Cardinal Raymond Burke invited Catholics around the world to join in praying a nine-month novena for the Church.
The novena, which started on March 12 and ends on Dec. 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, asks the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede for us and the world.
EWTN News In Depth aired a clip on March 15 where Burke shares that 135,000 Catholics have already registered to participate in the novena. According to the organizers, the number grew to 150,000.
“It’s been a very enthusiastic reception,” he says in the video.
He adds, "Clearly people are hungering for the good order, which brings peace for the transformation of societies and cultures, which today have either grown forgetful of God or are hostile to God.”
Watch the full EWTN News In Depth episode below:
In his video message announcing the novena, Burke calls the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego an event that “changed the course of human history.”
“Today, the hearts of Catholics around the world echo the same anxieties of 1531,” he continues. “And once again the answer to this anxiety is not temporal but spiritual.”
Burke urges Catholics, now more than ever, to “fly to the protection of Our Lady for her intercession.”
He adds, “Our Lady brought the New World under the protection of her mantle and brought millions of souls to Christ. It is this same maternal love and protection that we seek today. A love and protection that she will grant us should we earnestly ask for it.”
It’s not too late to join! You can find the novena on Cardinal Burke's website.
A novena is a traditional form of Catholic prayer lasting nine days, although it can last longer. Typically, novenas focus on asking God for a specific intention and many are prayed through a saint’s intercession. Novenas are a beautiful way to grow in prayer and nurture your spiritual life.