Our Lady of Knock Novena: August 14-22
At about 8 o’clock on the Thursday evening of the 21st of August, 1879, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the South gable of the Church at Knock, County Mayo, Ireland, beside them and a little to the right was an altar with a cross and the figure of a lamb, around which angels hovered.
There were fifteen official witnesses to the apparition-young and old. They watched it for two hours in pouring rain and recited the Rosary. Today, Knock ranks among the world’s major Marian Shrines with the full approval of the Church. Pope John Paul II visited the shrine on September 30, 1979, presenting the Golden Rose to this Shrine.
Not everyone is aware however, that the marvelous appearance on the gable of the Knock Church came on the day when the parish priest, Archdeacon Cavanagh, finished offering, as he had promised, 100 consecutive Masses for the suffering souls in Purgatory! A few months before the apparition the Archdeacon began to offer 100 Masses for the poor souls whom Our Lady wished most to release. It was on the day of the one hundredth Mass was offered Our Lady came to visit Knock.
Surely, that extraordinary devotion to the Holy Souls had a part to play in the gift of the vision from Heaven. If such a response came from heaven to Archdeacon Cavanagh, then surely Our Lady wants to encourage us all to remove the torment of our dead. Our Lady is the mother of her children, above all her suffering children. She is the Refuge of Sinners on earth and in Purgatory.
Indeed, we can dig deeper there for a link with our own day regarding this apparition. The REASON the parish priest turned in this way to the Holy Souls was a painful problem similar to what affects many countries today. A secret organization resorting to violence had threatened the priest by letter for preaching against their tactics. They resented his condemnation of violence, which prevented them from gaining recruits in the Knock parish. In his distress, he turned to the suffering souls and called on his parishioners to fill the church for 100 days of these offered Masses. And what an answer he was given from Heaven!
This clearly tells us that the Holy Souls stopped the violence through Our Lady’s intercession at Knock. This applies to our day with the unspeakable violence and terrorist attacks around the world. The world is full of terrible sin. We have fires and floods. Even nature is rebelling. Now is the time to act! Here are some powerful means to help:
Ask a priest (perhaps one who is retired) to offer 100 Masses for the Holy Souls for the intention of world peace. We have done this in Chicago, Texas and Philadelphia. Attend Mass and receive Holy Communion for 100 days. If that is not possible, offer 100 Masses (or four sets of Gregorian Masses) offered for the souls in Purgatory for World Peace. Contact the Pious Union of St. Joseph www.pusj.org for Masses.
Several people can go in together for the Mass stipend for these Masses. Can you imagine the power we have to stop the violence and wars with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, fasting and prayer! We lay up treasure ensuring a favorable welcome for our own soul when our last hour draws near.
The Holy Souls in Purgatory are pleading for our Masses and prayers. The Mass is the greatest prayer to give the Holy Souls to behold the face of God! Make their desire your desire.
A Holy Soul said the following: “You the living can do everything for us, and we can do everything for you. It is an exchange of prayers.”
Our Lady of Knock, pray for us!
Excerpts taken from Praying with the Saints for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, OSV, Copyright, 2009.
Novena to Our Lady of Knock
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Give praise to the Father Almighty,
to His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord,
to the Spirit who lives in our hearts,
both now and forever. Amen.
Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress, and comforted them in sorrow. You have inspired countless pilgrims to pray with confidence to your Divine Son, remembering His promise, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find.”
Help me to remember that we are all pilgrims on the road to heaven. Fill me with love and concern for my brothers and sisters in Christ, especially those who live with me. Comfort me when I am sick, lonely or depressed. Teach me how to take part ever more reverently in the Holy Mass. Give me a greater love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Pray for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy of us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
St. Joseph,
chosen by God to be the husband of Mary,
the protector of the Holy Family,
the Guardian of the Church,
protect our families in their work and recreation
and guard us on our journey through life.
(Repeat – Lamb of God, etc.)
St. John,
beloved disciple of the Lord,
faithful priest,
teacher of the Word of God,
help us to hunger for the Word,
to be loyal to the Mass
and to love one another.
(Repeat – Lamb of God, etc.)
Our Lady of Knock, pray for us
Refuge of Sinners, pray for us
Queen assumed into Heaven, pray for us
Mother of Nazareth, pray for us
Queen of Virgins, pray for us
Help of Christians, pray for us
Health of the Sick, pray for us
Queen of Peace, pray for us
Our Lady, Queen and Mother, pray for us
Our Lady, Mother of the Church, pray for us.
(Here mention your own special intentions)
With the Angels and Saints let us pray:
give praise to the Father Almighty,
to His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord.
to the Spirit who lives in our hearts,
both now and forever. Amen.
The Rosary or Mass is recommended along with this novena.