A novena is nine days of prayer based on Acts 1:14, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” These nine days of prayer between the Ascension of Jesus and Pentecost is often considered the first novena. It commemorates the nine days that Jesus’ disciples and Mary spent in prayer in Jerusalem after Jesus ascended into heaven, waiting for the Holy Spirit to come. During this time, Jesus instructed his followers to gather in an upper room and pray constantly until the Holy Spirit descended. The word “novena” comes from the Latin word for “nine”. Novenas often include a prayer repeated once a day for nine days, for a specific intention.
The 54-day novena is actually a series of six novenas: three novenas in petition for a specific intention, and three novenas in thanksgiving to God for hearing our prayers. Its roots go back to 1884 and the miraculous cure of a young Italian woman, Fortuna Agrelli. Join us in the 54-day novena prayer campaign from July 17 through September 8, seeking God’s grace and power to stop the construction of the $10 million tax-funded UNM abortion center in Las Cruces (see StopTheCenter.com).
The prayers below should update automatically each day based on where we are in the campaign. If you’re having trouble or the wrong prayers are showing, try refreshing the page or download the PDF.

Bishop Peter Baldacchino of Las Cruces Explains 54‑day Novena
Prayers for August 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, Sept 3, 6
Opening Prayer: Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, Dispenser of God’s graces. and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.
Intention: With a heart full of gratitude, we kneel before you to offer our thanks for hearing our petition. We thank you for your powerful intercession to halt the construction of the state-funded abortion facility in Las Cruces. Your loving guidance protects the sanctity of life and brings hope to our community. We rejoice in the grace you have granted us and continue to trust in your unfailing love and care. Truly, you have shown yourself. Amen.
The Rosary
Begin with The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be
During each mystery of the Rosary, there is a special unique prayer after each decade:
- First Decade: The Annunciation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be
- Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
- Second Decade: The Visitation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be
- Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
- Third Decade: The Nativity – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be
- Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of detachment from the world and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
- Fourth Decade: The Presentation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be
- Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of purity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
- Fifth Decade: Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be
- Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of obedience to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
Hail Holy Queen, Rosary Prayer
Closing Prayer: Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for your graces to stop the construction of the tax-funded abortion facility in Las Cruces, which thou in thy love hast obtained for me.
Prayers for August 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, Sept 3, 6
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come before You with grateful hearts, seeking to offer our thanks for Your abundant grace and blessings. We offer You this prayer of thanksgiving for the joys and holy mysteries You have revealed to us. Each prayer is a testament to Your faithfulness and the miracles You perform in our lives. With hearts full of gratitude, we thank You for hearing our petition and for Your powerful intervention in halting the construction of the state-funded abortion facility in Las Cruces. Your loving guidance protects the sanctity of life and brings hope to our community. We rejoice in the grace You have granted us and continue to trust in Your unfailing love and care. Truly, You have shown Yourself faithful. As we present our gratitude to You, we acknowledge Your unwavering love and mercy. We trust that as You receive our thanks, You continue to guide and bless us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
First Reflection: The Annunciation
Reflect on Luke 1:26-38: “In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.’”
Prayer: Lord, we ask for the virtue of humility as we reflect on the Annunciation. Help us to be humble servants, open to Your will.
Second Reflection: The Visitation
Reflect on Luke 1:39-56: “In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Prayer: Lord, we ask for the virtue of charity as we reflect on the Visitation. Help us to love and serve others selflessly.
Third Reflection: The Nativity
Reflect on Luke 2:1-20: “In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David.”
Prayer: Lord, we ask for the virtue of detachment from the world as we reflect on the Nativity. Help us to seek Your kingdom above all else.
Fourth Reflection: The Presentation
Reflect on Luke 2:22-38: “When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, ‘a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.’”
Prayer: Lord, we ask for the virtue of purity as we reflect on the Presentation. Help us to keep our hearts and minds pure before You.
Fifth Reflection: Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple
Reflect on Luke 2:41-52: “Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.”
Prayer: Lord, we ask for the virtue of obedience to Your will as we reflect on finding the Child Jesus in the temple. Help us to always seek and follow Your guidance.
Closing Prayer: Heavenly Father, we offer You this spiritual communion, binding our prayers together in unity and thanksgiving for preventing the construction of the tax-funded abortion facility in Las Cruces. Your grace has been abundantly poured out upon us, and we are forever grateful. Protect the sanctity of life and continue to guide the hearts of all involved to choose compassion and respect for the unborn. We trust in Your loving provision and celebrate Your unfailing love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
These are optional verses you can add for additional reflection during the Joyful Mysteries.
The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation
- Isaiah 9:2 – “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.”
- Isaiah 7:14 – “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel.”
- Psalm 85:10-11 – “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring from the earth, and righteousness look down from heaven.”
- Psalm 46:4-5 – “There is a river whose streams gladden the City of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, and she shall not be moved; God will help her right early.”
- Hosea 14:5-6 – “I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar, his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon.”
- Luke 1:26-27 – “In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.”
- Luke 1:28-29 – “And he came to her and said, ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.”
- Luke 1:30-31 – “And the angel said to her, ‘Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call his name Jesus.'”
- Luke 1:35 – “‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.'”
- Luke 1:38 – “And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.'”
The Second Joyful Mystery: The Visitation
- Luke 1:39 – “In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah; and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.”
- Luke 1:41 – “And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”
- Isaiah 49:13 – “Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted His people, and will have compassion on His afflicted.”
- Zechariah 2:10 – “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for lo, I come and I will dwell in the midst of you, says the Lord.”
- Isaiah 40:3 – “A voice cries, ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'”
- Jeremiah 31:13 – “They shall come and sing aloud on the heights of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the Lord…. I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.”
- Isaiah 51:5 – “My deliverance draws near speedily, my salvation has gone forth, and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope.”
- Isaiah 52:8 – “Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.”
- Isaiah 52:9 – “Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.”
- Isaiah 52:10 – “The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
The Third Joyful Mystery: The Nativity
- Isaiah 9:6 – “A Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.”
- Wisdom 18:14-15 – “For while all things were in quiet silence, and the night was in the midst of her course, thy almighty Word leapt down from heaven from thy royal throne, into the midst of the land that was doomed.”
- Isaiah 66:7 – “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came upon her, she was delivered of a Son.”
- Isaiah 40:1-2 – “Comfort, comfort my people says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned.”
- Psalm 46:10-11 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our stronghold.”
- Revelation 21:2-3 – “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God…; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling of God is with men.'”
- Jeremiah 23:5 – “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”
- Luke 2:6-7 – “And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born Son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.”
- Luke 2:8-9 – “And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.”
- Luke 2:10-11 – “And the angel said to them, ‘Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people. For to you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.'”
The Fourth Joyful Mystery: The Presentation
- Luke 2:22 – “And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.”
- Deuteronomy 26:10 – “‘Behold, now I bring the first fruit of the ground, which Thou, O Lord, hast given me.'”
- Haggai 2:8 – “The desired of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of Hosts.”
- Exodus 15:17 – “Thou wilt bring them in, and plant them on thy own mountain; the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thy abode; the sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.”
- Isaiah 49:6 – “‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.'”
- Ezra 1:3 – “Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the House of the Lord.”
- Psalm 132:8-9 – “Arise, O Lord, and go to thy resting place, thou and the Ark of thy might. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy saints shout for joy.”
- Psalm 24:7 – “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of Glory may come in!”
- Daniel 7:13 – “And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.”
- Genesis 27:27 – “So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him and said, ‘See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed!'”
The Fifth Joyful Mystery: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple
- Luke 2:42-43 – “And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it.”
- Luke 2:46 – “After three days they found him in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”
- Luke 2:48 – “And when they saw him they were astonished; and his Mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.'”
- Luke 2:49-50 – “And he said to them, ‘How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ And they did not understand the saying which he spoke to them.”
- Psalm 27:4 – “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple.”
- 2 Maccabees 3:30 – “And the Temple, which a little while before was full of fear and disturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the Almighty Lord had appeared.”
- Deuteronomy 33:27 – “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
- Psalm 48:1, 3 – “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! …Within her citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.”
- Psalm 87:1-2 – “On the holy mountain stands the city he founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.”
- Revelation 21:23 – “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.”
