kelly wahlquist

Catholic Evangelist & Speaker

Kelly Wahlquist is a dynamic and inspiring Catholic speaker whose gift of weaving personal stories and Scripture together with practical advice allows her audience to enter more fully into what Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict have called us into - to be witnesses of our faith and part of the New Evangelization.

Powerful Novena Begins Tomorrow

I invite you to pray a novena to St. Mary Magdalene with me beginning tomorrow and ending on the solemnity of her Feast Day, July 22. This novena is one that I found on the Wellsprings website from the UK, and one that I have been praying for 3 years. Each year, I am amazed by the the incredible transformations that take place in my heart and in my life during these nine days. Therefore, it is no surprise to me that this year, the manuscript for my first book, which focuses on women living in their gift to share the Gospel, is due on the feast day of the one who first declared the Good News of the Risen Lord—the Apostle to the Apostles! (I think St. Mary Mag knew she was featured in Chapter 7 and pulled a few strings to ensure she wouldn't get edited out... ha ha)

Below is a little information from the Wellsprings site about the upcoming novena.

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Novena to St Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene accompanied Jesus through much of his ministry. We do not know how long, but her experience of being "freed from seven demons" turned her life around and she became a devoted follower. When most of the disciples fled into hiding, she was one of the few who followed Jesus to Calvary. She witnessed the horror of his death - the blood and water flowing from his side - and the burial and sealing of the tomb. She knew the reality of his death and burial.

Her devotion took her back to the tomb in the company of other women. The Gospel accounts differ in the details but in John's, Mary's love for Jesus makes her unable to leave the tomb. Her Lord is dead - the loss of his body the ultimate catastrophe ... but through her, Jesus was going to tell the apostles and ultimately the whole world the great truth that he had conquered death and was risen to new life.

We invite her to walk with us - reflecting on the first Easter morning when death gave way to newness of life - despair was healed by hope - and the embryonic Church looked to new horizons which would take it to the ends of the earth and far into a future it could not have imagined...

We are part of that future and take our place in the great unfolding of the life of the Church, praying and discerning how we announce the Good News of Jesus' life, death and resurrection to the people of the twenty-first century and hand on the rich legacy of our faith into a future we cannot imagine.

The Novena – nine days of prayer – could fill the Easter Octave (and a little beyond!) – or the period from Ascension Thursday to Pentecost – the nine days leading to the Feast of Mary Magdalene (22 July) – or any time when a time of reflection and prayer about a decision might be helpful. It is suitable for personal use – but could profitably be used in a small group.

Each day for nine days, we will take two verses from John's account (20: 1-18) - use them for contemplation - and then ask for the intercession of Mary Magdalene who so obviously loved and was loved by Jesus to pray for the blessing of God and an outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit.

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