Addiction is a disease. One that not only destroys you physically but also takes a toll on your mental health. Addicts often find themselves alone in their suffering with no hope in sight.
In such instances, reaching out to your spirituality and calling out to divine healing power can offer non-existent solace.
What Is A Novena?
A novena is a traditional Catholic devotion that involves praying the same or a set of prayers for nine consecutive days. Novenas are often used to ask for a specific favor or blessing from God, the Holy Spirit, or to honor catholic saints.
The word “novena” comes from the Latin word “novem,” which means “nine.” Novena prayers typically begin on a specific day, such as a saint’s feast day, and conclude nine days later.
During a novena, participants say a particular prayer, or set of prayers, daily. They can be prayed individually or in groups. They can be said aloud or silently and offered at any time of day.
Who Is The Patron Saint Of Addiction?
St. Maximilian Kolbe is the patron saint of addiction and political prisoners. He has also been canonized as The martyr of charity. Devotees often pray to seek his intercession in addiction recovery.
You can also pray to the venerable Matt Talbot, the patron saint of alcoholics. Or St. Jude, the patron saint of Hope and Impossible causes.
Novena to St. Maximilian Kolbe
If you or someone you love seeks St. Maximilian Kolbe’s intervention in addiction recovery, here are some Novenas you can say.
Novena For The Addict
- God of mercy, I bless You in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who ministered to all who come to Him. Give Your strength to me, Your servant, bound by the chains of addiction. Enfold me in Your love and restore me to the freedom of God’s children. Lord, look with compassion on all those who have lost their health and freedom. Restore to them the assurance of Your unfailing mercy, and strengthen them in the work of recovery. To those who care for me, grant patient understanding and a love that perseveres. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
- Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “Greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends,” through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe whose life illustrated such love, we beseech you to grant us our petitions . . . (mention addiction recovery)
Through the Militia of the Immaculata movement, which Maximilian founded, he spread a fervent devotion to Our Lady worldwide. He gave up his life for a total stranger and loved his persecutors, giving us an example of unselfish love for all men, a love that was inspired by true devotion to Mary.
Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we too may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, Maximilian. Amen.
- In the name of the Father, you made St. Maximilian Kolbe one of the foremost Catholic evangelists of the difficult twentieth century.
Through the Militia of the Immaculata movement which he founded, he implanted the truths of the Immaculate Conception and your merciful plan for us all in countless hearts, thus moving them to full conversion in faith and hope, to perfect obedience and union with the Heart of Jesus, and to complete observance of the New Covenant.
You made him fruitful through carrying the cross of suffering with dignity and hope, loving his persecutors, and giving up his life for a total stranger. Through his intercession grant us (recovery from addiction). Give us dignity and hope in our sufferings and sacrifices, and if it will glorify you, heal us of all our infirmities, both physical and spiritual.
Finally, enable us to follow his example of effective Catholic evangelism with Mary for the return to you of all the masses of mankind, and of every individual person, family, society, and culture of our time and of all time to come. Amen.
- O St. Maximilian Kolbe, faithful follower of St. Francis, inflamed by the love of God you dedicated your life to the practice of virtue and to works of the apostolate. Look down with favor upon us who devoutly confide in your intercession. Having consecrated yourself to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, you inspired countless souls to a holy life and various forms of the apostolate in order to do good to others and to spread the kingdom of God. Obtain for us the grace by our lives and labors to draw many souls to Christ.
In your close conformity to our Divine Savior, you reached such an intense degree of love that you offered your life to save a fellow prisoner. Implore God that we, inflamed by such ardent charity, may through our living faith and our apostolic works witness Christ to others, and thus merit to join you in the blessed vision of God
Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe, your life of love and labor for souls was sacrificed amid the horrors of a concentration camp and hastened to its end by an injection of a deadly drug.
Look with compassion upon all those who are now entrapped in addictions to drugs, alcohol, and other harmful behaviors and whom we now recommend to your powerful intercession:
[Silently remember all who are in need of healing from addictions and those who have entrusted themselves to the novena]
Dear St. Maximilian, Priest of God, intercede with Christ for mercy for all who are trapped in the bonds of any addiction. Devout servant of the Immaculate Mother of God, beg Her to crush with her heel the demons of addiction that afflict me and our brothers and sisters. Obtain for us the grace never to withhold our love and understanding, not to fail in persevering prayer that the enslaving bonds of addiction may be broken and that full health and freedom may be restored to me and all for whom we pray.
Novena For The Family Members Of The Addict
- Saint Maximilian Kolbe, your life of love and labor for souls was sacrificed amid the horrors of a concentration camp and hastened to its end by an injection of a deadly drug.
Extend your compassion upon (name) who is now entrapped in addiction to drugs and whom we now commit to your powerful intercession. Having offered your own life to preserve that of a family man, we turn to you with trust, confident that you will understand and help. Obtain for us the grace never to withhold our love and understanding for (name), nor to fail in persevering prayer that the bonds of addiction may be broken and that full health and freedom may be restored to (name) whom we love. We will never cease to be grateful to God who has helped us and heard your prayer for us. Amen. - St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, the most faithful son of St. Francis, the beggar of Assisi, inflamed with love for God, journeyed through life practicing heroic virtues and performing true apostolic deeds.
Turn your gaze on us who honor you and have recourse to you.
Radiating with the light of the Immaculate Virgin, you brought countless souls to holiness and introduced them to various apostolic endeavors for the victory of good over evil thereby extending the Kingdom of God throughout the whole world.
Obtain for us the light and the strength we need to do good and to bring many souls to Christ.
Perfectly conformed and united with Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior, you achieved such a high degree of love of neighbor that you were able to freely offer your life in exchange for a fellow prisoner in witness of true evangelical charity.
Beg the Lord on our behalf that, filled with the same fire of love, our faith, and good example might also bring others to Christ and secure for us the reward of everlasting life, where we shall praise Him together with you in eternal glory. Amen. - Saint Maximilian Kolbe, you gave your life so that a family might not be deprived of a husband and father. By your heroic martyrdom of charity, teach us that the value of family life is worth our sacrifices also. Just as you found in Mary the channel of those graces that strengthened you to be faithful to her Son, help us to rejoice also in her who was given to us as a mother by Jesus from the cross. Be with us, St. Maximilian, as we pray for the special needs of our family (say addiction recovery here). Amen.
Say any one of these for nine days and then conclude with:
Hail Mary (three times)
Glory Be
Other Ways To Seek Help From Addiction
While prayer holds immense importance in a believer’s recovery from drug addiction and any other trouble, one must also combine it with other resources if needed. There are health professionals, therapists, and rehab experts who can guide addicts in their journey to recovery and provide them with the tools they need to get by. Be sure to seek their help in combination with prayer to ensure a sustainable recovery from the bounds of addiction.