tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1938983304459855111.post470395044432516066..comments2023-04-02T07:03:21.099-05:00Comments on Principium Unitatis: Octave for the Unity of the ChurchBryan Crosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13269970389157868131noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1938983304459855111.post-71824422315599328132008-01-09T09:55:00.000-06:002008-01-09T09:55:00.000-06:00Hello Jonathan,I wasn't as clear as I should have ...Hello Jonathan,<BR/><BR/>I wasn't as clear as I should have been. A novena is a prayer that is prayed through nine days, often in preparation for something at the end of the nine days. The concept and practice of the novena comes from the nine days between the Ascension and Pentecost, during which time the Apostles prayed for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Octave for the Unity of the Church begins on January 18. If someone wishes to pray a novena in order to prepare for the Octave, that person would begin the novena today (January 8). Some people pray a novena during the Octave. I didn't have any particular novena in mind. But those which ask God for peace and unity, both in ourselves and between us and all other Christians, would (I think) be most appropriate.<BR/><BR/>I hope you and your family had a blessed Christmas.<BR/><BR/>In the peace of Christ,<BR/><BR/>- BryanBryan Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13269970389157868131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1938983304459855111.post-49111229643478041032008-01-09T08:20:00.000-06:002008-01-09T08:20:00.000-06:00Could you describe the practice of a novena and ho...Could you describe the practice of a novena and how it contrasts with an octave? From your description it seems like any of various novenas are acceptable but that during this period there is a particular novena that will begin on 1/18. <BR/><BR/>Thanks.contrarian 78https://www.blogger.com/profile/06104559106619389825noreply@blogger.com