March 9. Saint Frances of Rome is a good example of what Vatican II hoped for—an active laity who take their baptismal vow in action.
Reflection
Looking at the exemplary life of fidelity to God and devotion to her fellow human beings which Frances of Rome was blessed to lead, one cannot help but be reminded of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, who loved Jesus Christ in prayer and also in the poor. The life of Frances of Rome calls each of us not only to look deeply for God in prayer, but also to carry our devotion to Jesus living in the suffering of our world. Frances shows us that this life need not be restricted to those bound by vows.
St. Frances of Rome Novena
St. Frances of Rome was an Italian saint who lived in the 1300s-1400s.
She was a wife and a mother, as well as a mystic.
She also did a lot of charitable work, and she founded a women’s lay religious order called the Oblates of Mary.
St. Frances of Rome was known for her quiet manner and her piety. You can use this novena to seek intercession from this holy saint in your life! About St. Frances of Rome
St. Frances of Rome was born in 1384 in Rome.
Her parents were members of the nobility, and they were wealthy. As a child, she was very devout.
She decided at age eleven to become a nun.
Frances’ father told her that she was too young to make such a decision, and that he had already promised her in marriage to someone.
Frances was very upset at this prospect.
She prayed continually for God to stop the marriage, until her confessor pointed out to her that it seemed she was upset that God wouldn’t do her will.
Frances reluctantly agreed to marry.
Her betrothed was named Lorenzo Ponziani, and he was a good man who genuinely cared for her.
But he was also a member of the nobility and his family was prominent in the social life of their society
. Frances was very shy by nature, so the parties that surrounded their wedding were torture for her.
Frances was so overwrought with social anxiety that she collapsed and remained bedridden for months.
She was not able to eat or move. Near the point of death, Frances had a vision of St. Alexis.
St. Alexis told her that God was giving her an important choice: she could choose to recover, or not to recover.
Though she would have preferred to die, Frances said, “God’s will in mine.” St. Alexis then told her that she would live, and that by doing so she would glorify God.
Frances immediately recovered completely. But her problems did not disappear, as her mother-in-law still expected her to entertain and participate in social events.
Soon, Frances discovered that her sister-in-law had also wished to enter religious life.
The two of them became close friends and planned how they might carry out holy practices together.
Frances soon gave birth to a son, Battista.
Then, her mother-in-law died and most of the household duties fell to Frances.
She eventually gave birth to two more children, another boy and a girl.
When disease and famine came to Rome, Frances and her sister-in-law served the poor and sick.
Her father-in-law was furious at Frances for giving away the family’s stores of food, but when their stores were miraculously replenished, he relented.
Frances sold her jewels and expensive clothes, giving the money to the poor.
As wars and armed conflicts raged, Frances suffered the loss of her son who was taken as a hostage.
But he was returned to her after she entrusted his life to the Blessed Virgin.
Frances later lost her younger two children to the plague.
Her house was also demolished.
Despite these sufferings, she turned her home into a hospital.
When the wars were over, her husband returned home. He was injured physically and mentally, but Frances cared for him and helped heal him.
Frances soon started an order of Benedictine lay women called the Oblates of Mary.
This order of women lived in the world but pledged to serve God and the poor.
When her husband died, she moved into the house for widowed Oblates and was made superior. She died four years later.
St. Frances of Rome’s Feast Day: March 9th
Why Pray the St. Frances of Rome Novena?
St. Frances of Rome is the patron saint of widows. You can seek her intercession if you are a widow, or for someone you know who is a widow.
St. Frances of Rome is also the patron saint of Benedictine Oblates. You can ask her for prayers if you are a Benedictine Oblate, if you are discerning a call to the Benedictine Oblates, or for a Benedictine Oblate you know.
Additionally, St. Frances of Rome is a great saint to seek prayers from if you suffer from social anxiety, since she suffered severely from social anxiety as a young woman.
You can pray the St. Frances of Rome Novena for any intention!
St. Frances of Rome Novena Prayers
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 1
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the love of You she showed by choosing to follow Your will for her life over her own. St. Frances of Rome, you desired to serve God in a wholehearted way from the time you were a child.
You wanted to serve Him in religious life, but it soon became clear to you that this was not God’s will.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you longed to serve so devotedly!
Your confessor helped you to see that it was you who wanted religious life, but that God was calling you to something else.
You humbly chose to follow God’s call to marriage. Pray for me, that I may be open to God’s will in my life.
Pray that I may be submissive and willing to do whatever He calls me to do.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 2
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed in choosing to marry and have a family, as You called her to. St. Frances of Rome, you did not want to marry and have a family, but you realized that this was God’s will for your life.
Though it was initially very difficult for you, you did your best to faithfully carry out the duties of your vocation as a wife and mother.
Please faithfully bring my petitions before the throne of God!
Though your familial life was filled with many sufferings, you persevered in your duties and continued to serve God.
Pray for me, that I may never allow any difficulties to deter me from serving God faithfully.
Pray that I may carry out the duties of my state in life faithfully, for the love of God.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 3
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the virtue she showed in choosing to serve You despite her sufferings. St. Frances of Rome, you suffered from severe social anxiety in your life as a young engaged and married woman.
Despite your sufferings, you chose to submit yourself to God’s will and serve Him.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served! You suffered so greatly that you were near the point of death.
When God gave you a choice between ending your suffering through death or recovering, you chose to follow God’s will and to bring glory to Him through recovering.
Pray for me, that I may never allow any sufferings to deter me from doing God’s will.
Pray that I may persevere in serving Him, no matter what difficulties I might face.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 4
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness. Help us to imitate the love of You she showed in the holy practices and charitable works she undertook together with her sister-in-law. St. Frances of Rome, you faced many trials in your life as a married woman of society. When you discovered that your sister-in-law had longed for the convent like you, the two of you purposefully set out to serve God together. Please bring my petitions before the throne of God! With your sister-in-law, you began devotional practices and charitable works. You continued on this path of prayer and holy service throughout the rest of your life.
Pray for me, that I may serve God as devotedly as you did.
Pray that I may accept the help on the path to holiness that God gives me through others.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 5
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the virtue she showed in caring for the poor and the sick around her.
St. Frances of Rome, you suffered a lot during your life from anxiety, illness, famine, and war.
Despite your own sufferings, you looked for ways to serve God through service to your suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so devotedly!
You gave generously to the poor from your family’s own supplies.
When your home was demolished during war, you salvaged what you could to turn it into a hospital.
Pray for me, that I may grow in my charity towards those around me who are suffering.
Pray that I may be eager to serve God through service to my suffering brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 6
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed through her deep trust in You.
St. Frances of Rome, you endured a lot of suffering as wars raged around you.
But even when your oldest son was demanded as a hostage, your deep trust in God never wavered.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you trusted so deeply!
You entrusted the life of your captured son to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and God rewarded your trust in Him by bringing your son back to you.
Pray for me, that I may trust in God as unwaveringly as you did.
Pray that my trust in God will never falter, even in the midst of sufferings and trials.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 7
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the love of You she showed throughout her faithfulness in time of suffering from war. St. Frances of Rome, you lived in a time of great conflicts in society. As wars raged around you, you did not waver in faithfulness to God or in your desire to serve Him.
Please bring my petitions before God with such faithfulness!
Your husband returned from the war suffering terrible injuries in both his body and his mind.
Though it was not easy for you, you cared for your husband and helped return him to health.
Pray for me, that I may never miss the opportunity to serve God through service to those around me who are suffering.
Pray that I may remain faithful to God amidst all sufferings and trials.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 8
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the virtue she showed in faithfully carrying out the duties of her vocation in marriage.
St. Frances of Rome, you did not initially think that you were called to married life.
When your confessor helped you to see that marriage was God’s will for you, you chose to serve God in this vocation, despite many difficulties.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you chose to serve!
You were a faithful wife and mother for many years.
When your husband returned from war injured in mind and body, you cared for him and nursed him back to health.
Pray for me, that I may carry out the duties of my vocation faithfully each day.
Pray that I may serve God faithfully in my vocation even when it is very difficult.
Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Frances of Rome Novena - Day 9
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Frances of Rome as an example of holiness.
Help us to imitate the devotion to You she showed in her desire to enter religious life.
St. Frances of Rome, you desired to serve God in religious life from the time you were a young girl.
But you came to realize that He was not calling you to serve Him in this way yet, so you submitted yourself to His will. Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so devotedly!
You were a faithful wife and mother for many years. Later in life, you established a lay religious order.
You served God wholeheartedly through this order for the rest of your life.
Pray for me, that I may respond generously to whatever God might call me to do in my life.
Pray that I may strive to be submissive to His will. Please also pray for (mention your intentions here).
St. Frances of Rome, pray for us!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
