St. Angela Merici Novena
Contents
Show HideSt. Angela Merici was an Italian saint who lived in the 1400s-1500s. She was a religious educator, and she founded the Ursuline religious order. The Ursulines came to be a prominent religious order throughout Europe and eventually the whole world!
St. Angela Merici had a particularly deep prayer life and relationship with God. You can use this novena to seek intercession from this wonderful saint in your own life!
About St. Angela Merici
St. Angela Merici was born in 1474 in Lombardy.
When Angela was ten years old, her parents died. She and her sister then lived with their uncle. They led a quiet, devout life for some time. But then Angela’s sister died suddenly, without the opportunity to receive the last sacraments.
Angela was deeply troubled and worried about her sister’s eternal salvation. She asked God to reveal to her the state of her sister’s soul, and God gave her a vision of her sister in Heaven.
Angela began to feel the call to dedicate her life to serving the Church. She joined the Third Order of St. Francis and decided to become a consecrated virgin.
When Angela was twenty, her uncle died so she returned home. She saw in her hometown that there were many young girls with no hope of receiving an education.
Angela decided to open her home to educate these girls in the Faith. Around this time, Angela had another vision in which God asked her to establish an institution of consecrated virgins to devote themselves to religious education of young girls.
Angela’s endeavor was very successful, because of her natural leadership qualities and her devotion to God. A neighboring town asked her to establish a similar school there.
In 1535, Angela and the twelve young women who had joined in her work formed the Company of St. Ursula.
The goal of this community was to provide Catholic education to future wives and mothers, so that Catholic family life could be strengthened. Angela and her foundation opened many schools and orphanages.
After four years, Angela’s foundation had twenty-eight members. The women dedicated themselves to God and to charitable service, but they remained in the world. They did not take formal religious vows or a habit. Angela wrote a Rule for her foundation, which included celibacy, poverty, and obedience.
By the time Angela died in 1540, there were twenty-four communities of the Company of St. Ursula. Angela’s foundation was not formally recognized as a religious order until after she died. The Ursulines became the first women’s religious order to teach outside the convent.
After her death, Angela was interred in the Church of St. Afra. This was to fulfill her request to be placed near the remains of the Brescian martyrs’ tombs, where she had often prayed during her life.
Angela Merici was canonized by Pope Pius VII in 1807.
St. Angela Merici’s Feast Day: January 27th
Why Pray the St. Angela Merici Novena?
St. Angela Merici is the patron saint of handicapped people. You can seek her intercession on behalf of a handicapped person you know, or if you yourself are handicapped.
St. Angela Merici is also the patron saint of the sick, so you can definitely ask for her prayers if you are sick, or for someone you know who is sick.
You can also seek intercession from St. Angela Merici if you are grieving the loss of your parents, since she is also the patron saint of those who have lost their parents.
You can pray the St. Angela Merici Novena for any intention!
St. Angela Merici Novena Prayers
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue she showed in dedicating her life to working for a renewal of family life in society.
St. Angela Merici, you lost your parents and your sister when you were very young. You did not have the benefit of a happy family life with them, but you chose to continue serving God throughout your life.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served!
You chose to dedicate your life to God, as a young woman. You worked to educate young girls in the Faith, so that they might sanctify their homes and family life when they grew to adulthood.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to serve God, as you did. Pray that I, too, may work for the sanctification of family life in society and in my home.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed in remaining faithful throughout the sufferings of grief over her family members’ deaths.
St. Angela Merici, you lost your parents when you were a young girl. You also suffered deeply when your sister died suddenly. Despite your sufferings, you held fast to your Faith and continued serving God.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God!
You longed to devote your life more fully to God, and you chose to consecrate yourself to His service. You spent the rest of your life seeking to serve Him by educating young girls in the Faith.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to serve God in my life, despite any sufferings I might endure. Pray that I may never allow sufferings to distract me from my path to holiness.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed in choosing a life of consecrated virginity in Your service.
St. Angela Merici, you felt called to dedicate your life to serving the Church. You joined the Third Order of St. Francis and decided to become a consecrated Virgin, so that you might serve God more wholeheartedly.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so wholeheartedly!
You soon saw the need for women religious dedicated to the religious education of young girls. You answered the call to fill this need by forming the Company of St. Ursula.
Pray for me, that I may respond generously to God’s call in my life, as you did. Pray that I may always seek to do His will unreservedly.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the virtue she showed in seeking to be open to Your will in her life.
St. Angela Merici, you were a young woman when you felt the call to dedicate your life to serving the Church. As you joined the Third Order of St. Francis and became a consecrated virgin, you sought to follow God’s will in your life.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
You later saw that God was calling you to serve Him through religious education of young girls. You used your talents to bring about success in this endeavor, and God worked through you to establish many schools and orphanages.
Pray for me, that I may always be open to God’s will in my life. Pray that I may always seek to serve God in whatever ways He calls me to.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed through her deep charitable love of neighbor.
St. Angela Merici, you opened yourself up to the will of God for your life and sought to do all you could to serve Him.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God Whom you sought to serve!
When you saw that there were many poor young girls in your hometown who had no opportunity to be educated, you were moved to begin the work of educating them. Out of love for God and your neighbor, you desired to set these girls on the path to holiness through education in the Faith.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to serve God through charity toward my neighbor. Pray that I may never miss the opportunities for charitable love that God puts before me.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You that she showed in seeking to form her students in the Faith.
St. Angela Merici, you spent many years of your life devoted to the work of education. You did not see the work of teaching as merely an occupation, but instead as a work of devotion to God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so faithfully!
You saw that you could form your students to be faithful Catholics through your work of education. You worked diligently to establish schools and orphanages, and to bring other women into this endeavor with you.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to lead others to God in any way that I can. Pray that I may take every opportunity to help bring those around me to holiness.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You that she showed in choosing to consecrate herself to Your service.
St. Angela Merici, you felt called to dedicate your life to serving God from the time you were a young woman. You decided to become a consecrated virgin, in order to serve God more fully.
Please continue to bring my petitions before God Whom you served so wholeheartedly!
You established the Company of St. Ursula, in order to carry out your call to serve God through educating young girls. This foundation would become the Ursuline religious order, and many women serve God in this order today.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to do God’s will in my life. Pray that I may always carry out the duties of my vocation faithfully, as you did.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed through her work in Catholic education.
St. Angela Merici, you saw the need for education of poor young girls in your community. You sought to fill this need, and you persevered in working hard to provide for these girls throughout the rest of your life.
Please persevere in bringing my petitions before God!
You believed that religious education could help bring about the renewal of holy family life in our world. You worked diligently to form your pupils to be holy women.
Pray for me, that I may always seek to help lead others to holiness in my life. Pray that I may do all I can to work for the sanctification of family life in our world, as you did.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Angela Merici Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Angela Merici as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed in working to establish the Company of St. Ursula for service to You.
St. Angela Merici, you saw the great need in your society for religious education of poor young girls. Knowing that a strong education in the Faith for them could help transform society, you worked faithfully to establish a foundation devoted to this task.
Please faithfully continue to bring my petitions before God!
Though your foundation was not formally recognized as a religious order until after your death, the work you did bore great fruit and continues to do so today.
Pray for me, that I may always be eager to put my gifts to use serving God. Pray that I may take every opportunity to work for the glory of God in the world.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Angela Merici, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.