.

Gerard Majella was born in 1726 in the southern Italian town of Muro near Naples.  As he grew up, Gerard spent a lot of time in prayer and he developed a great love for God.  He became known for his kindness to people and led a frugal life, so that he could share his tailor's earnings with the poor.  When he was 23 he left home to become a Redemptorist.  He was particularly faithful to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, meditation on the Passion of Jesus, and devotion to our Blessed Mother.  His work, which varied from cleaning and cooking to giving spiritual advice was an inspiration to all.  He was well known too for his care of the poor and distressed.

At the age of 29, he got tuberculosis and died on October 16th 1755.  He was declared a saint by Pope Pius X in 1904.

Today. St. Gerard has won the love and devotion of many for the numerous miracles attributed to his intercession.  He is well known for his protection of expectant mothers and is recognised as patron of mothers and babies.  He is popularly known as "the mothers' saint."

Our Annual Solemn Novena gathers 10,000 people daily and is known as a "Festival of Faith" which continues to nourish the faith journey of so many people in modern Ireland.

The Novena Prayer
Almighty God, from his boyhood years you blessed St Gerard with generosity of soul and let him to do your will in heroic ways.
St Gerard, dear friend of God, pray that our sense of God will grow strong.  Pray that Jesus Our Lord, will be a living presence in our lives.  Pray that the fullness and beauty of the faith will take possession of us and bring us fully alive.
Amen.