Novena to St. Pius X - Day 6
Head of the Church
The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau chose St. Pius X as their patron saint and we have done the same for this newsletter and media project. Throughout his life, and particularly during his papacy, St. Pius X was a bold defender of the Church and her traditions; opposing modernist ideologies and promoting scholastic theology. Join us in praying this novena as we ask for St. Pius X’s intercession.
This novena comes from a booklet written by Rev. Lawrence G. Lovasik in 1954.
Head of the Church
Reflection
At the large gathering of faithful assemÂbled in St. Peter's to witness the canonizaÂtion of Blessed Pius X, the Holy Father, Pope Pius XII, said in his address:
"He, St. Pius X, solemnly announced the proÂgram of his pontificate in his very first enÂcyclical in which he declared that his only aim was 'to re-establish all things in Christ,' that is, to sum up, to restore all things to unity in Christ. But where is the road that leads to Christ? he asked himself, looking in compassion at the hestitating, wandering souls of his time. The answer, valid yesterÂday, today and always, is: the Church. His primary aim then, which he pursued conÂtinually till death, was to make the Church ever more apt and open to the movement of souls toward Jesus Christ . . . Pius X is the indomitable champion of the Church and the providential Saint of our times."
+Pius XII, May 29, 1954.
In his first encyclical,. Saint Pius X deÂclared:
"The interests of God shall be Our interests, and for them We are resolved to spend all Our strength and Our very life. Hence, should any one ask Us for a symbol as the expression of Our will, We will, give this and no other: "To restore all things in Christ."
+Saint Pius X, Oct. 4, 1903.
Saint Pius X describes the glory of the Church which he governed in these words: "Kingdoms and empires have passed away, time and again the nations, as though overÂwhelmed by the weight of years, have fallen asunder while the Church, indefectible in her essence, united by an indissoluble tie with her heavenly spouse, is here today, radiant with eternal youth, strong with the same primitive vigor with which she left the Heart of Christ, dead upon the cross. Men powerful in the world have risen up against her. They have disappeared, and she remains. Philosophical systems withÂout number, of every form and every kind, rose up against her. But those systems, one after another, have passed into books of hisÂtory, forgotten, bankrupt, while from the Rock of Peter the light of truth shines forth as brilliantly as on the day when Jesus first kindled it on His appearance in the world and fed it with His divine words: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."
+ Saint Pius X, March 12, 1904.
Prayer
Saint Pius, Shepherd of the flock of Christ, I beg of you to intercede for the Holy Catholic Church, which the Eternal Father chose as His property, for which our Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, has shed His Blood, and which the Holy Spirit animates and sanctifies. the aim of your pontificate was to restore all things in Christ, once entrusted to your care, that it may extend over the whole world and bring the truths of salvations to all nations. May the Church be glorified with the splendor of holiness, so that, as the city upon the mountain, she may shine forth before the whole world.
Protect and bless the Holy Father, all bishops and priests. Fill them with wisdom, strength, and virtue so that in imitation of you, they may live worthy of their sublime vocation, and guide their flocks to eternal salvation. You were once the great inspirer and the guide of the people of God. Beg God to visit all the faithful with His sanctifying grace so that, by leading a pure and holy life, they may perseÂvere in His love.
Through your powerful prayers at the throne of God, protect Holy Mother Church against all attacks of the enemy; destroy their power, that in peace and security we may work out our salvation and spread our holy faith. Amen.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
St. Pius, Head of the Church, pray for us.