A Saint's Statue or Likeness

What is the popular on this issue: Do you need to stand, kneel or be in front of the statue or any likeness of your patron saint when you pray to him or say the novena?

Unfortunately, inasmuch as I want to have a statue of the Saint Rita of Cascia or the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague whenever I say their novenas and pray to them for my intentions or request for their intercessions.

Well, many novenas indeed require that you should have the statue of your saint for your novena to be more effective. It is said that you somehow are able to convey more your prayers and intention when you say them in front of your saint’s likeness.

The most that I could have when it comes to the likeness of Saint Rita of Cascia and the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague are pictures. I have a picture of the Patroness of the Impossible Cases which I clipped from a magazine. I gaze on it while I say the novena to her. While with the Infant, I look at his picture in front of the novena booklet whenever I pray to him.

I believe that what matters really is not whether you have your saints’ statues – what is more important is the sincere and fervent means of praying to them, whenever you want to say your intentions or express your gratitude for their intercession.

My Personal Intercessors to the Lord

From time to time I come across in the internet amazing stories of miracles arising from one’s devotion to his or her Patron Saint (mine is Saint Rita of Cascia and Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague).

A miracle, however great or insignificant, is a miracle coming from God, like a blessing given to us through the help and intercession of the saints.

How do you pray the novena of your saint?

In my case, this is how I pray to Saint Rita of Cascia or the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague. Whenever I request or pray for my intentions, I fervently say the novena over and over until my prayers are heard. Or sometimes I just say the novena without any particular request being mentioned, except the usual expression of gratitude.

But most of the time I mention an intention, or even several ones. Very common requests such as having safe days ahead, or good health for myself and the family, or financial provisions.

Some are heard with positive results – others, well perhaps what I am praying for may not really be for my good.

Still, I am thankful that Saint Rita of Cascia and Infant Jesus of Prague are my “hardworking” intercessors to God.

Church of Saint Anthony

Here is a picture of the Saint Anthony's Church in the White
City of Jaffa in Israel.

I wish there is also a Church here for Saint Rita of Cascia and Infant Jesus of Prague.

Anyway, the Saint Anthony's Church is very popular to Catholics and Christians alike in Tel Aviv.

There are even Saturday masses celebrated for those who can not attend the Sunday masses.

I will be posting some Church photos here. If you can lending me your own photos of Churches in the United States or all over the world, especially that of Saint Rita of Cascia or Infant Jesus of Prague, it will very much be appreciated. 

My Personal Prayer to Infant Jesus of Prague

Like with Saint Rita of Cascia, I also composed a personal prayer to Infant Jesus of Prague, a modification of a novena prayer to Him.

I am publishing it here for everyone who might wish to adopt it as their short prayer to Infant Jesus.

Infant Jesus of Prague
My dear sweet Infant Jesus
Look down upon me with so much love
and understanding.

You are so powerful
please assist me in my needs

(Say the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be)

Hear my petition and prayers,
Dear Infant Jesus
And please grant me the intention that I now pray to You..
(say your intention)
Please grant me this grace if it is according to Your will.
I have so much faith in You
Please have mercy on me. Amen

If you wish to share your personal prayers to the Infant Jesus of Prague, Saint Rita of Cascia or any other saints, please do send them here to be published.

Spreading Information on Saint Rita and Infant Jesus

In my previous posts, I always mention how saints have helped me in my prayers of intentions and how thru their powerful intercessions, the Lord God has granted a good number of them.

And for this, I am truly grateful to Saint Rita of Cascia and the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague. And to reciprocate their generous assistance and intercession, I try my best to spread information about them, tell the stories of their miracles and give away their prayers and novenas to relatives and friends.

If by chance, your Patron Saints are also Saint Rita of Cascia or the Infant Jesus of Prague, please join me in spreading forth their life stories and miracles.

I list here some sites, emails, and addresses on which Catholics may be able to know more about them, reach appropriate authorities and groups devoted to them, and perhaps inquire about copies of books, pictures, novenas, medals, pins, what church to visit or how to send donation.

National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia
1166 South Broad Street
Philidelphia Pennsylvania 19146
Website: http://www.saintritashrine.org/

Infant Jesus of Prague
Procura Missioni Carmelitane
16011 Arenzano Italy
www.santuario.gesubambino.org/missioni
or
Bosi Karmelitani
Website: http://karmel.at/prog-jesu

Saint Titles and Feast Days

Do you have some interesting and inspiring stories about how Saint Rita of Cascia or the Infant Jesus of Prague or any saint for that matter has acted favorably on your prayer of intention or novena?

It can be you or anybody that you know who would be willing to share inspiring tales of miracles and answered prayers with the powerful intercession of our Patron Saints.

We all know that Saint Rita of Cascia is known as the Saint of Hopeless Causes or Patroness of Impossible Cases, and that her feast day is May 22.

While the Infant Jesus of Prague is popularly known as the Miraculous Infant, and His feast day is the third week of May.

Here are some few more Saints with their titles and feast days:

Saint Jude of Thaddaeus - Patron of Desperate Cases
Feast day: October 28

Saint Teresa of Avila - Patroness of Headache Sufferers
Feast day: October 15

Saint Martin de Porres - Patron Saint of the Barbers
Feast day: November 3

On Saint Rita and Infant Jesus' Intercessions

Again, another prayer of mine was heard and answered positively by the Lord God through the powerful intercession of both Saint Rita of Cascia and the Infant Jesus of Prague.

I will not be specific about the particular answered intention – it is one of those intentions which involve the material needs. Nothing divine – but still very important because its realization gives me hope to continue with my endeavor, which is the pursuit of a writing career.

Both the Infant Jesus of Prague and Saint Rita of Cascia are my personal saints that I pray to for intercession. Saint Rita is known as the Patroness of the Hopeless Cases and Saint of the Impossible Causes. While the Infant Jesus is popularly known as the Miraculous Infant.

I truly believe that Saint Rita and the Infant Jesus are powerful intercessors and mediators to the Lord. They enjoy the blessed presence of the Lord, and He is willing to listen and grant whatever deserving intentions Saint Rita and Infant Jesus whisper to Him.

I express my gratitude to them by publishing information about them, their prayers and novena so that other people may be able to know about their miracles and intercession.

To those who have nice stories to tell about Saint Rita of Cascia and the Infant Jesus of Prague, please do write me so we can feature them here.

More on Infant Jesus of Prague

While this is primarily the special corner of Saint Rita of Cascia, which features everything about her, her novenas and miracles, I will also be writing on other saints.

In fact I have also written about the Infant Jesus of Prague, another powerful intercessor like Saint Rita of Cascia.

The history of the Infant Jesus of Prague is filled with numerous miracles which made people all around the world become devoted to him.

The devotion to the Infant Jesus started in the late 16th century with the Carmelite Order. In 1628, the Carmelites in Prague began their devotion to the Statue of the Infant Jesus which was given to the religious group by Princess Polixenie Lobkowitz, who had the gospel in mind – “Unless you become like one of the little children you will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 18.3).

Since then the Statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague had brought miracles to numerous lives.

At the tabernacle of the novitiate chapel, Saint Therese Lisieux venerated the statue. Likewise, Saint Teresa Benedicta, who was a visitor to the church of the Infant Jesus at Prague, was greatly devoted to the Infant.

Anyone who wishes to suggest other saints they would like to be featured here, and has more information about Saint Rita of Cascia, please do write me.