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Japanese Catholics pray for the critically ill in two ways: a priest brings the Anointing of the Sick, and loved ones pray for healing, strength and, at the end, a peaceful death. Any Catholic who, “having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age” may be anointed (canon 1004), not only the dying.
You do not have to keep watch alone. Hospice and palliative care teams look after the family as well as the patient, at home or in hospital, and their care includes spiritual support; hospital chaplains are part of that work, so ask a nurse to call one. If you or the person you are praying for is thinking about suicide, call or text 988 in the United States, or call Samaritans free on 116 123 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, day or night. There are more Christian and crisis lines for other countries and other needs.
When should a priest be called to anoint the sick?
As soon as the illness is serious. The Catechism says the anointing “is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived” (Catechism 1514). Church law asks this of the family as well as the clergy: “Pastors of souls and those close to the sick are to take care that the sick are consoled by this sacrament at the appropriate time” (canon 1001). The anointing can be repeated if the person recovers and later falls gravely ill again, or if the same illness grows worse (canon 1004), and the Catechism calls it fitting “just prior to a serious operation” (Catechism 1515).
Only a priest can anoint (canon 1003). In hospital, the nurses can call the chaplain or the patient’s parish; at home, call the parish office. It helps to tell the priest whether the sick person can still speak or swallow, because the anointing can be preceded by confession and followed by Communion (Catechism 1517). The sacrament rests on the letter of James: “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:14–15). The priest lays his hands on the sick person in silence, prays over them and anoints them with blessed oil (Catechism 1519), in the Roman Rite on the forehead and the hands (Catechism 1531).
A person who can no longer ask is not left out. The sacrament is given to the sick “who at least implicitly requested it when they were in control of their faculties” (canon 1006), and Church law says it “is to be administered in a case of doubt whether the sick person has attained the use of reason, is dangerously ill, or is dead” (canon 1005). So call the priest even when no one is sure whether death has already come. The Catechism names what the anointing gives: “strengthening, peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of serious illness,” and healing of the soul, “but also of the body if such is God’s will” (Catechism 1520).
What are Viaticum and the Apostolic Pardon?
Viaticum is Holy Communion given to someone who is dying. The Catechism calls it Communion “received at this moment of ‘passing over’ to the Father” and “the seed of eternal life and the power of resurrection” (Catechism 1524). With confession and the anointing it makes up what are often called the last rites, which the Catechism calls “the sacraments that prepare for our heavenly homeland” (Catechism 1525).
A priest who brings the sacraments to someone in danger of death may also give the apostolic blessing, which the rite for the dying calls the Apostolic Pardon, so a family can ask for it. It carries a plenary indulgence. An indulgence, in Pope Paul VI’s definition, is “the remission before God of the temporal punishment due sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned” (Indulgentiarum Doctrina, 1967, norm 1). In plain terms, Catholic teaching holds that a sin, once forgiven, can still leave a need for healing and purification, and it calls that need the “temporal punishment” of sin (Catechism 1472); an indulgence is plenary, or full, when it removes “all of the temporal punishment due sin” (norm 2). It forgives no sin itself; confession does that. If no priest can come in time, the Church still grants a plenary indulgence at the point of death to anyone “properly disposed” who has “been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime,” and it calls the use of a crucifix “a laudable practice” (norm 18). A crucifix placed where the sick person can see it is one thing a family can do while it waits for the priest.
Short prayers for someone who is critically ill
The Psalms already pray for a sickbed: “The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness” (Psalm 41:3). The short prayers here were written for this page, a few lines each, for moments that come at a bedside. They can be prayed aloud or in silence, by the sick person or for them; say the person’s name where the prayer has N.
The night of a diagnosis
Lord, this news has come too fast. Stay with N. tonight, and stay with us. Give the doctors clear minds and steady hands, and give us the courage to hear what comes next. Heal N., if it is your will, and hold us all close whatever the days bring. Amen.
Before a scan or a test result
On the night before he died, Jesus prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).
Father, the waiting is long. Keep N. calm while the test is done, and keep us calm while we wait for the answer. Whatever it shows, you are there before us. Give us the good news we ask for, and if it does not come, give us your Son’s trust to say, your will be done. Amen.
In intensive care
Paul wrote to the Romans: “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38–39).
Lord Jesus, you know N. by name among all the wires and machines. Breathe with N. when breathing is hard. Give strength to this body for one more hour, and then the next. Bless the nurses who keep watch through the night, and keep N. in your love, from which nothing here can part us. Amen.
When the doctors say there is little time
Jesus’ last words in Luke’s Gospel, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46), echo a psalm: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth” (Psalm 31:5).
Lord, you gave N. to us, and now we place N. in your hands. Forgive every sin and take away all fear. Let N. go in peace, held by your love and by ours, and bring N. home to you. Into your hands, Father, we commend N.’s spirit. Amen.
When no other words will come
Two old prayers serve here. The Hail Mary, as the Holy See’s Compendium of the Catechism gives it, asks Mary to pray “now and at the hour of our death”:
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
And Psalm 23, in the King James Version:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Who else can pray for someone who is critically ill?
Friends, family and the parish can all be asked to pray, and ChristianPure’s prayer request form sends a request to a team of believers who pray for it; requests are never published.
Catholics also ask the saints to pray for the sick, as they would ask a friend. The Catechism teaches that the saints “do not cease to intercede with the Father for us” (Catechism 956), and why Catholics pray to Mary is a question of its own. Many Protestants do not ask the saints for their prayers. The Lutheran Augsburg Confession of 1530 teaches “that the memory of saints may be set before us, that we may follow their faith and good works,” but holds that “the Scripture teaches not the invocation of saints or to ask help of saints, since it sets before us the one Christ as the Mediator, Propitiation, High Priest, and Intercessor,” who is to be called upon “in all afflictions.” The longer prayers that follow name five saints:
- Saint Jude Thaddeus, whom Catholic tradition identifies with “Judas the brother of James,” one of the twelve apostles (Luke 6:16), and whom the National Shrine of St. Jude calls “the patron of hopeless causes.”
- Saint Raphael, the archangel of the Book of Tobit, who calls himself “the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord” (Tobit 12:15, Douay-Rheims). His name means “God has healed,” and in the story he cures the elder Tobias of his blindness.
- Our Lady of Lourdes, Mary’s title from the apparitions Bernadette Soubirous reported at Lourdes, in France, in 1858, the first on 11 February. In 1992 Pope John Paul II made that feast day the World Day of the Sick.
- Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, Padre Pio (1887–1968), a Capuchin friar at San Giovanni Rotondo who founded the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, the House for the Relief of Suffering, opened in 1956. He was declared a saint in 2002.
- Saint Peregrine, whom the Servite sisters call “the patron saint of those dealing with cancer.”
The ten longer prayers are modern devotional prayers for healing, for comfort and for the day of the anointing. None is a text from the Church’s rites; the words of the sacrament are the priest’s to say. Where a prayer below has Name, a note in brackets to name the person, or our brother/sister, say the person’s name.
Prayer to Saint Jude for Healing of Hopeless Cases
Dear Saint Jude, beacon of hope in the stormy sea of despair, hear our desperate plea. Your mantle of comfort enwraps those facing irremediable situations, yet we believe that nothing is truly unfixable with God.
In this moment of affliction, we implore your mercy, pleading for your powerful intercession. Like a bridge over troubled water, connect our earthly suffering with the divine healing power of God.
Let the sick find solace in your kind heart, as their bodies struggle against the storm of disease. Facilitate their healing, both physically and emotionally and spiritually – a deep-rooted restoration that only the Divine Physician can provide.
We trust in God’s wisdom, timing, and miracles He manifests through you, Saint Jude. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for Healing
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, inexhaustible fountain of mercy and source of all healing, I come before You with a heavy burden. In Your unending love, You embraced our frailties, bore our sufferings, and offered Your wounds for our wholeness.
With humble spirit, I ask You to look upon me (or mention the name of the sick person) with eyes of mercy. May Your Sacred Heart, so touched by our sorrows, be moved to grant the healing I deeply desire. Let Your holy will unfold in my life, as gently as the petals of a rose unfurl at dawn, revealing the beauty of Your plan for me.
Enkindle within me a flame of trust in Your loving providence, that I may accept Your grace with gratitude and peace. Illuminate the dark valleys of my despair with the light of hope, guiding me towards serenity and strength in Your compassionate embrace.
Amen.
Prayer for the Grace of Acceptance and Patience in Suffering
Heavenly Father,
Amid my storm, I seek Your shelter.
Grant me the grace to accept my sufferings,
As Christ embraced His cross for the sake of love.
Teach me patience, Lord, in this trying hour,
That I may bear my trials as He did,
With a heart full of trust in Your divine providence.
Like a tree standing firm against the wind,
Root my faith in the soil of Your love,
That I might not falter, but grow ever upwards towards You.
In my pain, let me glimpse the purpose of my suffering,
As a sculptor chisels stone,
Shaping me into a true image of Your Son.
May this cup of suffering, though bitter,
Become the sweet wine of spiritual renewal.
Guide me, Father, through this dark valley,
To emerge into the light of Your eternal joy and peace.
Amen.
Prayer for Divine Healing and Strength
Lord God, merciful and almighty, we come before You today to place our trust and hope in Your loving presence. With humble hearts, we ask for Your divine healing and strength for those among us weakened by illness and suffering.
In the garden of life, every soul is a precious flower nurtured by Your grace. We pray for the refreshing dew of Your mercy to fall upon those in need, that they may find renewal in body, mind, and spirit. Grant them the fortitude to endure their trials, and the peace of knowing Your love is ever with them.
Touch them with Your gentle hand, O Lord, and imbue them with the strength to overcome. May Your healing power flow through their veins like a river, washing away all pain and infirmity and leaving only purity and vitality behind.
We also pray that the caregivers may be channels of Your compassionate love, guided by wisdom and patience.
Amen.
Prayer to Saint Raphael the Archangel for Healing
Heavenly Father, in Your infinite wisdom and mercy, You appointed Saint Raphael the Archangel as a guide and healer. We come before You now, hearts heavy with the burdens of illness, seeking his intercession.
Saint Raphael, medicine of God, we humbly implore your powerful aid for Name and all suffering. With your healing balm, soothe their wounds, mend what is broken, and illuminate their paths with God’s light. Dispel the shadows of despair with hope, and replace anxiety with peace.
As you guided Tobias, guide doctors and caretakers towards remedies that restore health. May your wings shield the sick from further harm, and your prayers remind them they are never alone in their struggle.
Grant us the grace to accept God’s will in all things, knowing His love encompasses life and death, sickness and health. We trust in your compassionate intercession, Saint Raphael, as we place our prayers in your gentle hands.
Amen.
Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes for Physical and Spiritual Healing
Heavenly Father, in Your infinite love and mercy, You grace us with the presence and intercession of Your blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes. In moments of illness and despair, we turn to Her with the faith of children, seeking comfort in our affliction and strength in our weakness.
Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, you who appeared at the cave to bring hope and healing now extend your hands towards us. With the gentle love of a mother, touch our lives physically and spiritually. May your prayers guide us to the healing waters of Christ’s love, that we may be cleansed of our ailments and sorrows.
Intercede for us, sweet Mother, that we may receive the grace of healing, according to God’s holy will. Let our hearts be filled with peace and trust in the divine physician, Jesus Christ. Teach us to bear our crosses with patience and to offer our sufferings for the salvation of souls.
Amen.
Prayer for the Intercession of Saint Padre Pio for Healing
Heavenly Father, in Your infinite compassion and mercy, You gave us Saint Padre Pio, a remarkable shepherd of Your flock, to guide and heal us in our weaknesses. I humbly ask for his intercession today with a heart full of hope and faith.
Blessed Padre Pio, who bore the wounds of Christ with unwavering faith and devotion, please carry the burdens of those in pain to the feet of our Savior. With your compassionate heart, intercede for us, that we might find healing not only of our bodily afflictions but also of our spiritual ailments. May your prayers help illuminate our path to peace, patience, and perseverance through suffering.
Grant us, O Lord, the grace to embrace our trials with a serene heart, trusting in Your will for our ultimate good. May the example of Padre Pio inspire us to live with greater faith, loving You above all else and serving those around us with Christ-like compassion.
Amen.
Prayer for the Blessing of Health through the Intercession of Saint Peregrine
Heavenly Father, in Your infinite compassion and love, You gift us the companionship of saints, those lanterns of faith guiding our path. Today, we invoke the intercession of Saint Peregrine, the healing balm in Your heavenly garden, for those wearied by sickness. As he was touched by Your divine hand and found healing, we pray that same merciful touch upon (name the person).
May the light of St. Peregrine’s faith illuminate our darkness, turning despair into hope and sickness into health. Let us be assured that, amidst our trials, You are the unwavering beacon guiding us to shore. Grant, O Lord, that through the intercession of St. Peregrine, (name) may experience Your healing grace, both in body and spirit.
Infuse our hearts with the strength to endure, the hope to flourish, and the faith to believe in the impossible. Like St. Peregrine, we may transform our wounds into symbols of victory over suffering. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for Peace and Comfort in Illness
Loving and Most Compassionate Father,
In Your wisdom, You allow us to face trials that test our faith and strength. Today, I lift all those burdened by illness, asking for Your cloak of comfort and peace to envelop them. As the body endures pain and the heart wrestles with uncertainty, let Your presence constantly remind them of the love and care surrounding them. Grant them the serenity to accept what cannot be changed, courage to fight what can, and the wisdom to discern the difference.
May they find rest in the knowledge that, though this journey is fraught with challenges, they do not walk alone. As You calmed the raging seas, I pray You soothe their troubled hearts and ease their physical sufferings. Let their faith be fortified through this trial, emerging stronger, knowing that Your grace is sufficient in weakness.
Amen.
Prayer for the Anointing of the Sick
Heavenly Father, Giver of life and health, Your love knows no bounds, and every soul is precious in Your sight. Today, we come before You with heavy hearts, carrying the burdens of illness that weigh upon our brother/sister.
In Your boundless compassion, bless this holy anointing. Just as Christ healed the sick and brought peace to the troubled, may Your servant receive the grace of Your strength and comfort. Let this sacred oil be a sign of Your promise, the warmth of Your love enveloping all pain and fears.
Pour out Your Holy Spirit upon Your child. May this anointing wash away suffering, renew strength in weakness, and ignite a steadfast spirit within. Though trials may mark the journey, let not faith waver, for in Your mercy, renewal and hope find fertile ground to flourish.
We entrust our prayers to You, knowing that in Your time and according to Your divine will, healing—be it of body, mind, or spirit—will unfold like dawn after the night. Amen.
Related reading
- Catholic prayers for the sick: traditional prayers, saints and the Anointing
- Prayers for someone who is dying
- Catholic prayers for strength and healing: the Anima Christi
- Short Catholic prayers for healing
- Catholic healing prayers for a loved one
- Catholic prayers for someone having surgery
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