9 Novena Commitments

Sacrifice is the Soul of Seeking

These are the 9 commitments you make for the duration of the Novena. Please prayerfully reflect on each of them. They are required for the full 99 Days. Discuss any exceptions with your Discernment Advisor.

1. No Dating. I commit myself not to date and to suspend for now any relationships with the opposite sex (close friends, etc.) that may be a distraction during the Novena.

2. Daily Prayer. I commit myself to make the Novena readings and my own personal reflection part of a half hour of private time and prayer each day. I will therefore adjust or suspend any other practices of prayer to which I am accustomed for the duration of the Novena.

Note: No doubt you’ll miss days in the Novena along the way. This doesn’t break some imaginary “Power of the Novena.” Just continue where you left off on the next day. If there is an interruption of more than three days, please discuss it with your Discernment Advisor. There’s no hurry in completing the Novena, and no magic in the number 99. So please don’t feel the need to cram two days into one.

3. Daily Mass. I commit myself to attend daily Mass and receive Eucharist as often as possible. At least two times weekly (not including my Sunday obligation).

4. Weekly Rosary. I commit to pray a minimum of one rosary a week (one set of mysteries – joyful, illuminative, sorrowful or glorious). A daily rosary is highly encouraged.

5. Fast from Possessions. I commit myself to refrain from buying anything that I don’t really need during this discernment period, in order to practice self-denial in the area of materialism and consumerism.

6. Fast from Media. I commit myself to limit my media consumption – the amount of music, movies and TV I am exposed to on a daily basis. Some suggestions arise on Day 11 in Part 2. Exceptions are made for needs related to school or work (e.g., If you’re a film major and have to watch movies for class). Also, special events may permit exceptions, but keep them to a minimum (Superbowl? Yes. March Madness, No. The Final Four? Okay).

7. Fast from Food. I commit myself to fast once a week. Refraining from solid food for the whole day – from rising to going to bed – is recommended. If there are health issues that may limit my fasting, I will work these out with my Advisor. I will not fast if I have any history of an eating disorder.

8. Monthly confession. I go to confession once prior to beginning the first thirty day stage and then at the conclusion of each subsequent stage. If my discernment advisor is a priest, I am not obligated to go to him for confession.

9. Regular meetings with a Discernment Advisor. I commit myself to finding a Discernment Advisor. I will meet with this Advisor once before the discernment Novena begins, once at the conclusion of the Pre-Novena (to decide if I’m ready to proceed), at least once during each stage (usually midway), once at each transition point, and once at the conclusion. That should work out to eight meetings every other week over the course of roughly three and a half months.