Novena
inMemoryof PopeFrancis
TheentireChurchmournsthedeathofourHolyFather,PopeFrancis.In cathedrals,basilicas,parishchurches,shrines,andchapels,theHoly Eucharistwillbeofferedforthereposeofhissoul.Communitiesand individualswillaskGodtobestowhisinfinitemercyonthemanwho servedtheChurchasBishopofRome.
ThisnovenahasbeenpreparedtohelpprayforthePopeduringthistime. Thedailynovena lastingforthenovendialesperiodasdirectedbythe CollegeofCardinals consistsofashortreadingfromScriptureorsome otherecclesiasticaltextandsomebriefprayers,includingorationsdrawn fromtheRomanMissalandtheOrderofChristianFunerals.
Acknowledgments,page12
©2025UnitedStatesConferenceofCatholicBishops,Washington,DC.Allrightsreserved.
FirstDay
“YouarePeter…”
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromtheholyGospelaccordingtoMatthew
WhenJesuswentintotheregionofCaesareaPhilippiheaskedhisdisciples, “WhodopeoplesaythattheSonofManis?”Theyreplied,“SomesayJohn theBaptist,othersElijah,stillothersJeremiahoroneoftheprophets.”He saidtothem,“ButwhodoyousaythatIam?”SimonPetersaidinreply, “YouaretheChrist,theSonofthelivingGod.”Jesussaidtohiminreply, “Blessedareyou,SimonsonofJonah.Forfleshandbloodhasnotrevealed thistoyou,butmyheavenlyFather.AndsoIsaytoyou,youarePeter,and uponthisrockIwillbuildmyChurch,andthegatesofthenetherworld shallnotprevailagainstit.IwillgiveyouthekeystotheKingdomof heaven.Whateveryoubindonearthshallbeboundinheaven;and whateveryoulooseonearthshallbeloosedinheaven.” (16:13-19)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
OGod,faithfulrewarderofsouls, grantthatyourdepartedservantPopeFrancis, whomyoumadesuccessorofPeter andshepherdofyourChurch, mayhappilyenjoyforeverinyourpresenceinheaven themysteriesofyourgraceandcompassion, whichhefaithfullyministeredonearth. ThroughChristourLord.Amen.
SecondDay
“FeedmySheep…”
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromtheholyGospelaccordingtoJohn
JesussaidtoSimonPeter,“Simon,sonofJohn,doyoulovememorethan these?”SimonPeteransweredhim,“Yes,Lord,youknowthatIloveyou.” Jesussaidtohim,“Feedmylambs.”HethensaidtoSimonPeterasecond time,“Simon,sonofJohn,doyouloveme?”SimonPeteransweredhim, “Yes,Lord,youknowthatIloveyou.”Jesussaidtohim,“Tendmysheep.” Jesussaidtohimathirdtime,“Simon,sonofJohn,doyouloveme?”Peter wasdistressedthatJesushadsaidtohimathirdtime,“Doyouloveme?” andhesaidtohim,“Lord,youknoweverything;youknowthatIlove you.”Jesussaidtohim,“Feedmysheep.” (21:15-17)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
OGod,immortalshepherdofsouls, lookonyourpeople’sprayers andgrantthatyourservantPopeFrancis, whopresidedoveryourChurchincharity, may,withtheflockentrustedtohiscare, receivefromyourmercy therewardofafaithfulsteward.
ThroughChristourLord.Amen.
ThirdDay
Peter,theUnityofAlltheChurch
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromasermonbySaintAugustine
Asyouareaware,JesuschosehisdisciplesbeforehisPassionandcalled themApostles;andamongthesealmosteverywherePeteralonedeservedto representtheentireChurch.Andbecauseofthatrolewhichhealonehad, hemeritedtohearthewords:ToyouIshallgivethekeysoftheKingdomof heaven.Foritwasnotonemanwhoreceivedthekeys,buttheentire Churchconsideredasone…RightlythendidtheLordafterhis ResurrectionentrustPeterwiththefeedingofhissheep.Yethewasnotthe onlydiscipletomeritthefeedingoftheLord’ssheep;butChristin speakingonlytoonesuggeststheunityofall;andsohespeakstoPeter, becausePeterisfirstamongtheApostles. (Sermo295,nos.2,4)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
OGod,whochoseyourservantPopeFrancis fromamongyourPriests andendowedhimwithpontificaldignity intheapostolicpriesthood, grant,wepray, thathemayalsobeadmittedtotheircompanyforever. ThroughChristourLord.Amen.
FourthDay AuthenticTeacheroftheFaith
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromtheCatechismoftheCatholicChurch
TheRomanPontiffandthebishopsare“authenticteachers,thatis, teachersendowedwiththeauthorityofChrist,whopreachthefaithtothe peopleentrustedtothem,thefaithtobebelievedandputintopractice” (Lumengentium,25).TheordinaryanduniversalMagisteriumofthe Popeandthebishopsincommunionwithhimteachthefaithfulthetruth tobelieve,thecharitytopractice,thebeatitudetohopefor. (no.2034)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
OGod,whoinyourwondrousprovidence choseyourservantPopeFrancistopresideoveryourChurch, grant,wepray, that,havingservedastheVicarofyourSononearth, hemaybewelcomedbyhimintoeternalglory. Wholivesandreignsforeverandever.Amen.
FifthDay
“Strengthen
YourBrothers...”
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromtheholyGospelaccordingtoLuke
Jesussaid,“Simon,Simon,beholdSatanhasdemandedtosiftallofyoulike wheat,butIhaveprayedthatyourownfaithmaynotfail;andonceyou haveturnedback,youmuststrengthenyourbrothers.”Petersaidtohim, “Lord,Iampreparedtogotoprisonandtodiewithyou.”ButJesus replied,“Itellyou,Peter,beforethecockcrowsthisday,youwilldeny threetimesthatyouknowme.” (22:31-34)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
Grant,wepray,OLord, thatthesoulofPopeFrancis,yourservantandPriest, whomyouhonoredwithsacredoffice whilehelivedinthisworld, mayexultforeverintheglorioushomeofheaven. ThroughChristourLord.Amen.
SixthDay
ThePetrineMinistryofMercy
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromtheEncyclicalUtunumsintbyPopeSaintJohnPaulII
AstheheirtothemissionofPeterintheChurch,whichhasbeenmade fruitfulbythebloodofthePrincesoftheApostles,theBishopofRome exercisesaministryoriginatinginthemanifoldmercyofGod…The authoritypropertothisministryiscompletelyattheserviceofGod’s mercifulplananditmustalwaysbeseeninthisperspective.Itspoweris explainedfromthisperspective.AssociatinghimselfwithPeter’sthreefold professionoflove,whichcorrespondstotheearlierthreefolddenial,his Successorknowsthathemustbeasignofmercy.Hisisaministryof mercy,bornofanactofChrist'sownmercy…TheChurchofGodiscalled byChristtomanifesttoaworldensnaredbyitssinsandevildesignsthat, despiteeverything,Godinhismercycanconvertheartstounityandenable themtoenterintocommunionwithhim. (nos.92-93)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
Grant,wepray,almightyGod, thatthesoulofyourdepartedservantPopeFrancis, towhomyoucommittedthecareofyourfamily, may,withthemanifoldfruitofhislabors, enterintotheeternalgladnessofhisLord. Wholivesandreignsforeverandever.Amen.
SeventhDay Peter:TheFirstoftheApostles
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromtheholyGospelaccordingtoMatthew
JesussummonedhisTwelvedisciplesandgavethemauthorityover uncleanspiritstodrivethemoutandtocureeverydiseaseandeveryillness. ThenamesoftheTwelveApostlesarethese:first,SimoncalledPeter,and hisbrotherAndrew;James,thesonofZebedee,andhisbrotherJohn; PhilipandBartholomew,ThomasandMatthewthetaxcollector;James, thesonofAlphaeus,andThaddeus;SimontheCananean,andJudas Iscariotwhobetrayedhim. (10:1-4)
Pauseforsilentprayer. PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
OGod,faithfulrewarderofsouls, grantthatyourdepartedservantPopeFrancis, whomyoumadesuccessorofPeter andshepherdofyourChurch, mayhappilyenjoyforeverinyourpresenceinheaven themysteriesofyourgraceandcompassion, whichhefaithfullyministeredonearth. ThroughChristourLord.Amen.
EighthDay UnionofPopeandBishops
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromtheDogmaticConstitutionontheChurch Lumengentium
Thiscollegialunion[ofbishops]isapparentalsointhemutualrelationsof theindividualbishopswithparticularchurchesandwiththeuniversal Church.TheRomanPontiff,asthesuccessorofPeter,istheperpetualand visibleprincipleandfoundationofunityofboththebishopsandofthe faithful.Theindividualbishop,however,isthevisibleprincipleand foundationofunityinhisparticularchurch,fashionedafterthemodelof theuniversalChurch.Inandfromsuchindividualchurchestherecomes intobeingtheoneandonlyCatholicChurch.Forthisreasoneach individualbishoprepresentshisownchurch,butallofthemtogetherin unionwiththePoperepresenttheentireChurchjoinedinthebondof peace,love,andunity. (no.23)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
OGod,immortalshepherdofsouls, lookonyourpeople’sprayers andgrantthatyourservantPopeFrancis, whopresidedoveryourChurchincharity, may,withtheflockentrustedtohiscare, receivefromyourmercy therewardofafaithfulsteward.
ThroughChristourLord.Amen.
NinthDay
SuccessortotheApostlePeter
InthenameoftheFather,andoftheSon, andoftheHolySpirit.Amen.
AreadingfromalettertotheCorinthians byPopeSaintClementI
Havingreceivedtheirorders,theApostleswentout,fullyconvincedbythe ResurrectionofourLordJesusChrist,trustingthewordofGod,and assuredbytheHolySpirit.TheywentoutproclaimingthattheKingdom ofGodwasathandthroughoutthecountrysideandinthecities.They testedintheSpiritthefirstfruitsoftheirpreaching,andappointedthemto bebishopsanddeaconsforthosewhowouldlatercometobelieve…Our Apostlesknewalso,throughourLordJesusChrist,thattherewouldbe strifeovertheofficeoftheepiscopate.Andsowithperfectforesight,when theyordainedthosemen,theApostlesgavethemthemandatethatwhen theypassawayotherprovenmenshouldsucceedthemintheirministry.
(42:3-4;44:1-2)
Pauseforsilentprayer.
PrayoneOurFather,HailMary,andGloryBe.
Eternalrestgrantuntohim,OLord. Andletperpetuallightshineuponhim.
Hearwithfavorourprayers, whichwehumblyoffer,OLord, forthesalvationofthesoulofPopeFrancis, yourservantandPriest, thathe,whodevotedafaithfulministrytoyourname, mayrejoiceintheperpetualcompanyofyourSaints. ThroughChristourLord.Amen.
Acknowledgments
ExcerptfromtheEnglishtranslationofTheLiturgyoftheHours©1970,1973, 1975InternationalCommissiononEnglishintheLiturgyCorporation(ICEL); excerptfromtheEnglishtranslationoftheOrderofChristianFunerals©1985 ICEL;excerptsfromtheEnglishtranslationofTheRomanMissal©2010ICEL. Allrightsreserved.
ExcerptsfromtheLectionaryforMassforUseintheDiocesesoftheUnitedStatesof America,secondtypicaledition©2001,1998,1997,1986,1970Confraternityof ChristianDoctrine,Inc.,Washington,DC.Usedwithpermission.Allrights reserved.Noportionofthistextmaybereproducedbyanymeanswithout permissioninwritingfromthecopyrightowner.
ExcerptfromtheEnglishtranslationoftheCatechismoftheCatholicChurchfor theUnitedStatesofAmerica,copyright©1994,UnitedStatesCatholic Conference,Inc. LibreriaEditriceVaticana.Allrightsreserved.
ExcerptfromUtunumsint(1995)©DicasterioperlaComunicazione Librería EditriceVaticana.
ExcerptfromLumengentiumfromTheDocumentsofVaticanII,WalterM. Abbott,ed.NewYork:GuildPress,1966.
ImageofPopeFrancis:CNSPhoto/PaulHaring.
