Novena to the Holy Ghost

The Novena to the Holy Ghost was to have been started the day after Ascension Thursday, nine days before Pentecost Sunday. In the ancient Catholic tradition, we imitate the apostles who persevered in prayer for nine days (the first novena) after the Ascension of Jesus, for the coming of His promised Paraclete at the first Pentecost. The word Paraclete is from the Greek, meaning Consoler and Advocate. The word Pentecost comes from the Latin meaning "fiftieth day," as in the fiftieth day after Easter Sunday. Therefore Pentecost falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter, and is also called Whitsunday.
In the Novena, the faithful ask each day for the blessing of the Holy Ghost, in particular each of the His Seven Gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
Although I was duly reminded on Friday by the facebook page of the Insitute of Christ the King, I didn't get my head wrapped around the concept fast enough. It consists of a long series of prayers each night and I need a little time to psyche myself up and enlist my husband and family! So I haven't succeeded in praying all of the Novena, but I do manage to slip in the lovely Prayer to the Holy Ghost pretty often, only because I have it memorized:

Come Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of thy faithful, enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth. Let us pray. O God, Who did instruct the hearts of Thy faithful by the light of the Holy Ghost, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolation, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.