NOVENA to the HOLY GHOST
- Start Friday, May18 (nine days before the feast of Pentecost)

Foreword
The novena to the Holy Ghost is the oldest of all novenas since it
was first made at the direction of Our Lord when He sent His apostles
back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Ghost 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.

FIRST DAY
Holy Spirit! Lord of Light!
From Thy clear celestial height.
Thy pure beaming radiance give!

THE HOLY GHOST
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 Ghost 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 helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should
pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us."

Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, Who has vouchsafed to regenerate us by
water and the Holy Ghost, and hast given us forgiveness of all sins,
vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us Thy 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.

Our Father
Hail Mary
Glory be to the Father (seven times)
Act of Consecration
Prayer for the Seven Gifts

ACT OF CONSECRATION to the HOLY GHOST
On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer
myself, soul and body, to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the
brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and
the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In
Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by
unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from
the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and
grant that I may always watch for Thy light, and listen to Thy voice,
and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself
to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my
weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, and looking at His five
wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His opened
side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of
my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against
Thee. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son,
to say to Thee always and everywhere, "Speak Lord, for Thy servant
heareth." Amen.

PRAYER for the SEVEN GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven, didst promise
to send the Holy Ghost to finish Thy work in the souls of Thy
Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me
that He may perfect in my soul the work of Thy grace and Thy 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 Thy 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 Thee 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; 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 Thy
true disciples and animate me in all things with Thy Spirit. Amen.