EXPLANATION OF A NOVENA.
A "Novena" consists of acts of devotion, performed on nine consecutive days, to obtain a particular grace of either spiritual or temporal nature. These acts of devotion may consist of vocal prayers (for instance, nine "Hail Marys," followed by a "Hail, Holy Queen," or any other short prayer, or nine "Glory be to the Father," or a fixed number of ejaculatory prayers whilst at work, etc.); reception of the holy sacraments; acts of mortification (for example to refrain from unnecessary talk, to abstain from a particular kind of food we have a craving for, to break off sleep, and to spend this time in a pious manner, not to take a very comfortable posture while at prayer, etc.)
A person may choose the acts of devotion for himself, or better still, have them determined by his spiritual director. Particular care should be taken to avoid even the least voluntary venial sin and fault.
By a Novena pious Catholics prepare themselves for the feasts of our Lord, the Blessed Virgin or a particular saint; or pay honor to a special mystery of our holy religion.
The first Novena was made by the Blessed Virgin and the Apostles, at the command of our Lord Himself. It lasted from the Ascension of Christ into Heaven until the descent of the Holy Ghost on the feast of Pentecost.
