The Feast day of San Lorenzo Ruiz is every September 28. Novena prayers start on September 20.
San Lorenzo Ruiz Novena -A Novena to San Lorenzo Ruiz seeking his intercession for a special grace.
Opening Song
Oh, dear martyr of God; dear San Lorenzo Ruiz, you sealed your faith with blood, dying a Christian death. Teach us to follow Christ, walk with Him all the Way. Carrying the cross aright onward to Calvary.
Hail! San Lorenzo, dear San Lorenzo, pray for the Philippines. Pray for Asia. Pray for the world.
Opening Prayer
Dear Lord, we acknowledge that you are the source of all truth, goodness, beauty and holiness. You have inspired Your son, San Lorenzo Ruiz, to proclaim your name by the shedding of his blood. Be with us throughout this Novena so that like San Lorenzo Ruiz, we may also allow You to be the center and master of our lives. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day One
Called to Serve at an Early Age
"Three centuries ago, the missionary martyrs, whom this morning the Church solemnly numbers among the saints, heard those words as if addressed to them. Among them there were also several lay persons: a Filipino and two Japanese. With courage, they were able to make their contribution so that the proclamation of the Gospel might reach "the ends of the world." (Blessed John Paul II)
Lorenzo, you were born in Binondo to a Chinese father and a Filipina mother. You grew up in a religiious environment, the reason why you became an altar boy at a very young age. Little did you know that you were being called by God to a greater kind of offering of self later in your life.
Dear San Lorenzo, at a very tender age, you responded to God's call to serve Jesus at the altar. Help us to be mindful of the Holy Spirit's stirrings in our lives, so that, just like you, we may also respond generously to God's call to holiness and to service. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Two
Mary's Little Herald
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings" (Isaiah 52:7) Today's canonization of Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions, martyred in and around Nagasaki between 1633 and 1637, constitutes an eloquent confirmation of these words. Sixteen men and women bore witness by their heroic sufferings and death, to their belief in the message of salvation in Christ which had reached them after being proclaimed from generation to generation since the time of the Apostles." (Blessed John Paul II)
As a young boy, you were not only contented, Lorenzo, in serving the Lord at the altar. You also wanted to serve our Mother Mary by being a devoted son to her. You joined the confraternity of the Holy Rosary, a religious organization, whose main objective is to make its members close to the heart of the loving Mother of our Savior. You prayed the Rosary and spread this great devotion to others. You became the herald of Mary at a young age.
Dear San Lorenzo, your being a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary as faithfulness, humility and obedience to God's will. Help us also to deepen our love is for the Blessed Mother, who always leads all her children to Jesus her Son. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Three
A Gifted Calligrapher
"In their sufferings, their love and imitation of Jesus reached its fulfillment, and their sacramental configuration with Jesus, the one Mediator, was brought to perfection, ":For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his (Rom 6:5)"
When we grew up, Lorenzo, you showed your artistic inclination by the way you handled the pen. You discovered that your handwriting is fit to write important documents. You were known as "escribano" for indeed you made use of your talent for the service of others.
Dear San Lorenzo, your work as a calligrapher has indeed placed you in an important position. By writing important documents using your artistic skills, you revealed to us that you are an educated person capable of reading and writing. Little did you know that God has already written your destiny, to be a faithful defender of the Catholic faith, especially during your trial of faith in Japan. You offered you life believing that only God can give you the true freedom and life that you aspire to have in heaven. We also pray that like you, we shall also use our talents to glorify God by serving others. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Four
A Family Man
"This lay Filipino protomartyr, together with the other four Japanese laymen and women, is a model of charity and perfect holiness, sealed with the Cross of Christ... "In a special way, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz calls Filipino families to grow in dignity, harmony and responsibility as the "domestic church," where each one learns to be at the service of all, witnessing to the sanctity of human life at every stage and in every situation."
As you grew into maturity, you decided to have your own family. During your trial in Japan, you revealed that you have a wife and three children. You also experienced how it is to be called "Daddy" by your own children. You also experienced the care and the affection of a loving wife. And although it was difficult for you to leave your family, you decided to go with your Dominican friends hoping that somewhere, sometime you will meet them again.
Dear San Lorenzo, as the head of your family, you also received and shared your love to your wife and three children. Help all parents to cherish their time with their children and to love them while they are still with them. Help also children to love and respect their parents. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Five
Japan: The Forbidden Land
"These holy martyrs, different in origin, language, race and social condition, are united with each other and with the entire People of God in the saving mystery of Christ, the Redeemer." (Blessed John Paul II)
Japan was considered a forbidden land for those who would bring foreign religions to her shores. The Japanese authorities during your time considered foreign religions as enemies of the state. When you, Lorenzo, and your companion priests landed on the shores of Japan, you cannot help but share the light of Christ to the people you encountered there. You were caught by the authorities and were sentenced to die. Dear San Lorenzo, you left the Philippines hoping that you will avoid meeting an early death but it turned out that God has another plan for you and your companions. You were presented with two important options: to deny your faith and live or to profess your faith in God and die. You chose the second option, entrusting your life to the giver of true life. Help us to trust in God and to surrender everything to Him. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Six
Lorenzo's Humanity
"May this task of evangelization begin in Filipino families, following the example of Lorenzo Ruiz, husband and father of three children, who first collaborated with the Dominican Fathers in Manila, and then shared their martyrdom in Nagasaki, and who is now the first canonized Filipino saint."
Amidst the tortures and cruelties you experienced in the hands of your executioners, you felt tremendous fear and anxiety for you life. This caused you to ask one of your guards what would happen to you if ever you would surrender to the wishes of the Japanese authorities. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani, you feared a painful death. But just like Jesus, before you received the answer, you regained your strength and told you executioner that you are ready to die for your faith.
Dear San Lorenzo, like all of us human beings, you also felt the fear of pain and death. But with God's grace, you were empowered to overcome your fear. Help us to trust more in God's power that in our own human strength. For it is in our complete surrender to God's will that we shall find truth strength. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Seven
Source of Strength
"Through the witness of their lives generously offered for love of Christ, the new saints speak to the entire Church today, they draw her on and stimulate her in her evangelizing mission... The missionaries who are being canonized today, on this day of prayer for the missions, speak to all the Christian faithful, exhorting them to rekindle their missionary conscience." (Blessed John Paul II)
You were not alone, Lorenzo, in the painful tortures that you have experienced. You companion priests and some lay people like you, have shown great courage and readiness to suffer for the faith. They were your constant guide and strength during those times you felt the darkness overcoming the light. They prayed for you and you prayed for them. You were united in your resolve to show your love and faith in God by offering your lives to Him.
Dear San Lorenzo, God has given you good companions during the time you needed them most. Their unceasing prayer, constant faith and undying love for God have strengthened your spirit. Help us also to look for good friends who will encourage us to do good and to persevere in living the faith and, if need be, to die for it for the love of God. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day Eight
The Ultimate Victory
"Saint Lorenzo Ruiz calls Filipino Catholics of today to uphold and strengthen their nation's baptismal consecration. His example urges you to meet the challenges of the present with the same strength of character and trust in God with which he faced the supreme test of love." (Blessed John Paul II)
For the last time, Lorenzo, you were asked by the Japanese authority if you would recant your faith in God and live or you would continue professing your faith and die. You final answer was "I am a Christian and this I profess until the hour of my death; and for God I shall give my life. And so do with me as you please."
Dear San Lorenzo, your final response gave you ultimate victory over you enemies and over death itself. You have allowed the Holy Spirit to speak for you and you have pronounced your faith in God and in heaven. You were victorious because you surrendered everything to the Lord. Help us also to choose what is lasting, immortal and eternal. For in choosing them we are choosing God Himself, who is life and resurrection. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Nine
San Lorenzo Ruiz: Martyr-Saint
"Through that work of evangelization and conversion, Jesus Christ became a Filipino. He entered the hearts of your forefathers. He shared the hopes, the sufferings, all the dramatic events of your nation's history. His grace transformed lives. His saving message shaped your culture. And he did not hesitate to call a humble son of Binondo, of Manila, "extra muros," to become one with him in the great mystery of his saving passion and death, not in his own land, but far away in Japan, as a seed transported to another field, at the beginning of another heroic page in the history of evangelization in Asia." (Blessed John Paul II)
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Litany to San Lorenzo Ruiz
San Lorenzo Ruiz, we lift up to you our prayers for the Church, our families, our country and for the world.
San Lorenzo Ruiz, Pray for Us.
That Pope (N) may always be guided by the Holy Spirit.
That all bishops may be true fathers to their flock.
That all priests may value and be faithful to their vocations.
That the Church may be a shining instrument of God's presence.
That vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life may abound.
That all families may be united in love and forgiveness.
That parents may teach their children to love God.
That children may be respectful and obedient to their parents.
That young people may value purity of heart.
That the elderly may experience love and care.
That the leaders of our country may serve without counting the cost.
That all citizens may contribute to the betterment of our country.
That the poor may experience love and concern.
That the rich may share their blessings to those who have less.
That both the rich and the poor may work together and do their respective parts in the spread of God's Kingdom.
That laborers may be given just compensation.
That all educators may teach the value of integrity.
That missionaries may bring the Gospel to those who have not heard it.
That Asia may be open to the Gospel of love and life taught by Jesus.
That nations may work for the common good.
That the world may be one as the Lord desires it.
San Lorenzo Ruiz, you have declared by the Catholic Church as worthy of our veneration and love. We, your countrymen and devotees would like to ask your intercession, that just like you we may also conquer our pride, ambition, and selfishness. Intercede for us before the Father that we may be faithful and obedient children to Him. May our blessed Mother Mary and all the angels and saints help us in our pilgrimage here on earth, that one day we may be with you eternally worshipping our Almighty God. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Final Prayer
Dear San Lorenzo Ruiz, we felt your companionship during our Novena to you. We pray that as we travel in this valley of tears, we may always find comfort in remembering that we have a Filipino brother, who has conquered fear and death. This you have done, not by relying on your own strength and power but by trusting and surrendering everything to God.
Through your intercession, guide and guard our country and the world, that we may always do the will of God in our lives. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn To San Lorenzo Ruiz
Ang Bayang Pilipino ngayon ay nagsasaya,
Isang sugo sa langit tayo ay mayroon na,
Salamat sa Maykapal sa banal na biyaya,
Tinanghal ng daigdig kayumangging dakila.
Purihin ka, Lorenzo, at 'yong mga kasama;
alagad ng Maykapal, sagisag ng pag-asa
Sa rosaryo ng Birhen, kami'y iyong kasama
Iyo ang aming puso, Lorenzo de Manila
Iyo ang aming puso, Lorenzo de Manila
Ipagbunyi din natin mga kasamang martir,
Sa lupa at sa langit, sila ay dadakilain
Salamat sa Maykapal sa banal na biyaya,
Tinanghal ng daigdig kayumangging dakila.
San Lorenzo Ruiz Novena -A Novena to San Lorenzo Ruiz seeking his intercession for a special grace.
Opening Song
Oh, dear martyr of God; dear San Lorenzo Ruiz, you sealed your faith with blood, dying a Christian death. Teach us to follow Christ, walk with Him all the Way. Carrying the cross aright onward to Calvary.
Hail! San Lorenzo, dear San Lorenzo, pray for the Philippines. Pray for Asia. Pray for the world.
Opening Prayer
Dear Lord, we acknowledge that you are the source of all truth, goodness, beauty and holiness. You have inspired Your son, San Lorenzo Ruiz, to proclaim your name by the shedding of his blood. Be with us throughout this Novena so that like San Lorenzo Ruiz, we may also allow You to be the center and master of our lives. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day One
Called to Serve at an Early Age
"Three centuries ago, the missionary martyrs, whom this morning the Church solemnly numbers among the saints, heard those words as if addressed to them. Among them there were also several lay persons: a Filipino and two Japanese. With courage, they were able to make their contribution so that the proclamation of the Gospel might reach "the ends of the world." (Blessed John Paul II)
Lorenzo, you were born in Binondo to a Chinese father and a Filipina mother. You grew up in a religiious environment, the reason why you became an altar boy at a very young age. Little did you know that you were being called by God to a greater kind of offering of self later in your life.
Dear San Lorenzo, at a very tender age, you responded to God's call to serve Jesus at the altar. Help us to be mindful of the Holy Spirit's stirrings in our lives, so that, just like you, we may also respond generously to God's call to holiness and to service. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. (1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Two
Mary's Little Herald
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings" (Isaiah 52:7) Today's canonization of Blessed Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions, martyred in and around Nagasaki between 1633 and 1637, constitutes an eloquent confirmation of these words. Sixteen men and women bore witness by their heroic sufferings and death, to their belief in the message of salvation in Christ which had reached them after being proclaimed from generation to generation since the time of the Apostles." (Blessed John Paul II)
As a young boy, you were not only contented, Lorenzo, in serving the Lord at the altar. You also wanted to serve our Mother Mary by being a devoted son to her. You joined the confraternity of the Holy Rosary, a religious organization, whose main objective is to make its members close to the heart of the loving Mother of our Savior. You prayed the Rosary and spread this great devotion to others. You became the herald of Mary at a young age.
Dear San Lorenzo, your being a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary as faithfulness, humility and obedience to God's will. Help us also to deepen our love is for the Blessed Mother, who always leads all her children to Jesus her Son. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Three
A Gifted Calligrapher
"In their sufferings, their love and imitation of Jesus reached its fulfillment, and their sacramental configuration with Jesus, the one Mediator, was brought to perfection, ":For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his (Rom 6:5)"
When we grew up, Lorenzo, you showed your artistic inclination by the way you handled the pen. You discovered that your handwriting is fit to write important documents. You were known as "escribano" for indeed you made use of your talent for the service of others.
Dear San Lorenzo, your work as a calligrapher has indeed placed you in an important position. By writing important documents using your artistic skills, you revealed to us that you are an educated person capable of reading and writing. Little did you know that God has already written your destiny, to be a faithful defender of the Catholic faith, especially during your trial of faith in Japan. You offered you life believing that only God can give you the true freedom and life that you aspire to have in heaven. We also pray that like you, we shall also use our talents to glorify God by serving others. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Four
A Family Man
"This lay Filipino protomartyr, together with the other four Japanese laymen and women, is a model of charity and perfect holiness, sealed with the Cross of Christ... "In a special way, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz calls Filipino families to grow in dignity, harmony and responsibility as the "domestic church," where each one learns to be at the service of all, witnessing to the sanctity of human life at every stage and in every situation."
As you grew into maturity, you decided to have your own family. During your trial in Japan, you revealed that you have a wife and three children. You also experienced how it is to be called "Daddy" by your own children. You also experienced the care and the affection of a loving wife. And although it was difficult for you to leave your family, you decided to go with your Dominican friends hoping that somewhere, sometime you will meet them again.
Dear San Lorenzo, as the head of your family, you also received and shared your love to your wife and three children. Help all parents to cherish their time with their children and to love them while they are still with them. Help also children to love and respect their parents. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Five
Japan: The Forbidden Land
"These holy martyrs, different in origin, language, race and social condition, are united with each other and with the entire People of God in the saving mystery of Christ, the Redeemer." (Blessed John Paul II)
Japan was considered a forbidden land for those who would bring foreign religions to her shores. The Japanese authorities during your time considered foreign religions as enemies of the state. When you, Lorenzo, and your companion priests landed on the shores of Japan, you cannot help but share the light of Christ to the people you encountered there. You were caught by the authorities and were sentenced to die. Dear San Lorenzo, you left the Philippines hoping that you will avoid meeting an early death but it turned out that God has another plan for you and your companions. You were presented with two important options: to deny your faith and live or to profess your faith in God and die. You chose the second option, entrusting your life to the giver of true life. Help us to trust in God and to surrender everything to Him. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Six
Lorenzo's Humanity
"May this task of evangelization begin in Filipino families, following the example of Lorenzo Ruiz, husband and father of three children, who first collaborated with the Dominican Fathers in Manila, and then shared their martyrdom in Nagasaki, and who is now the first canonized Filipino saint."
Amidst the tortures and cruelties you experienced in the hands of your executioners, you felt tremendous fear and anxiety for you life. This caused you to ask one of your guards what would happen to you if ever you would surrender to the wishes of the Japanese authorities. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani, you feared a painful death. But just like Jesus, before you received the answer, you regained your strength and told you executioner that you are ready to die for your faith.
Dear San Lorenzo, like all of us human beings, you also felt the fear of pain and death. But with God's grace, you were empowered to overcome your fear. Help us to trust more in God's power that in our own human strength. For it is in our complete surrender to God's will that we shall find truth strength. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Seven
Source of Strength
"Through the witness of their lives generously offered for love of Christ, the new saints speak to the entire Church today, they draw her on and stimulate her in her evangelizing mission... The missionaries who are being canonized today, on this day of prayer for the missions, speak to all the Christian faithful, exhorting them to rekindle their missionary conscience." (Blessed John Paul II)
You were not alone, Lorenzo, in the painful tortures that you have experienced. You companion priests and some lay people like you, have shown great courage and readiness to suffer for the faith. They were your constant guide and strength during those times you felt the darkness overcoming the light. They prayed for you and you prayed for them. You were united in your resolve to show your love and faith in God by offering your lives to Him.
Dear San Lorenzo, God has given you good companions during the time you needed them most. Their unceasing prayer, constant faith and undying love for God have strengthened your spirit. Help us also to look for good friends who will encourage us to do good and to persevere in living the faith and, if need be, to die for it for the love of God. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Day Eight
The Ultimate Victory
"Saint Lorenzo Ruiz calls Filipino Catholics of today to uphold and strengthen their nation's baptismal consecration. His example urges you to meet the challenges of the present with the same strength of character and trust in God with which he faced the supreme test of love." (Blessed John Paul II)
For the last time, Lorenzo, you were asked by the Japanese authority if you would recant your faith in God and live or you would continue professing your faith and die. You final answer was "I am a Christian and this I profess until the hour of my death; and for God I shall give my life. And so do with me as you please."
Dear San Lorenzo, your final response gave you ultimate victory over you enemies and over death itself. You have allowed the Holy Spirit to speak for you and you have pronounced your faith in God and in heaven. You were victorious because you surrendered everything to the Lord. Help us also to choose what is lasting, immortal and eternal. For in choosing them we are choosing God Himself, who is life and resurrection. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Day Nine
San Lorenzo Ruiz: Martyr-Saint
"Through that work of evangelization and conversion, Jesus Christ became a Filipino. He entered the hearts of your forefathers. He shared the hopes, the sufferings, all the dramatic events of your nation's history. His grace transformed lives. His saving message shaped your culture. And he did not hesitate to call a humble son of Binondo, of Manila, "extra muros," to become one with him in the great mystery of his saving passion and death, not in his own land, but far away in Japan, as a seed transported to another field, at the beginning of another heroic page in the history of evangelization in Asia." (Blessed John Paul II)
(1 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be... San Lorenzo Ruiz, pray for us.)
Litany to San Lorenzo Ruiz
San Lorenzo Ruiz, we lift up to you our prayers for the Church, our families, our country and for the world.
San Lorenzo Ruiz, Pray for Us.
That Pope (N) may always be guided by the Holy Spirit.
That all bishops may be true fathers to their flock.
That all priests may value and be faithful to their vocations.
That the Church may be a shining instrument of God's presence.
That vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life may abound.
That all families may be united in love and forgiveness.
That parents may teach their children to love God.
That children may be respectful and obedient to their parents.
That young people may value purity of heart.
That the elderly may experience love and care.
That the leaders of our country may serve without counting the cost.
That all citizens may contribute to the betterment of our country.
That the poor may experience love and concern.
That the rich may share their blessings to those who have less.
That both the rich and the poor may work together and do their respective parts in the spread of God's Kingdom.
That laborers may be given just compensation.
That all educators may teach the value of integrity.
That missionaries may bring the Gospel to those who have not heard it.
That Asia may be open to the Gospel of love and life taught by Jesus.
That nations may work for the common good.
That the world may be one as the Lord desires it.
San Lorenzo Ruiz, you have declared by the Catholic Church as worthy of our veneration and love. We, your countrymen and devotees would like to ask your intercession, that just like you we may also conquer our pride, ambition, and selfishness. Intercede for us before the Father that we may be faithful and obedient children to Him. May our blessed Mother Mary and all the angels and saints help us in our pilgrimage here on earth, that one day we may be with you eternally worshipping our Almighty God. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Final Prayer
Dear San Lorenzo Ruiz, we felt your companionship during our Novena to you. We pray that as we travel in this valley of tears, we may always find comfort in remembering that we have a Filipino brother, who has conquered fear and death. This you have done, not by relying on your own strength and power but by trusting and surrendering everything to God.
Through your intercession, guide and guard our country and the world, that we may always do the will of God in our lives. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Hymn To San Lorenzo Ruiz
Ang Bayang Pilipino ngayon ay nagsasaya,
Isang sugo sa langit tayo ay mayroon na,
Salamat sa Maykapal sa banal na biyaya,
Tinanghal ng daigdig kayumangging dakila.
Purihin ka, Lorenzo, at 'yong mga kasama;
alagad ng Maykapal, sagisag ng pag-asa
Sa rosaryo ng Birhen, kami'y iyong kasama
Iyo ang aming puso, Lorenzo de Manila
Iyo ang aming puso, Lorenzo de Manila
Ipagbunyi din natin mga kasamang martir,
Sa lupa at sa langit, sila ay dadakilain
Salamat sa Maykapal sa banal na biyaya,
Tinanghal ng daigdig kayumangging dakila.
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