O Little Therese of the Child Jesus,
Please pick a rose for me
From the heavenly gardens
And send it to me
As a message of love.
O little flower of Jesus,
Ask God today to grant the favors
I now place with confidence
In your hands.
(Mention your specific requests)
St. Therese,
help me to always believe,
As you did,
In God's great love for me,
So that I might imitate your
"Little Way" each day.
Amen
O Glorious St. Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid and inspire the human family, I implore your Miraculous Intercession. You are so powerful in obtaining every need of body and spirit from the Heart of God. Holy Mother Church proclaims you “Prodigy of Miracles… the greatest saint of Modern Times.” Now I fervently beseech you to answer my petition (mention here) and to carry out your promises of spending heaven doing good on earth… of letting fall from Heaven a Shower of Roses. Little Flower, give me your childlike faith, to see the Face of God in the people and experiences of my life, and to love God with full confidence. St. Therese, my Carmelite Sister, I will fulfill your plea “to be made known everywhere” and I will continue to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen.
Govern by all Thy Wisdom, O Lord, so that my soul may always be serving Thee as Thou dost Will, and not as I may choose. Do not punish me, I beseech Thee, by granting that which I wish or ask if it offended Thy Love, which would always live in me. Let me die to myself, so that I may love Thee. Let me live to Thee, Who art in Thyself, the True Life.
Dear St. Therese, guide me in your Little Way, so that I may ascend to the heights and happiness of Heaven.
The Twenty-four “Glory be to the Father’s” novena can be said at any time. However, the ninth to the seventeenth of the month is particularly recommended, for on those days the petitioner joins in prayer with all those making the novena.
The “Glory be to the Father” praising the Holy Trinity is said twenty-four times each of the nine days, in thanksgiving for all the blessings and favors given to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus during the twenty-four years of her life. In addition, this, or a similar prayer may be used:
“Holy Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, I thank Thee for all the blessings and favors Thou hast showered upon the soul of Thy servant Therese of the Child Jesus, during the twenty-four years she spent here on earth, and in consideration of the merits of this Thy most beloved Saint, I beseech Thee to grant me this favor, if it is in accordance with Thy most Holy Will and is not an obstacle to my salvation.”
After this Prayer, follow the twenty-four “Glory be to the Father’s,” between each of which may be included this short prayer:
“Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, pray for us.”
Father Putigan, a Jesuit, began the Novena to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus on December 3, 1925, asking the glorious Saint for one great favor. For nine days he recited the “Glory be to the Father” twenty-four times thanking the Holy Trinity for the favors and Graces showered on Saint Therese during the twenty-four years of her life on earth. The priest asked Saint Therese, that as a sign that his novena was heard he would receive from someone a freshly plucked rose. On the third day of the novena, an unknown person sought out Father Putigan and presented him with a beautiful rose.
Father Putigan began the second novena on December 24 of the same year, and as a sign, asked for a white rose. On the fourth day of this novena one of the Sister-nurses brought him a white rose saying: “Saint Therese sent you this.”
Amazed, the priest asked: “Where did you get this?”
“I was in the chapel,” said the Sister, “and as I was leaving I passed the altar above which hangs the beautiful picture of Saint Therese. This rose fell at my feet. I wanted to put it back into the bouquet, but a thought came to me that I should bring it to you.”
Father Putigan received the favors he had petitioned of the Little Flower of Jesus, and promised to spread the novena to increase devotion to, and bring her more honor.
In this fashion, from the ninth to the seventeenth of each month, those who want to participate in the Twenty-four “Glory be to the Father’s” novena, should add to those of their own, the intentions of all who are at that time making the novena, thus forming one great prayer in common.
The intercessory prayers can be found on Catholic websites.
For information about St. Therese, please visit Catholic Online at the following link: Saints
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Stained glass window of St. Therese - photographed inside St. Michael's Church, Netcong, NJ. Statue of Saint Therese photographed inside the Hall of Candles at the Shrine of Saint Joseph, Long Hill Road, Stirling, NJ, USA.
Photographs Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar
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