Daily Catholic Prayers
Catholic Prayers for Anxiety, Fear and Hard Times
Christ on the Sea of Galilee (1854), Eugène Delacroix. Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. Public domain.
When the storm broke over the Sea of Galilee, the disciples woke Jesus with a cry many of us know by heart: "Master, doth it not concern thee that we perish?" He rose, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still," and there was a great calm (Mark 4:38–39). Fear, worry, and hard times come to everyone, and the saints knew them too. Scripture's answer is simple: "Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you" (1 Peter 5:7).
Prayer is a real help in anxious times, but it goes along with good medical and mental-health care and does not replace it. If worry, panic, or sadness won't lift, please talk to a doctor or a counselor as well as a priest. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States, at any hour.
The prayers below are gathered for the moments when anxiety rises, for long trials, for sleepless nights, and for situations that seem hopeless. Many are short enough to learn by heart. Begin with one, and pray it slowly.
Short Prayers for an Anxious Moment
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Let Nothing Disturb Thee: the lines found in the breviary of St. Teresa of Ávila after her death, "All things are passing; God never changeth," to repeat whenever fear rises.
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Sacred Heart Aspiration: "Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee," a few words to say when you wake, when you begin a task, or when worry starts.
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Aspiration in Temptation: "Jesus, mercy! Mary, help!", short enough to say in a heartbeat, out loud or silently.
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Sub Tuum Praesidium: "We fly to thy patronage," the oldest known prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, for her protection in danger or fear.
Psalms of Trust
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Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd: God the Shepherd who leads and protects His flock, even through the valley of the shadow of death.
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Psalm 91: Prayer for Protection: the psalm the Church prays every Sunday night at Compline, for when you are afraid or someone you love is in danger.
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Psalm 121: My Help Is from the Lord: the pilgrim's psalm for new beginnings, and for any moment when you feel small before what lies ahead.
When You Cannot See the Way Ahead
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Lead, Kindly Light: written in 1833 by St. John Henry Newman, weak from illness on a becalmed ship, asking only for "one step enough for me."
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Some Definite Service: Newman's meditation, "God has created me to do Him some definite service," for anyone who wonders whether their life matters.
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Act of Hope: the traditional act of trust in God's promises, for when you feel discouraged or anxious about the future.
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Act of Resignation to the Will of God: a short act that places everything, "my life and my death," in God's hands.
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Suscipe of St. Ignatius: "Take, O Lord, and receive," the prayer of total surrender by St. Ignatius of Loyola.
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Prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel: to Our Lady of Good Counsel, patron of those seeking guidance and wise decisions, for light in a hard decision.
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Prayers for Long Trials and Hard Times
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Prayer for Patience: for trials, delays, and waiting for news, asking for the strength to carry the cross with Jesus.
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Prayer for Perseverance: for times of discouragement and dryness, when you are tempted to give up.
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Offering of Daily Crosses: unites "my weariness, my disappointments, my pains of body and mind" to the Passion of Christ.
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Prayer for Peace: one of the oldest collects of the Church, for peace in the world, in the family, and in your own heart.
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Prayer in Time of Storm: to the Lord who calmed the sea, for severe weather, and for children frightened by storms.
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Prayer to the Infant Jesus of Prague: the traditional prayer for any urgent need, often prayed as a novena.
At Night and in Temptation
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Prayer for Sleep: the closing collect of the Church's Night Prayer, for anyone kept awake by anxious thoughts.
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May He Support Us All the Day Long: Newman's evening prayer for the hour when "the fever of life is over," and for "peace at the last."
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Prayer to One's Guardian Angel: to the companion God gives each of us, the Holy Guardian Angels, for when you feel alone or afraid.
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Prayer Against Evil Thoughts: for unwanted or intrusive thoughts. Having them is not a sin. If they are persistent and distressing, talk with a priest, and with a doctor or counselor too.
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Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel: Pope Leo XIII's prayer to St. Michael, "defend us in battle," for any spiritual struggle.
Saints for Anxious and Desperate Times
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Anxiety and mental health: Prayer to St. Dymphna for Anxiety and Mental Health, to St. Dymphna, patron of all who suffer from anxiety and depression, and of those who care for them.
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Hopeless situations: Prayer to St. Jude Thaddeus, to St. Jude, the Apostle of desperate cases.
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Impossible causes: Prayer to St. Rita of Cascia, to St. Rita, patroness of impossible causes and difficult marriages, who teaches patience in suffering.
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Mary's constant help: Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, "in all my needs, in all my temptations," and the Memorare, for any urgent need.
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Trust in Jesus: the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, prayed on Rosary beads and especially associated with the hour of mercy, asking God's mercy for ourselves and for the whole world.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good Catholic prayer for anxiety?
One of the best is "Let Nothing Disturb Thee," found in the breviary of St. Teresa of Ávila after her death:
Let nothing disturb thee, Nothing affright thee; All things are passing; God never changeth; Patient endurance Attaineth to all things; Who God possesseth In nothing is wanting; Alone God sufficeth.
It is short enough to memorize and repeat slowly in a waiting room, before a hard conversation, or at night.
Who is the patron saint of anxiety?
St. Dymphna is the patron saint of those who suffer from anxiety, depression, and mental illness, and of their caregivers. According to her ancient story, she was a young Irish princess of the seventh century, martyred at Geel, in present-day Belgium. For centuries Geel has been known for its loving care of people with mental illness, many welcomed into local families. Her feast is May 15. Pray the Prayer to St. Dymphna for yourself or someone who struggles.
Is it a sin to feel anxious?
No. Feeling anxious is not a sin, and it is not proof that your faith is weak. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Himself said, "My soul is sorrowful even unto death" (Matthew 26:38). What matters is what we do with the feeling: bring it to God, as He did, and look for the help we need. As with unwanted thoughts, having the feeling is not a sin. God meets us in it.
Can prayer take the place of counseling or medication?
No. Prayer is a real help, but it is not a substitute for care. If anxiety, panic, or depression is affecting your sleep, work, or relationships, please see a doctor or a counselor, and keep praying as you do. Using the help God provides through medicine is not a lack of trust. In a crisis, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, in the United States, or call your local emergency number.
What can I pray when worry keeps me awake at night?
Pray the Church's own night prayers. The Prayer for Sleep is the closing collect of Compline, asking God's holy angels to dwell in our home "to preserve us in peace." Psalm 91, prayed every Sunday at Compline, promises that God gives His angels charge over us. Newman's "May He Support Us All the Day Long" asks for "a holy rest, and peace at the last." Keep one of them by your bed, and pray it slowly when you wake.
What should I pray when everything seems hopeless?
Turn to St. Jude, patron of desperate cases, and St. Rita, patroness of impossible causes, and pray the Memorare: "never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection ... was left unaided." The Act of Hope reminds us that we rely not on our own strength but on God's goodness and promises. With God no situation is truly hopeless, even when we cannot yet see the way through.