Novenas are a traditional Catholic practice of prayer that last for nine consecutive days. They are a powerful way to deepen one’s faith and connect with God. In recent years, many Catholic schools and parishes have started teaching students about novenas as a way to help them deepen their prayer life and develop a stronger faith.
Teaching students about novenas can take many forms. It can involve incorporating novenas into the classroom or schoolwide prayer routines or introducing students to novenas outside of school hours. Here are some ways that educators can teach students about novenas:
1. Explain what novenas are: The first step in teaching students about novenas is to explain what they are and why they are important. Novenas are a set of prayers that are said for nine consecutive days. They can be said for a specific intention or as a way of deepening one’s faith. Novenas are a time of intense prayer, and many people find them to be a powerful way to connect with God.
2. Share stories of novenas: Another way to teach students about novenas is to share stories of how they have impacted people’s lives. For example, you could share a story of someone who prayed a novena for healing and was cured of a disease or someone who prayed a novena for a loved one who was struggling with addiction and saw them turn their life around.
3. Incorporate novenas into prayer routines: Another way to teach students about novenas is to incorporate them into the classroom or schoolwide prayer routines. For example, you could say a novena for the intentions of the school community during morning prayer or have a novena prayer station set up in the school chapel.
4. Encourage students to pray novenas at home: Finally, educators can encourage students to pray novenas at home. This can involve providing students with novena prayer cards or suggesting novenas for particular intentions. It can also involve encouraging students to make novenas a regular part of their spiritual practice.
