_s> F“inTHenfimeoFTH4 1 1 fmoiTMoigTRiniTV,! linTHcnnmtof j«uv4J I kwfiijTTnoonofiODj fintw nflmfOf-ThfiRu^^'-’^^Q Htnven, I j I n TH€ nurnt of jostpii pnTnonOf thf uDiveR$irfcWM flnp THG tnLVflTion Of touu”. N O V E N A TO BLESSED MARTIN DE PORRES. O.P. FATHER OF THE POOR. PATRON OF THE NEEDY. HELP OF THE SICK. PRAYER TO BLESSED MARTIN Most humble Martin of Pones, whose burningcharity embraced not only thy needy breth- ren, but also the very animals of the field, splendid example of charity, we hail thee and invoke thee! From that high throne which thou dost occupy, deign to listen to the supplications of thy needy brethren that, by imitating thy virtues, we may live contented in that state in which God has placed us and carrying with strength and courage our cross, we may follow in the footsteps of Our Blessed Redeemer and His most afflicted Mother, that at last we may reach the Kingdom of Heaven through the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Imprimatur: PATRICK CARDINAL HAYES NoTember 19, 1935. Archbishop of New York Cum PermisBU Superiorum Share in the Blessed Martin Apostolate. Take part in our Perpetual Novena or unite your prayers with ours at all times. NihU ObMtat: ARTHUR J. SCANLAN. S.T.D. Censor Librorum imprimatur: FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN, D.D. Archbishop of New York [ 2 ] BLESSED MARTIN DE PORRES OF THE ORDER OF PREACHERS + AN AMERICAN NEGRO (1579-1639) DROTHER MARTIN, saintly colored Dominican, today numbers his grateful clients in tens of thous- ands here in America. He is our latest wonder-worker a bright star in the spiritual heavens. Martin was born in Lima, Peru, December 9, 1579. His father was Don Juan de Porres, a Spanish Imight ; his mother was a colored woman, Anna Velazquez, a native of Panama. Don Juan, an adventurer, after the birth of a daughter, Jane, Martin’s junior, left the hapless mother and children to shift for themselves. The faded record of Martin’s baptism is still extant, but only few details of his childhood have come down to us. However, we are told that, in spite of the sordid surroundings of his boyhood, Martin showed himself an exceptional child, especially generous to those even poorer than himself. When his mother ^ Aent him to the market, he would often return empty- handed, giving all his basket of provisions to those dying of hunger and neglect. His mother punished him for his prodigality, but Martin often forgot his mother’s words when he came face to face with suf- fering and want. Perhaps he felt that, if he bravely took a beating, the scales of justice were more than balanced. ( C3) Daaddiicl When Martin was eight, his father returned to Lima, and having heard remarkable reports of his saintly son, he decided that he ought to do something for him. He took little Martin to Guayaquil and gave him two years of schooling, but he then ap- prenticed him, at the age of twelve, to a barber- surgeon in Lima. This delighted Martin, for now he could learn how to be of practical help to the suffer- ing and afflicted. He applied himself with all dili- gence, and it was not long before Martin had learned the art of medicine as it was practiced in those days. Now he could bring to the poor not only the words of comfort and gifts—he could give them the benefit of his knowledge without any fee. Moreover through his prayers and often miraculous cures, Martin brought the poor to Christ. At the age of fifteen, Martin felt called to a higher life. He knocked at the door of the Dominican Con- vent of the Holy Rosary and asked to be admitted as a Tertiary helper. In his humility, he sought the low- est place in the community, and it was not till nine years later that Martin was ordered to become a regu- lar lay Brother. Martin soon become a model re- ligious. His industry was unflagging; his obedience and humility most sincere; his spirit of penance extra- ordinary; and his charity knew no bounds. Martin, Dominican friar, was now ready to carry on a mar- velous apostolate among the sick and poor of Peru. Martin’s heart was on fire with love and sympathy for mankind. He sought to relieve want and misery in every form among all classes and conditions of life. His superiors gave him a free hand, knowing that he was absolutely unselfish. Daily he fed nearly two hundred ; each week, through his success in plead- ing the cause of the poor, he disbursed two thousand dollars* worth of necessities of life among the [ 4 ] Indians, the Negroes, the Spaniards—the sick, the miserable, and the dying. He visited the hovels of the wretched and abandoned. He was an angel of mercy, and often God gave him the power to perform miracles and to foresee the future. Through his ef- forts the Orphanage of the Holy Cross was erected for the poor waifs and homeless children of Peru. Everywhere he went Martin brought comfort and consolation. All Lima affectionately called him *'the Father of the Poor/* Martin’s zeal and burning love for his neighbors is a tremendous challenge to modern selfishness. We are astounded when we read of the amazing activities of this humble Brother. He led a life of the greatest mortification and prayer, and yet single-handed he wrought wonders for the physical betterment of society and the salvation of mankind. So great was Martin’s charity that God even annihi- lated great distances for the extension of his mission. Thus we have reliable witnesses who declare that Martin— though he spent all his life in South America— helped the Christian captives in Africa and ministered to the sick and poor in Mexico, China, and Japan. This is something that strikes the imagina- tion: Martin was evidently provided with a ’’magic carpet” on which he sped over the far-reaching oceans on his errands of mercy and kindness. When Blessed Martin died at the age of sixty, November 3, 1639, the grief of all in Lima and the surrounding country was terrible to behold. Only the knowledge that Martin was now in heaven and only the numerous miracles worked at his tomb were able in some measure to assuage their sorrow. Per- haps, after a while, they began to understand that £ 5 ] Martin’s mission of kindness, now that he was in Heaven, was to assume world-wide extension. Martin de Porres was solemnly declared a blessed servant of God by Pope Gregory XVI in 1837, and the recent spontaneous and enthusiastic devotion to this noble Negro here in the United States leads us to believe that he is a providential patron raised up in these times to teach a cruel and proud world the two outstanding characteristics of his own life— charity and humility. Martin still moves in our midst, healing and comforting, and in gratitude his joyful clients are begging Almighty God to bestow on their loving benefactor the glorification of sainthood for the honor of God and the salvation of Christ’s children. In 1935 the Blessed Martin Guild was formed to make this great Dominican Lay Brother better known to the world, to foster devotion to him, and to gather reports of favors and cures granted through his in- tercession. These reports are published regularly in THE TORCH, a monthly magazine published at the tame address. + Petitions and reports of favors received should be sent to THE BLESSED MARTIN GUILD 141 East 65th Street, New York City, 21 ro N O V E N A FIRST DAY Blessed Martinis Humility DLESSED MARTIN imitated Our Lord Who was ^ meek and humble of heart. There was no pride or vanity in his soul. He realized that God is our Creator and that we are but His creatures. He under- stood that God loves us as children and only wants us to be happy. So he had common sense enough to submit entirely to the Holy Will of God. Let us all imitate Blessed Martin by humbly doing the Will of God in all things. Prayer O Blessed Martin, ask Our Lord and His Blessed Mother to give us the grace of true humility that we may not be puffed up with foolish pride, but have sense to be contented with the gifts that God gives us. Obtain for us the light of the Holy Ghost that we may understand, as you did, that pride is a deceit of the devil and that only by doing the Will of God can we be really happy. Amen. One Our Bather, Ten Hail Marys, One Glory be to the Bather, SECOND DAY Blessed Martin*s Love of God DLESSED MARTIN’S whole soul was filled with the fire of God’s love. He knew that Almighty [ 7 ] God sent His Only Son into the world to suffer and die on the Cross for our sins. His heart was stirred with deep affection for so loving a Redeemer, and his whole life gives evidences of his sincere grati- tude. May we, too, learn to love Our Saviour more and more and show our love by our good works. Prayer O Blessed Martin, why are our hearts so cold and lacking in love for the Son of God, Who became a little Child for our salvation? Why are we so slow to love One Who loved us so much that He gave His life for mankind? Ask God and Our Lady of Sorrows to make us realize that the only way to happiness is by loving and serving God with all our hearts and souls. Amen. One Our Father, Ten Hail Marys, One Glory be to the Father, THIRD DAY Blessed Martin’s Love of the Poor DLESSED MARTIN was called "the Father of the ^ Poor." He saw in the poor, the sick, and the dying the children of God, and he helped them in a thousand practical ways. He studied medicine so that he might know how to cure the sick. Every day he distributed alms to the poor. He built an orphan- age for children. Let us imitate the charity of Blessed Martin that God may bless us as He blessed him. Prayer O Blessed Martin, teach us to be generous with the gifts that God has given us. Make us sympathetic [ 8 ] towards those who are suffering and afflicted. Pray to Our Redeemer and to Our Lady of Mercy that our hearts may not be hardened by sin and selfishness, but that we may always be kind and generous to our neighbors because they are the children of Our Heavenly Father. Amen. One Our Father. Ten Hail Marys. One Glory be to the Father. FOURTH DAY Blessed Martinis Faith DLESSED MARTIN had a lively faith in all the ^ teachings of the Catholic Church because he knew that it was founded by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who can neither deceive nor be deceived. God re- warded Blessed Martin’s humble faith by enlighten- ing his mind so that he could understand the mys- teries of our Holy Religion. May God give us Ae grace always to believe the truths which He has revealed. Prayer O Blessed Martin, we need strong faith in God and His Holy Church, especially in these days when so many people have turned against religion. Bring to a knowledge and love of the true Church the non- Catholic members of your race that they may find the way to salvation and happiness. Ask Christ and Our Lady of Good Counsel to make us faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ in life and in death. Amen. One Our Father. Ten Hail Marys, One Glory he to the Father. [ 9 ] FIFTH DAY Blessed Martinis Confidence in God DLESSED MARTIN firmly relied on the goodness and promises of God. He hoped, through the grace of God and the merits of Jesus Christ, one day to obtain an eternal reward. We know that Blessed Martin’s trust in God was not in vain. We, too, are confident that God will forgive us our sins if we are truly sorry and that He will give us everlasting life if we serve Him faithfully by obeying His Com- mandments. Prayer O Blessed Martin, help us to have a great confi- dence in Almighty God. Make us understand that He is One Friend who will never desert us as long as we are true to Him. Keep us from foolishly pre- suming that we will be saved without doing our part, but keep us also from despair, which forgets the mercy of God. Ask the Child Jesus and His dear Mother to increase in our hearts faith, hope, and charity. Amen. One Our Bather. Ten Hail Marys, One Glory be to the Bather, SIXTH DAY Blessed Martin*s Devotion to Prayer DLESSED MARTIN kept his mind and heart always ^ lifted up to the Creator of all things. His prayer came from the depths of his soul. It did not come [ 10 ] just from his lips. He naturally turned to God te adore Him, to thank Him, and to ask Him for help. Blessed Martin prayed with humility and perserver- ance, and God was pleased to answer his prayers in miraculous ways. He will pray for us before the Throne of God in Heaven. Prayer O Blessed Martin, help us toi realize that Christ really meant what He said when He promised: “Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find.*' Make us faithful in attending Holy Mass and other devotions held in church. Remind us to say our daily prayers to obtain the blessing of God. Ask the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary to give us a share of the treasures of the Holy Rosary. Amen. One Our Father. Ten Hail Marys. One Glory be to the Father. SEVENTH DAY Blessed Martin*s Spirit of Penance DLESSED martin was a brave man. He was not ^ afraid of hard work. He did not weakly seek for comforts as we so often do. Even though he labored so hard, he was glad to do severe penances for his sins and for the salvation of souls. If so holy a man did penances, how much more should we, who have seriously offended Almighty God by our sinfulness! Prayer O Blessed Martin, from you we learn now to be courageous and valiant. From your life we learn to [n] avoid idleness and self-seeking. Give us some of that spirit of penance which you had, so that we may be brave in the struggle with temptation. Ask Jesus Crucified and Mary, the Queen of Martyrs, to give us the grace to fight the good fight for victory. Amen. One Our Father. Ten Hail Marys. One Glory be to the Father. EIGHTH DAY Blessed Martinis Reward p LESSED MARTIN died a holy and peaceful death.^ He had spent his life in doing good as a humble lay brother of the Dominican Order. But he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Soon his heroic life became known all over the world, and Pope Gregory XVI solemnly proclaimed Martin de Porres a Blessed Servant of God. Let us rejoice that we have such a noble brother among the Saints of God in Heaven! Prayer O Blessed Martin, you have been raised up by Almighty God to show us the way to our true home. You have given us the good example and the en- couragement that we need. We now realize from your life that all we have to do to win the reward of glory is to love and serve the Best of Masters. May we ever be humble that we, too, may be exalted unto everlasting life. Amen. One Our Father. Ten Hail Marys. One Glory be to the Father. [ 12 ] NINTH DAY Blessed Martinis Miracles DLESSED MARTIN performed many miracles dur- ^ ing his life and after his holy death. We can go to him with confidence for he will grant our petitions if they are for the good of our souls. His heart is very big, and he loves to help mankind in every way. We have only to tell him our troubles and to ask him to help us. If we do our part, we can be sure that our dear friend. Blessed Martin, will do his. Prayer O Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst inflame the heart of Blessed Martin with an ardent love of the poor and Who didst teach him the wonderful joy of true humility and the wisdom of always submitting to God's Holy Will, grant that, like him, we may be ever truly humble o-f heart and full of Christlike charity for suffering humanity. Deign, we beseech Thee, soon to raise Blessed Martin to the high dig- nity of Sainthood that, by imitating the holy life and enjoying the powerful help of this saintly Negro, the whole world may be drawn nearer to Thee, the Saviour of the human race, Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen. One Our Bather, Ten Hail Marys, One Glory be to the Bather, [ 13 ] PRAYER FOR THE CANONIZATION OF BLESSED MARTIN + GOD, Who has given us in Thy humble Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the model of all virtue and perfection, grant to us the virtue of humility. We think so little of Thee because we are so full of self. We cannot love Thee more until humility shows us our own nothingness and makes us rejoice in our complete dependence upon Thee. Thou hast given to the world a glorious apostle of humility. Blessed Martin de Porres. Guide us by his example and strengthen us through his intercession in our efforts to conform our hearts to the humble Heart of Thy crucified Son. Renew, O Lord, in these days, when pride and forgetfulness of Thee are so widespread, the wonders which Thou didst perform through Thy humble servant, Martin de Porres, during his lifetime. We pray that soon it will please Thee to perform through his intercession the miracles needed for his canoniza- tion, so that all the world may know of Blessed Martin and of the surpassing value of the virtue of humility. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. [ 14 ] 3 *’We confess that we feel a special paternal affection, which is certainly inspired by heaven, for the Negro people dwelling among you; for in the field of religion and education we know that they need special care and comfort and are very deserving of it. We therefore invoke an abundance of heavenly blessing and we pray fruit- ful success for those whose generous zeal is devoted to their welfare.” (Pope Pius XII, letter of November 12, 1939, to the American Hierarchy.) "In the name of the Most Holy Trinity, In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, In the name of Mary, Queen of Heaven, In the name of Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Blessed Martin cure (help) me (him, her) For the honor and glory of God And the salvation of souls.” Invocation to be said when applying the Blessed Martin relic, picture or medal to the sick, or when held in the hand by those who are in need. Meditations for Boys with Blessed Martin (illustrated) $ .10 ea.; 25 for $2.00 Meet Brother Martin $ .15 ea.; 15 for $2.00 Dark Man of God (replacing Lad of Lima) beautifully illustrated, designed for children but enjoyed by adults $ .75 ea.; 3 for $2.00 Blessed Martin Book of Prayers $ .10 ea.; 25 for $2.00 (In Polish $ .15 ea.) Novena Leaflets — In English, French and Spanish $ .05 ea.; 100 for $2.00 (In Italian $ .10 ea.) Life of Blessed Martin — (Complete and inspiring biography) ... $2.50 ea. With Blessed Martin* and the Fifteenth Anniversary Book (interesting and convincing collection of articles about Blessed Martin and his mission) $1.00 ea. Hymn Book $ .15 ea.; 10 for $1.00 Blessed Martin Play — For Upper Grades and High Schools $ .35 ea.; 4 for $1.00 Pocket Statues in Color $ .25 ea.; 25 for $5.00 Plastic Statues — 4^ inches $ .50 ea.; With magnet for cars $ .75 ea. Statues — 2-ft., 3-ft., 4V^-ft. and other sizes. Write for information. The Torch — Reports favors and progress of the Blessed Martin movement. Monthly magazine. $3.00 per year Medal and Chain Sterling Silver, $1.50 ea.; Nickel Silver, $1.00 ea. Plastic Holders (relic card inserted on request) $ .15 ea.; 7 for $1.00 Medal with Key Chain $ .15 ea.; 7 for $1.00 THE BLESSED MARTIN GUILD 141 East 65th Street New York 2 1 , N. Y. Printed in U. S. A.