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The Pentecost Novena
The modern-day concept of a Pentecost novena dates back to the 19th century and the insights of Sr Elena Guerra, the founder of the Oblate Sisters of the Holy Spirit in Italy. She urged Pope Leo XIII to lead the Church back to the Cenacle and from 1895-1903 was led by the Holy Spirit to write to him twelve confidential letters requesting a renewed preaching on the Holy Spirit.
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In her many writings to the pope Sr Elena exhorted him to invite the faithful to rediscover life lived according to the Holy Spirit. She called and prayed for a renewal of the Church, the unity of Christians and a renewal of society. She wrote, “Pentecost is not over. In fact it is continually going on in every time and in every place, because the Holy Spirit desires to give himself to all men and all who want him can always receive him, so we do not have to envy the apostles or the first believers; we only have to dispose ourselves like them to receive him as well, and He will come to us as He did to them.” On the prompting of Sr Elena the Pope wrote several important documents about the Holy Spirit. The first of which, “Provida Matris Caritate,” which was published in 1895 finished by asking the Church to celebrate a solemn novena to the Holy Spirit between the feasts of Ascension and Pentecost for the reunion of Christianity. In a later document, he also stated that he wished that the novena not be limited to one year alone but was to be a perpetual novena for Christian unity. Ten years ago this call received new vigour when Kim Kollins, an American Catholic charismatic leader ministering in Europe found herself drawn back to an extended time of intercession for the Church and the world. As a result she felt prompted by the Lord to institute the Burning Bush initiative which encourages people to return to the Upper Room in adoration and intercession in a new way to pray for the renewal of the Church, society and Christian unity. On her web site www.burningbushinitiative.com she offers advice on running prayer events in parishes and community contexts. Below is one example. Burning Bush Prayer Vigils A Burning Bush Adoration and Intercession Vigil can last 3 or 4 hours or throughout the night. The suggested format below needs always to be open to changes according to the Holy Spirit during each vigil. 1. Forty five minutes to one hour of praise and worship 2. Thirty minutes to one hour of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament – a time of contemplating the face of Jesus so that we may focus our hearts on “Starting afresh from Christ” and a time of joining our burdens and sufferings to the Cross of Jesus. 3. Intercession – a time for charismatic intercession using the gifts of the Holy Spirit (an intercessory form of tongues see below abc model). A short teaching on intercessory prayer could be done at this time, especially about the use of the gift of tongues in this form of prayer. If a teaching is done it is best to start with a short time of worship followed by the teaching and then an extended time of praise followed by the intercession time. Other intercession forms according to the various spiritualities of the groups involved can be used during this time. 4. A time of individual charismatic prayer, usually in groups of three (preferably using the intercessory form of tongues). Also other forms can be used. Burning Bush prayer vigils can be regional, diocesan or city wide. They should not be seen as an evangelistic event, but as something primarily for those involved in the CCR. Charismatic intercession with prayer using the gift of tongues A) present the intention to the Father in Jesus’ name B) intercede in the gift of tongues until the prayer naturally comes to an end. C) prayers of thanksgiving and blessings in faith, believing the Holy Spirit knows how to pray the perfect will of the Father for this intention. (Rom 8, 26-28). In a group it is necessary for a person to lead the session. there could be times when it is not possible to have Eucharistic Adoration. If such a situation arises, then have a time of adoration through worship and by praying the scriptures of adoration (ie Psalms and Revelations Chp 4&5.
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