In celebration of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha’s life and faith, join the Black and Indian Mission Office in praying a Novena in honor of this first Native American saint.
Day One (July 6)
Love of Jesus
In the name of the Father, and
of the Son and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may
all grow stronger in our love of Jesus as you did.
St. Kateri, the seeds of faith planted in your heart by your mother began to blossom when you heard faithful missionaries preach in the name of Jesus. From the moment you heard the name of Jesus, you grew in your love for him. Your one desire was to know and serve him as you accepted baptism, received the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Eucharist, and served others in his name. Indeed, the last words you spoke before you passed from this life were: “Jesus, I love you.” Through your example and intercession, help me to grow in my love of Jesus so that I can devote my life to Him more fully and love others in his holy name. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
Amen.
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Two (July 7)
Love of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may carry our crosses and burdens joyfully and faithfully, as you did.
St. Kateri, in your life you demonstrated great devotion to the Cross of Jesus. Not only did you seek to place the image of the cross before your eyes at all times, you also embraced the many crosses that you encountered in life: persecution for your faith, pain of physical illness, loss of loved ones, and the practice of self-mortification. Through your example and intercession, help me to love the holy Cross of Jesus, and to bear patiently with suffering and pain in my life. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father …
Amen.
Glory be …
Amen.
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Three (July 8)
Love of the Eucharist
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may always find strength and hope in the Eucharist, as you did.
St. Kateri, you found great strength and joy in the celebration of the Mass, in extended prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and in frequent reception of Holy Communion.
Through your example and intercession, help me to grow in my love for the Holy Mass, in my reverence for the Blessed Sacrament and in my desire to receive our Lord Jesus in Holy Communion. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father …
Amen.
Glory be …
Amen.
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Four (July 9)
Love of Humility
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may strive for humility in our everyday actions and relationships, as you did.
St. Kateri, in imitation of Jesus and of His Blessed Mother, Mary, you embraced the way of true humility. You never sought preeminence for yourself, but rather submitted yourself wholeheartedly to Jesus, to the guidance of your spiritual directors, and to the good of others.
Through your example and intercession, help me to grow in the virtue of humility, accepting my dignity as a beloved child of God and the will of God in my life. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father …
Glory be …
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Five (July 10)
Love of Chastity
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may devote ourselves fully to God, even in times of suffering or persecution, as you did.
St. Kateri, in your love for Jesus and in imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, you
embraced the virtue of chastity and consecrated yourself in perpetual virginity for your Divine Spouse. Even when pressured by others to abandon this path of love, you held firm in your resolve with the grace of God.
Through your example and intercession, help me to grow in perfect chastity in a way appropriate to my state in life, so that I also can love the Lord above all things and give a positive example to others. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father …
Glory be …
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Six (July 11)
Love of Charity
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may be generous to those around us, especially those less fortunate than ourselves, as you did.
St. Kateri, in your love for Jesus you embodied a commitment to true charity and love for all. In doing so you cared for those who were ill and elderly, you reached out to those who were lonely, and you prayed always for the good of others. Even when others mistreated and abused you, you extended to them
the love of Jesus.
Through your example and intercession, help me to grow in the virtue of charity that I may do what I can to assist others and that I will grow in love especially for those who reject me and treat me with contempt. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father …
Glory be …
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Seven (July 12)
Love of the Church
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may welcome all into the Church and keep it always a place of mercy and love, as you did.
St. Kateri, in your love for Jesus you showed others the beauty of the Church, the true Bride of Christ. You were eager to learn the faith of the Church, you prayed for ministers of the Church, you sought guidance and counsel from the Church, and you longed to share with others the joy that you experienced in the Church.
Through your example and intercession, help me to grow in my love for the Church and to discern my own vocation to holiness in the life of the Church. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father …
Glory be …
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Eight (July 13)
Love of Creation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may care for all of God’s creation, as you did.
St. Kateri, during your life you rejoiced in the beauty of God’s creation. Taught by the heritage of your Nation to treasure the countless gifts of the earth and sky, the harmony of the changing seasons, and the precious life that rises within and around us, you found inspiration, solace and peace in these great gifts of God’s love. You are now the patroness of our environment and ecology.
Through your example and intercession, help me to rejoice in the natural beauty of the world in which I live and to be grateful for its bounty, that I also will be a good steward of the wondrous creation that God has entrusted to our care for the benefit of all in this generation and in the generations to come. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Amen.
Our Father …
Glory be …
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Day Nine (July 14)
Love of Heaven
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, Servant of Jesus Christ and devoted
Daughter of the Church, I seek your intercession in my present need: that we may always strive toward heaven in all that we do, as you did.
St. Kateri, true bride of Christ and daughter of the Church, you now enjoy the vision of God with all the saints in the Kingdom of Heaven. Look kindly upon me now.
Through your example and heavenly intercession, help me to long for the fullness of life and joy in heaven that I may, with God’s grace, grow in holiness of life. Like you, help me to know Jesus, to love the Church, to be devoted to prayer, to receive the Eucharist with joy, to rejoice in creation and to be of service to others. I ask this in the name of Jesus, the Lord
Amen.
Our Father …
Glory be …
St. Kateri, pray for us!
Concluding Prayer
Taken from the Roman Missal
Lord God, You called the virgin Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, to shine among the American Indian people as an example of innocence of life. Through her intercession, may all peoples of every tribe, tongue and nation, having been gathered into Your Church, proclaim your greatness in one song of praise.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Who was Saint Kateri Tekakwitha?
Pope Benedict XVI has described Saint Kateri Tekakwitha as a “striking example of sanctity and heroic charity,” serving as bridge between Native American and Roman Catholic traditions. As a young Mohawk-Algonquin woman, Kateri Tekakwitha dedicated her life to Jesus Christ and her holiness serves as an example today of faith and prayer. Her last words on earth were “Iesos konoronkwa,” – “Jesus, I love you.” Today, Saint Kateri is honored as the patroness of the environment and Native American communities as well as a model for the New Evangelization.
Birth: 1656
Death: April 17th, 1680
Canonization: October 21st, 2012
Feast Day: July 14th (U.S.)
For a printable version of the full novena, click here.
For more about Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, click here.
