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Our newsletter, The St. Jude Chronicle, is sent in advance of our five solemn novenas and contains articles on the spiritual life.
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In this section, we include prayers for some of those needs most often mentioned in prayer requests we receive here at the Shrine. You will find some of the prayers are complete, while others will be complete only when you pray to God in your own words.

Heart problems
Dear God, I see the heart of your son Jesus uniting with mine. A warm glowing light fills my heart. Peace and calm flow through me as I open myself completely to your loving presence. I love you with all my heart and open it to all people.

For children
Dear God, (let God's spirit lead you in this prayer).

Arthritis
Dear God, at times I feel bound by pain and my physical limitations. But in many ways I do not have to be bound. I can be free to feel all of my feelings: love, fear, anger, sadness, joy. It takes a very unbound person to experience all their feelings and know it is okay. My love does not have to be bound either. I can send it, through my prayers, to any person in the world.

I know that you are with me. You attend to me always and not one moment of mine is wasted. Let your healing power flow through me from head to toe revitalizing me and giving me new hope.

For a safe delivery
Dear God, (ask God in your own words to protect this new life).

Addictions
Dear God, addictions are deeply ingrained habits I have practiced for so long that they seem to have a life of their own. Whether it is abuse of alcohol or drugs, over-eating, preoccupation with sex, work, or worry, I feel my life is not my own. But my life is mine - a gift from you, my God. Help me to take my life back. I willingly open myself to all the means you offer me to experience the profound joy of discovering who I am.

Cancer
Dear God, having cancer can be very frightening. It is having something inside of me that is against me. During this time of struggle help me to remember, God, that you are even more deeply within me. You are at my very center with your deep compassion.

I open myself to your healing energy and let it flow through my whole body and especially to the area needing most attention. My hope increases as I realize that, in your caring hands, I shall be victorious with your son Jesus Christ.

Depression
Dear God, sometimes I feel like I am surrounded by a dark heavy cloud. Not only is it around me, it is within me too.

Help me to remember that no matter how dark the day, the sun is shining - I just can't see it now. I am a chosen child of yours and I hear you calling my name. I promise myself to use all the means available to help myself. I trust in your presence to bring light out of darkness, hope out of despair.

Scrupulosity
Dear God, sometimes I worry a lot and turn things over in my mind again and again. These thoughts do not have to enslave me. I can free myself, with your help, by remembering that scrupulosity is a mental condition I happen to have at this time. When I am tempted to cheat myself of the joys of life with these apprehensions, I focus on Jesus calling me to follow him right now, just as I am. And I act with the confidence that in his loving presence I shall become free.

For loved ones in a nursing home
Dear God, (let your heart lead you in this prayer).

Diabetes
Dear God, if my illness teaches me anything, it is the importance of balance. Not too much, not too little. I remember that if I have the right disposition there is not anything that cannot be a teacher and help me to be a better person.

God, let me learn from this condition. Help me to appreciate my body and grow in my sensitivity to its needs. I also want to be aware of my thoughts and feelings and keep my equilibrium through the ups and downs of life.

For students
Dear God, (ask the Holy Spirit to guide and enlighten them).

Pain
Dear God, many times your son Jesus released people from pain. At other times pain seemed to be something to be gone through. I don't even know which to pray for: the release of pain or the courage to go through it.

One thing I believe - you are with me because you love me. Whether I am to be released from my pain or am to go through it, your resurrection is happening in me already and I feel life flowing through me.

Unemployment
Dear God, not having a job tempts me to doubt my worth. The days become very long and I become anxious and depressed.

Help me to remember that my most important job is to become a saint and nothing can hinder that work unless I fear and doubt. I want your love to flow into me and through me to others. I am your presence for others just by being the person you made me to be. I do not despair. I am ready to do your will and am doing it by being open to you and the opportunities you present to me each day.

Our deepest concerns
Dear God, (open your heart to God's spirit as you pray).

Looking for a spouse
I would love to have a good person with whom to share my life. I can go to one extreme and frantically search for that special other, or I can go to the other extreme of sitting home, brooding, and expecting the person to knock on my door.

I remember that I already have my most special spouse, dear God, and that is you. I also have myself and I can be very good company. I shall peacefully move in the company of others, enjoying them, and being open to the possibility of another person joining their life with mine.

AIDS
Dear God, this is the moment, the sacred moment, the only moment that counts in which you come to me in your compassion and say: "I love you."

Your loving son, Jesus, has always cared for me and now here we are on the cross of rejection and hostile judgments - together. He turns his face to me and says: "You are with me and you shall continue to be with me." And I become strong. I become filled with peace. My life, every minute of it, matters.

In praise of God
Dear God, (praise the Lord in your own words).

Grieving
Dear God, I am experiencing a painful loss. Is it okay to cry? To sob and sob? Or should I go numb and just make life something to be gone through?

All I have to do is remember Jesus: how he cried at the death of his friend Lazarus and I know the answer. I can feel what I am feeling. And there's no time limit either. Be with me as I cry, dear Lord, and help me not to be afraid to share my pain with other understanding people.

For our leaders
Dear God, (ask the Holy Spirit to be their inspiration and guide).

Old age
Dear God, I am getting old, and with old age comes diminishment. I can't see as well or move as easily. I get tired more quickly. And this is a society that doesn't always respect old age.

But, dear God, I am on your schedule and I'm right on time. I'm moving towards your wonderful "forever-love." I'm seeing things in a new perspective now. I know what matters. So help me, dear God, to just focus more and more on you and let you lead me to your loving self.

Separation and divorce
Dear God, sometimes I feel like a failure. This isn't what was supposed to happen. I look back at the times when my spouse and I seemed to be so happy together. Was it real? What happened?

Help me to remember, God, that while this important relationship ended, I continue to have great capacity to love and be loved. Help me to know that you are with me and I do have a future. My life is of tremendous worth and I shall serve you with it in all my interactions every day.

Prayer for those who no longer go to Church
Dear God, my heart is heavy because of those members of my family who no longer go to Church. Help me to know that your love for them is without beginning or end. Keep them in your love and give me peace of mind knowing that you love them even more than I do.

Prayer for preachers
Dear God, who you are and how much you love us remains too great a mystery for too many people today. Thank you for those who preach your Word to us. Give them a deep love for you and let that love become manifest in all they do and say.

Prayer of thanksgiving
Dear God, I so often focus on my problems that it is easy for me to forget your many blessings. Grace me to think of three of those blessings that I have experienced this day. (Pause) For these three gifts I thank you, God. Help me use these gifts to be a happy person and help others in need.

Prayer for peace
Dear God, day after day I hear of war and violence in our world. I know this does not come from you but from us, especially from our greed, our indifference, and our pettiness. Enlarge our hearts to embrace all people as you do and rejoice in your gift of peace.

Prayer for the friends of St. Jude
Dear God, I can get very caught up in my own problems. After all, they are real and cause me a lot of pain.

But I remember that I am part of a large human family, your family, and we all have problems. I expand my awareness to include all people, especially the many others who approach Saint Jude with their concerns. I move out of myself to embrace them in prayer and ask that your grace may flow through every one of them.

A way to end our prayers
"To the One who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you into the glorious presence finally healed and joyful, to the only God through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, authority, and power now and forever. Amen."

- The last verse of the Letter of Saint Jude

St. Jude Prayer
Gracious God, your Son Jesus Christ gave us the confidence to call you Father. We believe you care for us. We believe also in the Communion of Saints. With confidence we ask St. Jude, patron of difficult cases, to pray with us, for our special intentions....

Thank you, God, for hearing our prayer. Amen.

More St. Jude prayers >

Related links
• Familiar prayers
• Daily prayers
• Prayers for special needs
• Praying the rosary
• Honoring saints

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