A Novena to Saint John Bosco

Each of us has family members who have fallen away from the practice of the Faith. Many of us have relatives who are outside of the Faith altogether.

Thus, as a follow up to Convert--or Die!, my wife suggested four years ago that I post a Novena to Saint John Bosco to urge the readers of this site to pray for the conversion (or return) of their relatives or friends to the true Faith.

The wreckage of Protestantism and Modernism are vast. We need to pray to Saint John Bosco, who was a fearless and tireless seeker of souls, to bring our families together in the practice of the fullness of the Catholic Faith without any concessions to the errors and novelties of the recent past.  Saint John Bosco, pray for us!

Saint John Bosco, father and teacher of the young, in need of special help, I appeal with confidence to you, Saint John Bosco, for I require not only spiritual graces, but also temporal ones, and particularly... 

(add your personal intentions here) 

May you, who on earth had such great devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary Help of Christians, and who always had compassion for those who were suffering, obtain from Jesus and His Heavenly Mother the grace I now request, and also a sincere resignation to the Will of God. 

(Recite the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be) 

From Saint Leonard of Port Maurice's sermon, "The Little Number of Those Who are Saved:"

Saint Vincent Ferrer wrote this narrative: An archdeacon in Lyons gave up his charge and retreated into a desert place to do penance, and that he died the same day and hour as Saint Bernard. After his death, he appeared to his bishop and said to him, "Know, Monsignor, that at the very hour I passed away, thirty-three thousand people also died. Out of this number, Bernard and myself went up to heaven without delay, three went to purgatory, and all the others fell into Hell."

There was a synod being held in Paris, and a great number of prelates and pastors who had the charge of souls were in attendance. . . . A famous preacher was invited to preach. While he was preparing his sermon, a horrible demon appeared to him and said, "Lay your books aside. If you want to give a sermon that will be useful to these princes and prelates, content yourself with telling them on our part, 'We the princes of darkness thank you, princes, prelates, and pastors of souls, that due to your negligence, the greater number of the faithful are damned; also, we are saving a reward for you for this favor, when you shall be with us in Hell."

Vivat Christus Rex! Viva Cristo Rey!

Isn't it time to pray a Rosary now?

Immaculate Heart of Mary, triumph soon!

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death.

Saint Joseph, pray for us.

Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us.

Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.

Saint John the Evangelist, pray for us.

Saint Michael the Archangel, pray for us.

Saint Gabriel the Archangel, pray for us, especially on your feast day today!

Saint Raphael the Archangel, pray for us.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us.

Saints Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, pray for us.

Saint John Bosco, pray for us.

Saint Dominic Savio, pray for us.

See also: A Litany of Saints