St. Gerard Majella Novena
Expectant mothers, motherhood, childbirth, children, and the falsely accused
Tradition: Redemptorist lay brother (Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer); beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 and canonized by Pope Pius X in 1904.
Associated feast: Feast of St. Gerard Majella (October 16)
When to pray: Prayed especially by expectant mothers and those hoping for a child, and by families in need; often in the nine days before October 16. May be prayed on any nine consecutive days.
Begin Day 1 →About this devotion
Saint Gerard Majella (1726-1755) was a Redemptorist lay brother from Muro, Italy, whose short, hidden life of humility and charity made him one of the most beloved saints of the Church. He is honored above all as the patron of expectant mothers and of motherhood.
This nine-day novena follows the path of Saint Gerard's life — his holy childhood, his trust in God's providence, his total self-gift in religious life, his charity to the poor and sick, and the famous account of his handkerchief, from which his patronage of mothers arose. It is prayed especially for a safe pregnancy and delivery, for children, and for families in need. Saint Gerard was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1893 and canonized by Pope Pius X in 1904.
The Nine Days
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Day 1: A Holy Childhood
Scripture: Matthew 18:3
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Day 2: Trust in Divine Providence
Scripture: Matthew 6:31-33
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Day 3: A Total Self-Gift
Scripture: Luke 9:23
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Day 4: Charity to the Poor and the Sick
Scripture: Matthew 25:40
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Day 5: A Reader of Hearts
Scripture: Psalm 139:1-2
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Day 6: The Handkerchief and Expectant Mothers
Scripture: Luke 1:42
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Day 7: For Mother and Child
Scripture: Psalm 139:13-14
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Day 8: A Holy Death
Scripture: Philippians 1:21
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Day 9: Continuing Intercession
Scripture: Hebrews 12:1
Daily Novena Prayer
Psalm 139:13-14
You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know.
This psalm of the child knit together in the womb (New American Bible) may be prayed as the daily closing of the novena.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a novena?
A novena is a nine-day cycle of prayer, modeled on the nine days the Apostles spent in prayer with Mary between the Ascension and Pentecost (Acts 1:14). Each day a specific prayer or set of prayers is offered, often for a particular intention or to a particular saint.
When is the best time to pray the St. Gerard Majella Novena?
Prayed especially by expectant mothers and those hoping for a child, and by families in need; often in the nine days before October 16. May be prayed on any nine consecutive days.
What if I miss a day of the novena?
Catholic devotional practice does not treat missing a day as invalidating the novena. The traditional pastoral counsel is to continue from where you left off, or to repeat the missed day. The intention behind the prayer matters more than rigid sequential observance.
Source
https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/st-gerard-majella-5355
Primary sources