NOVENA TO SAINT HUMILITY FOR HEALING

I am eternally grateful to my friend, Aili Whelan for introducing me to Saint Humility - in my ignorance I had never heard of her - 'til Aili researched a saint who would intercede for certain healing of my mind. Yes, I've been striving to do the audiobook for Padre Pio and You, and until yesterday I was struggling and doing it painfully slowly. My mind has been very tired, with mental blocks like large boulders. Getting everything (and myself) together all felt too much. 

But intrepid Aili used her considerable acumen to find the patron saint of audiobooks. Humility was born to a noble family in 1226 in wine country, Faenza, which is just underneath Bologna. She was born the same year St. Francis died, and at the grand old age of 15 she married and bore two children who perished as infants. Both she and her husband decided to enter religious life, Humility at first was a hermit, and then was asked to found two convents. 

Despite her privileged youth, Humility had remained illiterate and one day when she was sitting at table with the other nuns, they poked fun at her by asking her to read while they ate. Humility took up the book and spoke such eloquent truths that it put the rascals around her to shame. Her words were not that which were on the page, but stunned the sisters more than the actual text. 

It was this story that moved Aili to nominate Humility as patroness of reading aloud, which I am doing for many hours as I record my book. True to her most generous nature, Aili set about offering a novena to St. Humility and the same day, I felt my mind was free and at peace, it was so instantaneous as to be a great healing grace. I'd been praying for this for some months, but I believe it was St. Humility in Heaven who asked and received this on my behalf. 

Most "coincidentally" it is St. Humility's feast day on May 22, and if we start a novena today on May 14, we can finish on her feast. Please feel free to join me for your own intentions - and leave a comment with your intentions that others may see them and pray for them. I have had my prayer answered so I will pray for any and all intentions that readers and loved ones leave. 

Eternal Father, I wish to honor St. Humility and I give You thanks for all the graces You have bestowed upon her. I ask You to please increase grace in my soul through the merits of this saint, and I commit the end of my life to her by this special prayer, so that by virtue of Your goodness and promise, St. Humility might be my advocate and provide whatever is needed at that hour. Amen

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The classic painting was executed by Pietro Lorenzetti.