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Novena for Life Program

A Required Supreme Program

The protection of human life is a sustained, unceasing prayer intention of the Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. The Novena for Life leads our families and parishes into the spiritual battle for a culture of life through nine consecutive days of focused, communal prayer.

🏆 Fulfilling Your Mandatory Supreme Requirement

Because this is a Required Supreme Program , your council must conduct a Novena for Life during the fraternal year to qualify for the Columbian Award (#SP-7). To meet the official Supreme guidelines and secure compliance, your council must execute the following:

  • Promote Public and Private Acts: The novena must be advertised to the wider parish, encouraging brother Knights, families, and parishioners to participate either together in the pews or privately in their homes.

  • Anchor the Dates: Plan a defined nine-day block. The requirements are flexible—your council can use standard pro-life novena templates (such as the USCCB’s 9 Days for Life ), or simply commit to praying a communal Ros for Life each day for nine straight days.

  • Document and File: Immediately following the ninth day of prayer, the council must report the event details and participation numbers by submitting the online Fraternal Programs Report Form (#10784).

🍁 The Missouri Strategy: The October Alignment

To maximize participation and amplify your pro-life messaging, the Missouri State Council strongly encourages all councils to conduct their Novena for Life in October (Respect Life Month), running it concurrently with your local Roses for Life Campaign.

💡 The Synergy

Distribute your signed Roses for Life cloth roses to parishioners on the weekend leading up to your drive, and use that high-visibility moment to hand out Novena prayer cards. This links a physical sign of pro-life solidarity directly to a nine-day spiritual commitment.

📣 Steps to Build Public Interest

  • Utilize Church Media: Secure space in your parish bulletin, post schedules on your council’s social media pages, and request brief pulpit announcements from your pastor the weekend before the novena starts.

  • Order Devotional Materials: Work with your Financial Secretary to log into Supplies Online to order official Rosary for Life Prayer Cards (#2072) or Gospel of Life Prayer Cards (#4237) to pass out to the parish.

  • Involve Parish Ministries: Invite local Catholic school families, CCD/PSR classes, and other parish ministries to lead or attend individual days of the novena.