Divine Mercy Novena

The Divine Mercy Novena began on Good Friday. I was lucky enough to attend a recitation of the chaplet between Stations of the Cross and the Good Friday Liturgy at the parish where our family was received into the church! It was beautiful and I was delighted that the chaplet was sung, rather than said.

On Friday evening, the children and I began work on a visual way to pray the Divine Mercy novena. Each day's prayer is printed out and glued to a 12x12 scrapbook paper. The group we are to pray for is bolded so it is easy to find. For example, on day one:

Novena ~ First Day

"Today bring to Me All Mankind, especially all sinners and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me."

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins, but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen.

Lord, we also offer up to you _____________________________________

Obviously, I added a last line to each day. ("Lord, we also offer up to you......") I did this because I wanted the children, especially Little Brother, to be able to concretize the idea of praying for different groups of people, offering up their praises and their burdens. So we went through each day and added a group of people to pray for in addition to those stated by the novena.
 

Day One of the Divine Mercy Novena

 
Then the children can add pictures or words to the page. They can draw pictures, write names, use photos, or cut images out of magazines. For day one, the children added "those who are sick" to the novena, so the pics are of people around the world (All Mankind) and of a sick baby, and a sad child at a funeral.
 
 

By next Sunday, these pages will all be filled, but not too full! We can use them again next year!