Novena for Forgiveness

"Forgiveness. To forgive with one's whole heart and with no trace of a grudge will always be a wonderfully fruitful disposition to have! That was Christ's attitude on being nailed to the Cross: ‘Father, forgive them, they know not what they are doing.' From this came your salvation and mine.”

Saint Josemaría Escrivá

Forgiving in theory is one thing,

But forgiving a real person in real life is altogether different.

It is only natural to seek forgiveness for ourselves, but to forgive others when it takes a heroic effort to do so requires a greatness of soul that Saint Josemaria can ask God to give us. 

What is a novena?

A novena is a prayer repeated for nine consecutive days to ask God to grant a specific request or for help with a challenging situation.

You can say the novena prayer by yourself or with others and you can include reading and reflection. Novenas can be prayed throughout the year and are often used in preparation for a feast day.

The programme

Everyday, for 9 days, receive:

📖 A selection from Saint Josemaría Escrivá's writings on forgiveness

🪔 An intention based on those texts

🙏 A prayer to conclude

Join this novena now!

Saint Josemaría Escrivá

Saint Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975), a Spanish priest, founded Opus Dei in 1928. Even during his lifetime he had a reputation for holiness, which continued to grow around the world after his death. Many people have testified to having obtained spiritual and material favours through his intercession, including medically inexplicable cures. He was declared a saint by saint John Paul II in 2002. The feast day of Saint Josemaría is 26 June.

Opus Dei

Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Catholic Church. Its mission is to help people to live a fully Christian life through their daily commitments and occupations, spreading the Christian message that all men and women are called to holiness. This means following Jesus, loving him and imitating him in everything throughout the day and in all the circumstances of daily life.

Since holiness is achieved with God's help and our continued commitment, Opus Dei offers support and guidance to all who wish to aim at holiness in their ordinary lives, especially through their everyday work. 

Any work, if carried out in the spirit of Christ, competently and honestly, and with the aim of loving God and serving others, can be sanctified. What matters is the love that is put into work, not its human importance.

Click here to discover Opus Dei.