All this work on our own to attain virtue is well and good, but you won’t get anywhere without the Holy Spirit!

Today starts the Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts. From the website linked:

The novena in honor of the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the direction of Our Lord Himself when He sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to await the coming of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. It is still the only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian.

You’ll find the necessary prayers at the above linked website for the Novena. 

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are: wisdom, understanding,  counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.  This may make a good list to memorize along with the 12 fruits of the Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit are the virtues produced in our lives when we exercise the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

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categories: copywork and memorization, general resources