St. Dymphna Novena

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• St. Dymphna Novena

  Who is St. Dymphna and What is a Novena?
   
  St. Dymphna
        Dymphna, born to a pagan Irish king and a Christian mother, was born in the 7th century. After the death of her mother when Dymphna was 14, her father spiraled into a state of mental instability that ultimately led him to take his daughter’s life. Before her death, Dymphna had devoted her life to the poor and sick. She died a martyr, defending and upholding the vow of chastity she had made in consecrating herself to the Lord.
         St. Dymphna’s relics can be found in Geel, Belgium, in a church named in her honor. St. Dymphna Church is said to have been built on her original burial site. Her feast day is May 15. She is the patron saint of mental illness.
   
  Novena
         A Novena is a prayer made every day for nine days for a certain intention. There are no set “rules” for a Novena prayer, only that it be prayed for nine days straight.
   
  The St. Dymphna Novena for Those Suffering from Anxiety and Depression
         Let us pray together as a parish the St. Dymphna Novena for those suffering from anxiety and depression. You may pray this Novena for a specific individual, or in general for everyone who struggles with mental illness. The Novena begins on May 6, and ends on May 15, which is St. Dymphna’s feast day. The format we will pray can be found at www.praymorenovenas.com/st-dymphna-novena.  
   
  St. Dymphna, pray for us.