Book Reviews and More: Novena App - Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua

Novena App

Barbara Calamari

Sandra DiPasqua

Novena App on IOS

I have now read all the books read by Barbara and Sandra, have had this app for many months. I greatly enjoyed their books and wanted to write this review to promote this wonderful app. The description of this app states:

“The saints, having been human, lived every type of earthly existence and it is in the details of their life stories that we find their patronages. By invoking the saints, we ask for guidance in overcoming our own earthly trials, much like one would ask advice of a family member or friend. Meditating on the lives of these remarkable people inspires us to conquer our own personal obstacles.

A novena is a nine day period of prayer. Usually the novena prayer is recited nine times in a row for nine consecutive days, the repetitive nature of the prayer serves to bring on a quiet and meditative state. When ones mind quiets down, it allows the solution to a problem to appear or even help in the acceptance of an unchangeable life challenge.

To help you find a saint that can aid you with your specific dilemma, we have divided this app of thirty-six saints into four categories: Health, Occupations, Situations and States of Life. You can find your saint by personally relating to their history, by being drawn to the illustrated depictions in their holy cards, or by searching the Glossary of extensive problems and life situations.

Our beautiful vintage holy cards depict the saints with the enigmatic attributes and symbols that are commonly used to represent them. Brief explanations of these symbols are given to help decipher the visual iconography in their images. The prayers in this app are universally known and have been used for centuries as tools in obtaining clarity and peace of mind. All are free to utilize them, regardless of one's faith or religious belief.”

The categories of Novenas in the app are:

Health

Occupations

Situations

States of Life

Angels

Evangelists

Holy People

Martyrs

Mystics

All Saints

Favorites

There is also a glossary in the app.

Health

Saint Agatha

Saint Aloysius

Saint Alphonsus

Saint Blasie

Saint Dymphna

Saint Gerard

Saint John

Saint Lucy

Saint Peregrine

Occupations

Saint Catherine – Philosophers

Saint Clare – Television Work

Saint Francis – Ecologists

Saint Gabriel – Teachers

Saint Michael – Policemen

Saint Raphael – Travelers

Saint Thomas – Students

Saint V Ferrer – Builders

Saint Xavier - Missionaries

Situations

Saint Anthony –Lost Objects

Divine Infant – Financial Distress

Guadalupe – Motherly Comfort

Saint Jude – Impossible Causes

Padre Pio – Forgiveness

Perpetual Help – Redemption

Sacred Heart – Family Peace

Sorrows – Grief

Saint Therese - Love

States of Life

Saint Joachim and Anne – Grandparents

Saint Joseph – Fathers

Saint Martin – Mixed Race People

Saint Monica – Wayward Children

Mother Cabrini – Immigrants

Saint Philomena – Poverty

Saint Raymond – Newborns

Saint Rita – Marital Problems

Saint Vincent DePaul – Abandoned Children

Angels

Saint Gabriel – Techers

Saint Michael – Policemen

Saint Raphael – Travelers

Evangelists

Saint John – Heart Ailments

Mother Cabrini – Immigrants

Saint Raymond – Newborns

Saint Thomas – Students

Saint Ferrer – Builders

Saint Xavier - Missionaries

Holy People

Saint Aloysius – AIDS

Saint Alphonsus – Arthritis

Saint Blaise – Throat Ailments

Divine Infant – Financial Distress

Guadalupe – Motherly Comfort

Saint Joachim and Anne – Grandparents

Saint Joseph – Fathers

Saint Monica – Wayward Children

Saint Peregrine – Cancer

Perpetual Help – Redemption

Saint Philomena – Poverty

Sacred Heart – Family Peace

Sorrows – Grief

Saint V DePaul – Abandoned Children

Martyrs

Saint Agatha – Breast Cancer

Saint Catherine – Philosophers

Saint Dyphna – Mental Illness

Saint Jude – Impossible Causes

Saint Lucy - Blindness

Mystics

Saint Anthony – Lost Objects

Saint Clare – Television Work

Saint Francis – Ecologists

Saint Gerard – Infertility

Saint Martin – Mixed Raced People

Padre Pio – Forgiveness

Saint Rita – Marital Problems

Saint Therese - Love

All Saints

Saint Agatha – Breast Cancer

Saint Aloysius – AIDS

Saint Alphonsus – Arthritis

Saint Anthony – Lost Objects

Saint Blaise – Throat Ailments

Saint Catherine – Philosophers

Saint Clare – Television Work

Divine Infant – Financial Distress

Saint Dyphna – Mental Illness

Saint Francis – Ecologists

Saint Gabriel – Teachers

Saint Gerard – Infertility

Guadalupe – Motherly Comfort

Saint Joachim and Anne – Grandparents

Saint John – Heart Ailments

Saint Joseph – Fathers

Saint Jude – Impossible Causes

Saint Lucy - Blindness

Saint Martin – Mixed Race People

Saint Michael – Policemen

Saint Monica – Wayward Children

Mother Cabrini – Immigrants

Padre Pio – Forgiveness

Saint Peregrine – Cancer

Perpetual Help – Redemption

Saint Philomena – Poverty

Saint Raphael – Travelers

Saint Raymond – Newborns

Saint Rita – Marital Problems

Sacred Heart – Family Peace

Saint Therese - Love

Saint Thomas – Students

Saint V DePaul – Abandoned Children

Saint V Ferrer – Builders

Saint Xavier - Missionaries

Sorrows – Grief

Favorites

(You can favourite any of the above.)

A sample novena is:

Novena App - Barbara Calamari and Sandra DiPasqua Saint Philomena

“St. Philomena, 291-304

Feast date August 11

Novena to Saint Philomena

Patron of The Poor, Children, Babies, Priests, Lost Causes, Youth.

0 Faithful Virgin and glorious martyr, St. Philomena, who works so many miracles on behalf of the poor and sorrowing, have pity on me. Thou knowest the multitude and diversity of my needs. Behold me at thy feet, full of misery, but full of hope. I entreat thy charity, 0 great Saint! Graciously hear me and obtain from God a favourable answer to the request which I now humbly lay before thee. (Mention your intention).

I am firmly convinced that through thy merits, through the scorn, the sufferings and the death thou didst endure, united to the merits of the Passion and death of Jesus, thy Spouse, I shall obtain what I ask of thee, and in the joy of my heart I will bless God, who is admirable in His Saints. Amen

End with:

Saint Philomena, powerful with

God, pray for us!

Saint Philomena, powerful with

God, hear our prayers!

History:

''It might well be that her name is not Philomena, but this Saint has performed many miracles and it is not the name that did them.''

Padre Pio

Never officially canonized, and listed in the local Calendar of Saints for only 130 years before being removed, Saint Philomena enjoys a unique and fervid following among common people, popes and saints. Her remains discovered seventeen centuries after her death, Saint Philomena is known as one of the great Wonder Workers of the nineteenth century and is the only person declared a saint based solely on their intercessory powers. Recognized for her miraculous influence by six popes and ten different saints who have claimed personal experiences through her intervention, she is called upon when things look most hopeless. Discovered by a priest who hailed from a poverty-stricken parish near Naples, she is said to be particularly in tune with the needs of the poor.

In 1802, the bones of a girl between the ages of 1 3 and 15 were discovered in the Catacombs of Priscilia in Rome, Italy. Three tiles closing off her space hollowed into the rock read, ''Peace be with thee, Philomena''. Entombed with the girl was a vial thought to contain blood as well as drawings of a palm, two anchors and three arrows. Because these images were well known symbols used by early Christians to convey martyrdom, it was established that the girl was one of the many virgin martyrs in the early, underground church. In 1805 a young priest from the diocese of Nola (a district near Naples requested the Vatican to allow him to obtain a relic for the new altar in the Church of Our Lady of Grace in Mugnano. Because he felt a spiritual affinity when he was near her remains, he was allowed to take the relics of the recently discovered virgin martyr back with him. Before her remains were translated to the church, they were put on display in Naples. Almost immediately, there were reports of miraculous healing. When her relics arrived in Mugnano on August 11 , 1805, a cult rapidly grew, attributing many miracles to the intercession of the little martyr.

In 1833 a Neapolitan nun, Sister Maria Luisa de Gesu, claimed to have a vision of Philomena who relayed her life story. According to her vision, Philomena was the daughter of the king of Corfu in Greece. When the Emperor Diocletian of Rome threatened her father's kingdom with war, he travelled to Rome with his family in order to obtain peace. There Philomena discovered Christianity and vowed her virginity to Christ. But the Emperor saw how beautiful she was and he asked to marry her. Because the young girl refused him, she was tortured and then drowned with an anchor tied around her neck. When two angels raised her up out of the sea, she was shot with arrows. After this failed to kill her, she was decapitated. According to the nun's vision, Philomena declared that August 11th, the day her relics were installed in Mugnano, was also the anniversary of her death.

In 1835, when Pauline Jaricot, the well-known and respected French reformer was gravely ill with heart disease, she made a pilgrimage to Mugnano and was completely cured by Philomena. News of this event spread throughout France and Spain and Philomena attracted such notable devotees as Saint Anthony Mary Claret from Spain and Saint John Vianney of France who built his own shrine to the little martyr. Several popes, while still cardinals paid visits to Philomena's shrine. Pope Pius IX credits her with curing him of epilepsy. Saints such as Francis Xavier Cabrini, Padre Pio and Father Damian are numbered among her devotees. When the Calendar of Saints was reassessed to only list saints who had historical proof of their existence, Philomena lost her place. Her cult is still very strong and pilgrims from around the world visit her shrine in Mugnano.”

I love this app and all the books about saints this duo has written. This is a great app. It will even add a reminder of the feast day to your calendar for you. I hope that the list of saints and sample novena and history will spark your interest. It is a wonderful app, my youngest two teen kids love it. I can easily recommend this app.

Link to the Novena App on IOS.