Facing surgery can bring fear of pain, of anesthesia, of the unknown, and of what the results might be. Christians have always brought such fears to God. The words below come from Psalm 31 (Psalm 30 in the Douay numbering), the same psalm Jesus prayed from the Cross: "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." They are a prayer of complete trust in God as our refuge and protector. Pray them the night before and on the morning of an operation, or ask a family member to pray them wit

In 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared eighteen times to St. Bernadette Soubirous, a poor fourteen-year-old girl, in a grotto at Lourdes in southern France. She called herself "the Immaculate Conception," asked for prayer and penance, and showed Bernadette a spring that still flows today. Millions of pilgrims visit every year, and the Church has recognized many healings there as miraculous. This traditional prayer asks Our Lady, Health of the Sick, to look with mercy on ou

When someone we love is sick, it can be hard to know what to pray. The Church's own rites for the sick give us simple, trustworthy words. This short prayer comes from the traditional Roman Ritual for the visitation of the sick, prayed by priests at the bedside for centuries. It asks God to look upon the sick person, refresh the soul He created, and bring healing through His own remedy. Say it for a spouse, parent, child, or friend who is ill at home or in the hospital, insert

St. Peregrine Laziosi (1260-1345) is the patron saint of people living with cancer and other serious illnesses. As a young man in Forli, Italy, he was hostile to the Church, but after his conversion he joined the Servite Order and became known for his penance and care for the poor. Late in life he developed a painful, cancerous wound on his leg and was to have it amputated. After praying through the night before a crucifix, he awoke healed. Pray to him for yourself, for a lov

St. Blaise was a bishop of Sebaste in Armenia who was martyred around the year 316. A beloved story tells how, on the way to prison, he healed a boy who was choking on a fish bone. Ever since, Catholics have turned to him for protection against illnesses of the throat, and on his feast, February 3, priests bless throats with two crossed candles blessed the day before on Candlemas. The blessing words below are the traditional formula; the priest says them while holding the can

St. Lucy of Syracuse was a young Christian woman martyred in Sicily around the year 304, during the persecution of Diocletian. Her name comes from the Latin word for light, and she has long been honored as patron of the blind and of anyone with eye trouble. She is named in the Roman Canon of the Mass, and her feast on December 13 falls in the darkest part of the year, when many countries celebrate her as a sign of Christ's light coming at Christmas. Pray to her for good eyesi

St. Dymphna is the patron saint of those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and mental and emotional illness. According to her ancient story, she was a young Irish princess of the seventh century who fled her home to escape her father, who had become unstable after her mother's death. He found her at Geel, in present-day Belgium, and killed her there. Healings were soon reported at her tomb, and for centuries Geel has been known for its loving care of people with mental ill

A second traditional form asking comfort and healing for the sick. The Prayer O Lord Jesus Christ, Who during Thy earthly life didst go about doing good, healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people: continue, we beseech Thee, this Thy gracious work among us. Cheer, heal, and sanctify the sick; grant to physicians and nurses wisdom and skill, and to us sympathy and understanding. Through Mary, Health of the Sick, hear us. Amen. Traditional prayer for the sick F

The Church has always cared for the sick in body and soul, following Christ, who healed so many during His earthly ministry. This prayer comes from the Church's traditional Mass and rites for the sick. It asks God, "the eternal salvation of those who believe," to show mercy to those who are ill, so that with health restored they may give Him thanks in His Church. Pray it for a family member or friend who is ill, at a hospital bedside, before a treatment or surgery, or for eve

St. Raphael, whose name means "God heals," guided Tobias. Ask his help in travel and healing. The Prayer O glorious Archangel Saint Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, illustrious by thy gifts of wisdom and grace, guide of travelers by land and sea, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners: I beg thee to assist me in all my needs and in the sufferings of this life, as once thou didst help the young Tobias on his journey. And when my life is over, be thou my g