Novena Prayers

Beloved Anthony of Padua, Doctor of the Gospel, light of the Church, true follower of St. Francis of Assisi, help us to have a true and solid devotion to you, following the sample of your life in the work of God and His people. Hold before us the holy scriptures, the source of your Wisdom, and be to us a teacher of the ways of God and the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Help us to cultivate the love of God in our hearts then, as you said, the King of Kings will rule over us and cleanse our hearts from sin and selfishness, and we shall love our neighbor as you taught. May your spirit of prayer and chastity make us faithful to the vows of our Baptism, the vows of our religious life. Be an apostle and teacher to the people of our time, that we may live the Gospel of Christ with you, spreading the spirit of that Gospel to all men and women. Pray that the spirit of Christian love and unity may fill all the people of God, and bring all His children together again as one flock with one shepherd. Amen.
 

Dear St. Anthony, one of the gentlest and kindest of saints, your love for God and virtue and charity toward your fellow man made you worthy on earth to exercise miraculous powers. Nothing was impossible for you.
 
Encouraged by this thought, we ask you to obtain for us the special favors we seek at this time. O kind and holy wonder-worker, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, present our petitions for these favors sought through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
 

O blessed St. Anthony, the grace of God has made you a powerful intercessor in all our needs, and the patron for the restoration of things lost or stolen. To you I turn today with heartfelt confidence.
 
You are a counselor of the confused, comforter of the troubled, healer of the sick, refuge of the fallen. You have helped countless children of God find what they have lost – not just things of this world, but more important, things of the spirit – faith, hope, and love. Amen.
 

O glorious wonder-worker, St. Anthony, father of the poor and comforter of the troubled, you have come to my assistance with great kindness and have strengthened me abundantly. I give you my heartfelt thanks. Accept my offering and with it my promise to live always in the love of Jesus and of my neighbor. Continue to grant your protection, and obtain for me the grace one day to enter the kingdom of heaven, to join with you and all the saints in praising God for his everlasting kindness. Amen.
 
(During the observance of the thirteen Tuesdays prior to the feast of St. Anthony, the readings and prayers for each Tuesday may be included at this point in the novena.)