EWTN portal reports that EWTN is launching a pray-along novena to the Holy Spirit leading up to Pentecost, featuring daily meditations and consecration prayers. EWTN Chaplain Father John Paul Mary, MFVA, explained that the novena is based on the apostles’ gathering in the Upper Room with the Blessed Virgin Mary, awaiting the Holy Spirit. He emphasized the Holy Spirit’s role in salvation and transforming believers into “other Christs.” The article also references the Divine Mercy Novena, which originates from Sister Faustina Kowalska, canonized in 2000. While the novena itself is rooted in Scripture and tradition, the article’s context within the post-conciliar landscape raises critical questions about the integrity of such devotions.
The Novena’s Foundation: A Return to Scriptural Roots?
The EWTN novena to the Holy Spirit is presented as a return to the “oldest novena in the life of the Church,” rooted in the apostles’ prayer in the Upper Room with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This aligns with the Church’s perennial teaching on the necessity of prayer and the Holy Spirit’s role in salvation. The Catechism of the Council of Trent emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is the “soul of the Church,” guiding and sanctifying the faithful. However, the article’s failure to address the current state of the Church and the pervasive influence of Modernism raises concerns about the authenticity and efficacy of such devotions within the conciliar structures.
The Holy Spirit and the Crisis of Faith
Father John Paul Mary, MFVA, states that “the Holy Spirit is really the way in which salvation is carried out in the life of the Church.” This echoes the teaching of Pope Leo XIII in Divinum Illud Munus, where he writes that the Holy Spirit is the “eternal source of all sanctity” and the “soul of the Church.” Yet, the article remains silent on the crisis of faith and the rampant apostasy within the post-conciliar Church. The Holy Spirit cannot dwell in a Church that has embraced Modernism, as St. Pius X warned in Pascendi Dominici Gregis: “Modernism is the synthesis of all heresies.”
The Divine Mercy Novena: A Questionable Devotion
The article references the Divine Mercy Novena, originating from Sister Faustina Kowalska, canonized in 2000. However, Faustina’s writings and the Divine Mercy devotion have been criticized for their Modernist tendencies and lack of theological rigor. The Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska contains passages that are at odds with traditional Catholic teaching on the nature of God’s justice and mercy. Moreover, the canonization of Faustina by John Paul II, a known Modernist, raises questions about the authenticity of her visions and the orthodoxy of the devotion.
The Role of EWTN: A Platform for Modernist Propaganda?
EWTN, once a beacon of Catholic orthodoxy, has increasingly aligned itself with the conciar Church’s agenda. The network’s promotion of the Divine Mercy Novena and its silence on the crisis within the Church suggest a complicity in the spread of Modernist errors. As Pope Pius IX warned in the Syllabus of Errors, “The Church is not a true and perfect society, entirely free- nor is she endowed with proper and perpetual rights of her own, conferred upon her by her Divine Founder” (Proposition 19). EWTN’s failure to uphold this truth undermines its credibility as a Catholic media outlet.
The Necessity of True Conversion and Repentance
In times of crisis, the Church has always called for true conversion and repentance. The apostles in the Upper Room were not merely praying for personal sanctification but for the coming of the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen the Church. Today, the faithful must pray for the conversion of the Church’s leaders and the restoration of true Catholic doctrine. As St. Paul writes, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ” (Romans 8:9). The novena to the Holy Spirit must be accompanied by a firm rejection of Modernism and a return to the unchanging truths of the Faith.
Conclusion: A Call to Vigilance and Prayer
While the EWTN novena to the Holy Spirit may provide some spiritual comfort, it is essential to remain vigilant against the errors of Modernism. The faithful must pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the restoration of the Church’s true mission. As Pope Pius X exhorted in Lamentabili Sane Exitus, “The pursuit of novelty in the investigation of the foundations of things leads in our times to deplorable consequences, abandoning all restraint.” Let us pray for the grace to remain steadfast in the Faith and to resist the allure of Modernist novelties.
Source:
Join EWTN's Novena to the Holy Spirit, the ‘oldest novena in the life of the Church’ (ewtnnews.com)
Date: 15.05.2026