On April 16, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate his 84th birthday; three days later, on April 19, we will mark the sixth anniversary of his election as the Sovereign Pontiff of the Catholic Church. When he was chosen, Pope Benedict asked the faithful: "Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves." Many forces--political, intellectual, and most importantly spiritual--are arrayed against the Holy Father. While the Holy Spirit ensures that he cannot teach contrary to faith and morals, Pope Benedict is still a man, subject to fatigue and worry and temptation and trial.
With that in mind, we should honor his request and pray constantly that God may strengthen His servant, the visible symbol of the unity of the Church that Christ established. Therefore, I have chosen as our novena this week A Prayer for the Pope. Written by Pope Leo XIII, this prayer unites the faithful with the Holy Father, so that we may all be one in the peace that Christ offers to those who believe.
If you start praying this novena on Thursday, April 7, you will finish it on the eve of the Holy Father's birthday. And make sure to leave a message of support for Pope Benedict XVI this week, as he prepares for these two important anniversaries.
(Pope Benedict XVI leaves Lambeth Palace after paying a fraternal visit to the archbishop of Canterbury, September 17, 2010. Photo by Stefan Wermuth-WPA Pool/Getty Images)
If you have a favorite novena that you'd like me to choose as Novena of the Week, or if you'd like me to suggest a novena for a particular intention, send me an e-mail, and I'll work it into the rotation.
More on Pope Benedict XVI:
- Brief Biography of Pope Benedict XVI
- Pope Benedict: A Pontiff With a Plan
- Pope Benedict's motu proprio Summorum Pontificum
- Pope Benedict on the war in Iraq
- Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for 2011
- Pope Benedict's 2008 Visit to the United States
- Photos From Pope Benedict's May 2009 Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
- Pope Benedict's 2010 Visit to the United Kingdom
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