The Storm Novena

The Storm Novena

On October 30, 1913, two Franciscan sisters came from Vienna, Austria, to America, to inquire about a new foundation of their community in our land. In Europe these sisters have convents of strict enclosure. Their main purpose is perpetual adora­tion. At the time of their coming to the United States they lived under the protec­torate of Cardinal Piffl, who also allowed them to introduce nocturnal adoration for men, laborers, students, etc., in the con­vent chapel, with marvelous spiritual suc­cess to his flock. Arriving in this country, they came first to the Capuchin monastery of Saint Francis of Assisi in Milwaukee, to dis­cuss a foundation in the Archdiocese of Mil­waukee, because they desired to have a Capuchin father as their spiritual director. The brother porter called a father to inter­view the sisters. They presented their plan of establishing convents of their community in the United States, the first one to be in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Smilingly the father asked them two preliminary ques­tions: First, ÔÇ£Have you already received the permission of the Archbishop?ÔÇØ Second, ÔÇ£Have you the necessary funds?ÔÇØ He explained at the same time that financial conditions dif­fer here in America from those in Europe, where pious and charitable people supply all contemplative orders with the necessary victuals, clothing, etc., for their support. The father received a negative answer to all this. However, the two good sisters were hopeful because of their long-accustomed and well-tested confidence in GodÔÇÖs divine providence due to their fervent ÔÇ£Storm Novenas.ÔÇØ The term ÔÇ£Storm NovenaÔÇØ was entirely new to the Father. He asked them to explain the novena.

This is the story the sister related:

In Vienna they were located in the midst of a section of socialists who were known as Church haters. Whenever neigh­boring pastors had a difficult case, especially that of a dying, impenitent socialist, they reported it at once to the sisters, who then made the so-called ÔÇ£Storm Novena,ÔÇØ with the result that the poor sinner usually called for the priest and was reconciled with God before he died. These sisters made the Storm Novena for many purposes, spiritual and material, and the results were always phenomenal. Their method of making these novenas in Vienna consists in making nine visits to the Blessed Sacrament, kneeling during prayer with arms extended. The novenas are accompanied by fasting and other penances.

When, in later years, these Sisters were questioned relative to the origin of their novenas, one of them wrote as follows: ÔÇÿI can only say that many years ago a dis­tinguished lady from Italy called at our Vienna convent, requesting, and making herself, such a ÔÇÿStorm Novena,ÔÇÖ as she knew it was the custom in Italian convents of Franciscan nuns in the birthplace of Saint Gemina, to visit a church or chapel nine times in one day and say six Our Fathers, six Hail Marys and six Glorias each time. She assured us many favors were granted her and her family through them. We really experienced this ourselves.ÔÇØ

Their endeavors for a foundation in Mil­waukee failed. However, after many trials the two sisters found a great benefactor in Archbishop Schrembs of Cleveland who wanted sisters for perpetual adoration and who welcomed them to pray and offer rep­aration for his diocese. The holy see changed their name to ÔÇ£Franciscan Nuns of the Most Blessed Sacrament.ÔÇØ Address: 4108 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

The Storm Novenas which have been in­troduced at Saint Benedict the Moor Mission are not made with such extraordinary exer­cises as in Europe; however, we have ex­perienced wonderful results. The main thing we stress is fervor and unbounded confi­dence in God. We do not discount the other qualities of a good prayer, namely, devotion, humility, perseverance, resignation to GodÔÇÖs will, and praying in the name of Jesus, i.e., begging favors in virtue of the inexhaustible merits of Christ; for they are the exchanges in bargaining with God. It then becomes evident to every reader that these novenas are a secret of success, for God told no lie when he promised: ÔÇ£Ask and you shall re­ceive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you.ÔÇØ The Creator obeys his creature. How marvelous!

Prayer gives genuine value to life if re­cited with full resignation to GodÔÇÖs will. The most meritorious prayer ever said was: ÔÇ£Lord, not my will but thine be done.ÔÇØ

What can be greater than GodÔÇÖs will since he has our greatest welfare at heart? Have you never experienced that your requests often were granted only when you fully resigned yourself to it? According to Catholic doctrine on grace, the least degree of grace surpasses all earthly values. Conse­quently, when we pray, every word coming from our lips bestows more value on us than all earthly riches. We do not gather dust but gold kernels for eternity. GodÔÇÖs blessing rains down on us, and each word has a value over all temporal goods.