St. Mother Teresa Novena – 9 Days of Prayer
Novena to the Albanian-Indian missionary who saw and served Jesus in the poorest of the poor
St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw Jesus in the poorest of the poor and asked us to do small things with great love. This novena invites you to serve, to forgive and to love without counting the cost. It is a good prayer for volunteers, carers and anyone who feels the world's needs are too large. Her feast is September 5. She founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta and spent decades among the dying and the destitute, yet spoke often of her own spiritual darkness. That honesty makes her an unusually good companion for prayer. Offer each day for one person you will serve.
A novena is nine consecutive days of prayer. Begin nine days before the feast (September 5) and finish on its eve. You can pray this novena at any time of year.
Pray this novena with daily reminders in the Sacred Novenas app
Open in the app App StoreGoogle PlaySt. Mother Teresa Novena – prayer for all nine days
Intention: For Love of the Poor, Joyful Service, and the Grace to See Jesus in Others
St. Teresa of Calcutta, you saw the face of Jesus in the poorest of the poor and you could not look away. You said: 'Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.'
St. Mother Teresa, humble servant of God and the poor, I come to you with a heart that wishes to love more but so often falls short. You found Jesus in the dying abandoned on the streets of Calcutta. Help me to find Him in the ordinary people and moments of my daily life.
You lived through what you called a 'dark night of the soul' — decades of interior darkness — and yet you never stopped smiling, serving, and loving. You taught us that holiness is not a feeling but a choice.
(Pause here to mention your intentions)
St. Mother Teresa, intercede for me and for all who are poor — not only in material things, but poor in love, in peace, and in hope. Obtain for me the grace I seek in this novena. Help me to remember your words: 'Do small things with great love.'
Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...
St. Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us.
Pray this prayer once a day for nine days in a row.
Traditional Catholic Devotional Prayer · Feast Day: September 5. Canonized September 4, 2016 by Pope Francis
More novenas
- St. Jude Novena
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena
- St. Joseph Novena
- St. Therese Novena
- St. Anthony of Padua Novena
- St. Rita Novena
Frequently asked questions
When should I start the St. Mother Teresa Novena?
Begin on August 27 to end on September 4, the eve of her feast on September 5.
How do I pray the St. Mother Teresa Novena?
Pray the daily prayer once a day and do one small act of kindness each day.
Who is the St. Mother Teresa Novena for?
It is for carers, volunteers and anyone who wants to serve the poor.
Pray this novena with daily reminders in the Sacred Novenas app
Open in the app App StoreGoogle Play