St. Edith Stein Novena

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Edith Stein is also known as St. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross. She was a Jewish convert to the Catholic faith.

She became an atheist after being disillusioned by the lack of faith around her. As an adult, she encountered Christians alive with their faith.

These encounters drew Edith to Catholicism. She eventually joined a Carmelite convent.

Unfortunately, her Jewish past drew the attention of the Nazis. After being captured, she was killed in 1942 at Auschwitz. She is most known for her intellectual writings and leadership in the Faith as a woman.

Pray the Edith Stein novena for her powerful intercession!

About St. Edith Stein

When Edith Stein was born, there was probably very little indication that she would be a saint. In fact, Edith was Jewish.

Edith was born into a Jewish family of 11 in Germany in 1891. Her father died when she was two. Edith’s mother was left to run the family business and take care of her 11 children all on her own.

Edith was a bright child from the very beginning. She knew that faith had to be lived out. Unfortunately, she didn’t see that in anyone around her. She eventually lost faith as a child and became an atheist.

Edith was passionate about women’s issues and equality in college. She also thrived on learning. Her love of knowledge and thinking lead her to philosophy. She eventually earned a doctorate in the subject.

The First World War interrupted Edith’s plans for a while. She became a nurse during the war. This career didn’t suit her intellectual nature. She also found it hard to watch people die.

After the war, Edith completed her degree. She longed to be a professor, but that field was not open for women at the time.

At that time, she started to meet Christians who were more invested in their faith. Her studies of philosophy had naturally put her in contact with Christian beliefs. These studies began to open her mind to the possibility of God. She was consumed by the search for truth.

Seeing the faith of a friend’s widow began to crack open her heart. It was a book on St. Theresa of Avila that finally concluded her quest for truth. Just a few months later, she was baptized into the Catholic church.

Anything Edith did, she did wholeheartedly. Thus, she wanted to join a convent soon after being baptized. She was not given permission to enter, however. She took a job as a German and history teacher instead.

She was also encouraged to become a speaker on women’s issues. Edith struggled to find the balance between religion and things of the world. She wrote:

“I ... thought that leading a religious life meant giving up all earthly things and having one's mind fixed on divine things only. Gradually, however, I learnt that other things are expected of us in this world.”

She discovered that part of a Christian’s duty is to bring God into the world. Sometimes, that meant getting involved in secular matters.

Eventually, Edith was given permission to join the Carmelite order. This permission was partly to keep her safe. As a former Jew, the Nazis would have targeted her with their hatred. Edith took the name Sr. Theresa Benedicta of the Cross and joined the cloistered community.

Just a few years later, the Nazi government in Germany made it dangerous for her to stay. She fled to a convent in Holland.

Unfortunately, the Nazis invaded and occupied Holland as well. It did not matter to them that Edith had converted. Any former Jew was still under their rules. Edith was captured in August of 1942 and sent to Auschwitz. On August 9, Edith was put to death in the gas chambers.

Edith was beatified in 1987 and canonized in 1998. She is the patron saint of Europe, those who have lost parents, martyrs, and World Youth Day.

Saint Edith Stein’s Feast Day: August 9

Why Pray the St. Edith Stein Novena?

Edith Stein is the patron of many things!

She is one of several patron saints of Europe.

She is also seen as the patron saint of those whose parents have died. Those who have lost a parent may pray this novena in their grief or for the soul of a loved one.

Additionally, she is a patron saint of martyrs. Finally, she helps oversee the youth gathering World Youth Day. Young adults may be particularly attracted to this modern saint and her novena.

Many also have an affinity to Edith for her intellectual abilities and see her as a leader for women within the Church. She is a wonderful model of the “feminine genius.” You can pray to her for academic success.

You can pray the St. Edith Stein Novena for any intention!

St. Edith Stein Novena Prayers

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 1

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

We praise you, God, for St. Edith’s ability to hold firm to her faith. She knew death awaited her at the concentration camp. Yet, Edith actually longed to prove her faith and love for You in this way.

Saint Edith, please help me to also be strong in my own faith. Help me to withstand the trial and persecution I may face for believing in God. Whether suffering ridicule or physical harm, guide me by your example and prayers to stay true to God.

I ask that you help me to keep my eyes fixed on the cross. I know that is where you kept your thoughts during your persecution. As I gaze upon my suffering Lord Jesus, I ask that you pray for my intentions:

(State your intentions here)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 2

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

God, we know the suffering that unfaithfulness brings you. We also know the joy you feel in watching Your children embrace the faith and Your love.

That is why I am so grateful for your example, Saint Edith. Even at a young age, you knew that faith was something to be lived. You didn’t see that example in the world around you. You didn’t cave into this example. You didn’t become lukewarm. You held out for the truth. Pray for me, that I can do the same.

You were also willing to admit when you had found  the truth. Your own encounter with God was the result of seeing others living their faith. You wanted that same love and weren’t afraid to accept it.

Today, I bring to you all those who do not know God. Edith, you know the struggles they face. Please pray for them. Please bring them before our Father. Please guide their hearts towards conversion, so that they too may know God’s love and joy in them.

Please pray for me when I feel like I struggle to know our Father’s love as well.

I also ask at this time that you bring before our Lord my own intentions:

(State your intentions here)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 3

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Thank you, Lord, for revealing Yourself to us so that we may come to know You.

You knew the importance of knowledge, Saint Edith. What a wonder your mind must have been! Best of all, you knew how to use your mind to learn more about God. Knowledge of God may not have been your original intention. Yet, it was that knowledge that convinced you to give faith another chance.

I struggle sometimes to make sense of God’s revelation. But I want to come to know Him better.

I ask you, St. Edith, to help me learn more about God. Encourage me to use my mind to come to know God better. Pray that I will be more motivated to know Him better. Inspire my mind on the journey towards truth. Allow me to exclaim “This is the truth!”

I also pray that you keep in mind my other intentions:

(State your intentions here)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 4

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

God, we praise You today for St. Edith Stein’s example of religious curiosity.

You are a patron saint of World Youth Day, Saint Edith. You were once a young adult yourself. You struggled to find truth in the world. Similar to young people today, you disagreed with those who only talked about their faith and didn’t live it out. That kind of behavior disillusioned you.

It was a few encounters with passionate Christians, however, that changed your mind and stole your heart for God.

Edith, help me to lead young people to Christ by the way I live my life. Inspire me to teach our youth where to find truth.

Pray that my actions will point others to faith in Christ. I pray that all young adults discover God’s love for them. Help me to be a path for them to God.

At this time, I also ask that you keep in mind these my intentions:

(State your intentions here)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 5

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

God, we entrust to Your great mercy all those who have died.

St. Edith, I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you to lose your father at age two.Your mother was so strong! She took care of your 10 siblings. She also heroically ran the family business.

You must have missed your father greatly, St. Edith! Did your heart feel like it was missing a piece? I also miss my family members and friends who have died. I wonder if this pain will ever go away.

Please pray that God will comfort my grief. . Remind me that my lost loved ones  are with you and with God. Give them my love and prayers.

Be with all those who have been affected by death recently. Especially draw close to all children who have lost a parent. Be their guide where their earthly parents cannot be present. Pray for their needs and their hearts.

I also humbly bring you my intentions to bring before our Lord.

(State your intentions here)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 6

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Father, thank You for the unique vocation of womanhood. We know that the genders are expressions of Your own image. Help us to live out our manhood or womanhood in ways that glorify You.

You exemplified what it was like to be a Catholic woman, Saint Edith. You lived in a male-dominated world. Yet, you knew that women had dignity in the eyes of God. You stood up for equality.

At the same time, you also recognized the importance of men and women. Each has an important role to play in society.

Thank you for being a voice for women. Thank you for showing what a woman’s role in the Church can look like. Thank you for being a virtuous Catholic woman!

Please help me to live out my own vocation. Pray that I will embrace my gender and use its uniqueness to glorify God.

Please also keep my intentions in mind before the Father:

(State your intentions here)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 7

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

You created the world and all that is in it, O God. Help us to use this earth to praise You!

St. Edith, you struggled with the relationship between secular and religious matters. As a new Catholic, you weren’t sure how to balance your life. Life didn’t end as a new convert. You were called to become a speaker on women’s issues. You also taught German and history while your mind was captivated by much higher things.

Yet, you soon realized that the things of this earth could point to God. You thought that women’s equality could be viewed in relationship to God’s view of humanity. Pray that I will see how all things in my life can point to God as well.

St. Edith, you know that I live in a world that imposes a sharp divide between church and everything else. Help me to be in the world as a Christian but not of the world. Pray that everything I do, secular or religious, will be for God’s greater glory. Help me to be part of the world, so that I can show the world my faith.

I also ask that you pray for my intentions:

(State your intentions)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 8

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Thank you, God, for all of the vocations. Priesthood, religious life, and marriage are all ways that we can serve You and give You praise!

When you first became Catholic, Saint Edith, you longed to give God everything. That’s why the convent seemed so perfect for you. You didn’t let your initial denial stop you. You persevered and eventually got to spend all your time contemplating the Lord.

I want to be just as secure in my own calling!

Please help me to accept and live out my vocation. Pray that my ears will be open to hearing God speaking in my life. Whatever way I am called to serve, help me to do so faithfully. Pray that I will be courageous!

If I am called to marriage, strengthen me to love my spouse as God would. Bless me with children to raise in the faith. If I am called to religious life, please pray that my soul will be on fire to belong to God. If I am called to priesthood, grant me the grace to lead God’s people.

At this time, I also ask that you keep in mind these intentions:

(State your intentions)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

St. Edith Stein Novena - Day 9

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

God, I know that you are all powerful! There was such evil during World War II and evil still exists in our world today. Yet I know that You are still here among us.

Saint Edith, you were martyred because of evil. While the hatred of the Nazis seems so far away now, I know that evil is still present today. Evil still drives society. Evil still kills others. Evil still reigns with fear.

I want to be part of the change that stands up to evil and drives the devil away.

Edith, please help me to drive out evil, first in my own life and then in the world. Guide my thoughts to be positive and charitable towards all.

Pray that I might have the courage to stand up to evil in a loving and constructive way. When faced with evil, pray that I will have the same calm and serenity you had in facing the concentration camp.

Please also keep in mind these my intentions:

(State your intentions)

St. Edith Stein, pray for me!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.