When overwhelmed by a deep hunger and famine for answers to our needs both body and soul, it is the heart's instinct to pray: "Rogate ergo Dominum messis!" The harvest of blessings is reaped when we bend low in prayer to the Lord of Harvest. This is the eternal legacy left by St. Hannibal Mary Di Francia. In the face of crises of vocations, he points us to tenderly invoke the Master. In the midst of illness, especially of the little ones, he intercedes for us, that is why the “great but quiet miracle” happened to little Charisse in Iloilo. In the Church today, may St. Hannibal be our great Patron for Vocations and tender Protector of Children.
In this spirit then, I recommend to everyone the praying of the Novena to Saint Hannibal, because when we pray, we plant the seeds of hope and reap a harvest of blessings.
+ Angel N. Lagdameo, D.D.
Archdiocese of Jaro
“Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into his harvest.” (Mt.9:38)
This was the divine command made by our Lord Jesus Christ upon seeing the people of his time like a “sheep without a shepherd.” And this same exhortation has become the life and mission of our new Saint, Hannibal Mary Di Francia, who showed the Church both during his time and thereafter that the answer to our crisis in vocations is an ardent and unceasing prayer to the Harvest Master, to send more and holy priests, religious and committed lay people in the Church.
May this novena to Saint Hannibal inspire us to become holy workers like him in the ‘great harvest’ of the Lord by becoming faithful followers of His divine command.
Saint Hannibal is a teacher to be listened to, an example to imitate, and a powerful intercessor to invoke. Let us keep this novena at hand. And for an abundance of priests, religious and holy men and women in the Church, I urge everyone: "Don't Stop, Ask for More."
Fr. Mariano Antonio G Ramera, Jr., RCJ
Priest-in-charge, Saint Hannibal Rogate Center
PRAYER TO SAINT HANNIBAL
O Saint Hannibal, full of heavenly love,
during your life here on earth,
you lived faithfully according to the
interests of the Heart of Jesus.
You followed His Divine Command
to pray for holy vocations to His Church,
and dedicated your life
for the poor and the little ones.
Intercede for us that we may be blessed
with an abundance of priestly, religious,
and lay vocations in the Church.
Inflame our hearts with your love
that we may become holy
and edifying modern day disciples of Christ.
I pray to you to obtain for me from God
the necessary grace, which I ardently desire...
(Mention here your petitions)
Bless me, 0 Saint Hannibal, and my family
that we may all live together
in unity, peace, and love.
Grant, through your intercession,
the graces of which your devotees
are in great need. May all be for God's glory
and the greater good of our souls.
Amen.
0 Saint Hannibal, full of heavenly love, during your life here on earth you lived faithfully according to the interest of the Heart of Jesus.
You followed His divine Command to pray for holy apostles to His Church and dedicated your life for the poor and the little ones. For this the Lord has blessed you.
Intercede for us, loving Father, that we may receive continuously many and holy vocations especially to the priestly and religious life. Inflame our hearts with your love that we may also extend our help to the poor and the little ones.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be..
Saint Hannibal....pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord holy apostles into your Church
Day 2
Saint Hannibal,
apostle of prayer for vocations
0 beloved Saint Hannibal, Apostle of the Prayer for Vocations, in your loving attention to the Word of God you generously responded to the command of the Lord of the Harvest: “Pray, therefore, the Lord of the harvest that He may send workers to His harvest” (Mt 9:38).
You dedicated your life in spreading the spirit of this evangelical prayer and the promotion of vocations to the consecrated life. Grant that with your help we may also heed this evangelical command by faithfully following God's design for our lives and by becoming instruments ourselves in the promotion of vocations for the Church.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!
Day 3
Saint Hannibal,
father of the orphans and of the poor
0 zealous Saint Hannibal, Father of the orphans and of the poor, in your great love for the Rogate you did not spare yourself in working for the spiritual and material good of your neighbour. Responding to the challenges of your times you became a ‘man of God’ in the midst of the poor and the little ones. Grant that with your example we may also be encouraged to seek the face of God among the needy as we try to strengthen and accompany them along the path of salvation.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!
Day 4
Saint Hannibal,
true son of the Father
0 faithful Saint Hannibal, true son of the Father, at every moment of your earthly life you strived to edify everyone with your thoughts, words and actions, yearning to win many souls to God. You welcomed every person as a creature of God redeemed by the most precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Grant that ever aware of God's presence in our lives, we may at all times and in all places act according to our status as sons and daughters of the Most High, treating other persons with utmost love and respect for the glory of God and the good of souls.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!
Day 5
Saint Hannibal,
model of sanctity in following the Lord
0 pious Saint Hannibal, model of sanctity in following the Lord, you strove towards divine love, and struggled to save numerous souls. You ardently nourished your soul from the eternal springs through meditation and prayer, always longing for solitude, which you loved as much as your own life. Grant that nurturing our faith through intimate and regular moments with the Lord, we may also be able to work for our personal sanctification and the sanctification of others.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!
Day 6
Saint Hannibal,
true disciple of the Lord
0 humble Saint Hannibal, true disciple of the Lord, in humility and silence you prepared for your passing from this valley of tears to the bosom of the Father, wanting others to see you even after your death as you thought you appeared before the eyes of God. Faithful to the Master, you committed yourself to the interest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Church, the salvation of souls and the universal triumph of divine love. Grant that we may steadfastly prepare for our holy death with the motherly assistance of the Blessed Mother.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!
Day 7
Saint Hannibal,
defender of the children and the poor
O loving Saint Hannibal, defender of the children and the poor, day and night you unceasingly toiled in obedience to the bidding of the Good Shepherd, the great Comfort of all the poor and the loving Father of all the orphans: “Let the children come to me” (Mk. 10).
Through your prayers and labours you endeavored to bring young souls along the path of goodness and grace. Grant that the blessings we receive from God may inspire us to generously work for the benefit of our brothers and sisters, especially those who are in most need and abandoned by our society.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!
Day 8
Saint Hannibal,
enlightened educator of the young
0 wise Saint Hannibal, you dedicated yourself to the formation of the young and abandoned souls according to the spirit of the Gospel. With your eyes fixed on the heavenly abode you formed them to live in this world aiming to reach the last end for which they were created. Grant that as we make our pilgrimage on earth we may be able to use wisely the things of this world until we finally reach that heavenly dwelling place prepared for us by the Lord.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless us, 0 Father, and our family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!
Day 9
Saint Hannibal,
zealous in obeying the Rogate
0 zealous Saint Hannibal, because of your understanding and love for the Christ's ‘Rogate,’ you gave flesh to the love of God and neighbour in a wonderful and enthusiastic way. Help us to become witnesses of the ‘Gospel of love’ in our life so that we may never think of God apart from man, and man apart from God.
We pray to you, in particular, to obtain for us from God the necessary grace we ardently desire.... (Pause to recall your petition)
Bless me, 0 Father, and my family that we may all live together in unity, peace and love. Amen.
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be…
Saint Hannibal.... pray for us.
Send, 0 Lord, holy apostles into your Church!