Novena to St. Vincent Ferrer

April 5th.

1. Most pious St. Vincent, whose delight from your tenderest infancy, consisted in assisting your suffering neighbours: intercede with the Lord, that we may be blessed with a similar spirit of charity towards the poor, and may devote ourselves continually to help and console them. Gloria.

2. Admirable St. Vincent, who, though little skilled in human science, wast far advanced in the practice of every virtue: intercede for us with the Lord, that we may possess the grace to make continual progress in perfection, according to our state of life. Gloria.

3. Most generous St. Vincent, who, faithfully corresponding to divine inspirations, despised all the deceits and false promises of the world, to devote yourself irrevocably to the salvation of souls: intercede for us, with the Lord, that we may have grace to obey every divine call, and prefer the constant and faithful service of Jesus Christ to all the pomps and pleasures of the world. Gloria.

4. Most fervent St. Vincent, who, notwithstanding the continual labour of your apostolate, ceased not to mortify your flesh with all kinds of severity, and to nourish your spirit by unwearied prayers: intercede for us, with the Lord, that we may have the grace never to relax, even amidst the most important employments, in those exercises of piety which are indispensable for our own sanctification. Gloria.

5. Most pious St. Vincent, who avoided with so much care all occasions of sin: obtain for us grace, from the Lord, to fly, as we would from a serpent, every thing which might stain our purity, that we may continually edify our brethren by the holiness of our lives. Gloria.

6. Most zealous St. Vincent, who, by constantly preaching the most awful truths, especially the final judgment, obtained the conversion of so many thousands of sinners: obtain for us, of the Lord, the grace so continually to meditate on the truths of faith, that we may work out our own salvation with holy fear and trembling. Gloria.

7. Most humble St. Vincent, applauded as you were by Heaven and earth in your apostolic ministry, accompanied from city to city by a numberless multitude with magistrates and bishops obsequiously attending upon you, as if you had been an angel come down from heaven: procure for us, of the Lord, the grace to keep ourselves humble amidst honour or disgrace, in prosperity or in adversity; so that by conforming our lives to yours, we may merit to have part with you in the eternal happiness which you enjoy with the saints and angels in Paradise. Gloria.