The Novena to Saint Jude
Prayed either once a day for nine days,
or traditionally, nine times a day for nine days.
This is a novena known and loved by millions of souls who have turned to Saint Jude to intercede with his
kinsman, Jesus Christ, who is God. It is one of several, but is my favorite, as it enables me to speak from my heart. Other prayers
will be included below which can be used instead if they speak more personally for you.
-Begin:
"O most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, people honor and invoke you
universally, as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, for I am so helpless and alone.
Please help to bring me visible and speedy assistance. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the
consolation and help of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (state your request)
and that I may praise God with you always."
-Say at this time 3 Our Fathers, 3 Hail Marys and 3 Glory Bes. (I also add the Fatima Prayer to Jesus, but this is not necessary.)
-Finish with the following prayer:
"I promise, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron,
and to gratefully encourage devotion to you by publishing this request. Amen."
The publishing spoken of here is usually an ad taken in the personal section of the classified ads in the local newspaper, thanking
Saint Jude in just so many words..."Thank you Saint Jude."
*The Epistle of Saint Jude
Douhay-Rheims Bible
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James: to them that are beloved in God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. Mercy unto you and peace: and charity be fulfilled.
Dearly beloved, taking all care to write unto you concerning your common salvation, I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. For certain men are secretly entered in (who were written of long ago unto this judgment), ungodly men, turning the grace of our Lord God into riotousness and denying the only sovereign Ruler and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore admonish you, though ye once knew all things, that Jesus, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, did afterwards destroy them that believed not. And the angels who kept not their principality but forsook their own habitation, he hath reserved under darkness in everlasting chains, unto the judgment of the great day. As Sodom and Gomorrha and the neighbouring cities, in like manner, having given themselves to fornication and going after other flesh, were made an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.
In like manner, these men also defile the flesh and despise dominion and blaspheme majesty. When Michael the archangel, disputing with the devil, contended about the body of Moses, he durst not bring against him the judgment of railing speech, but said: The Lord command thee. But these men blaspheme whatever things they know not: and what things soever they naturally know, like dumb beasts, in these they are corrupted. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain: and after the error of Balaam they have for reward poured out themselves and have perished in the contradiction of Core. These are spots in their banquets, feasting together without fear, feeding themselves: clouds without water, which are carried about by winds: trees of the autumn, unfruitful, twice dead, plucked up by the roots: Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion: wandering stars, to whom the storm of darkness is reserved for ever. Now of these Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying: Behold, the Lord
cometh with thousands of his saints:
To execute judgment upon all and to reprove all the ungodly for all the works of their ungodliness, whereby they have done ungodly: and for all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against God. These are murmurers, full of complaints, walking according to their own desires: and their mouth speaketh proud things, admiring persons, for gain’s sake. But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who told you that in the last time there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses. These are they who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the Spirit. But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting. And some indeed reprove, being judged: But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on others have mercy, in fear, hating also the
spotted garment which is carnal. Now to him who is able to preserve you without sin and to present you spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: To the only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and magnificence, empire and power, before all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages. Amen.
* Many scholars say that the Jude to whom we pray the novena, and the Jude who wrote this epistle are not the same person. Upon further reading, I found there are just as many scholars and sources who say that they are the same person. So, I don't know if Saint Jude wrote this letter or not, but I include it here because he might have. It's a great letter at any rate, isn't it?
LITANY OF SAINT JUDE
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us.
Saint Jude, relative of Jesus and Mary, Pray for us.
St. Jude, while on earth deemed worthy to see Jesus and Mary, and to enjoy their company, Pray for us.
St. Jude, raised to the dignity of an Apostle, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who hadst the honor of beholding thy Divine Master humble Himself to wash thy feet, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who at the Last Supper didst receive the Holy Eucharist from the hands of Jesus, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who after the profound grief which the death of thy beloved Master caused thee, hadst the consolation
of beholding Him risen from the dead, and of assisting at His glorious Ascension. Pray for us.
St. Jude, who wast filled with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst preach the Gospel in Persia, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst convert many people to the Faith, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst perform wonderful miracles in the power of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst restore an idolatrous king to health of both soul and body, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst impose silence on demons, and didst confound their oracles, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst foretell to a weak prince an honorable peace with his powerful enemy, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst take from deadly serpents the power of injuring man, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who, disregarding the threats of the impious, didst courageously preach the doctrine of Christ, Pray for us.
St. Jude, who didst gloriously suffer martyrdom for the love of thy Divine Master, Pray for us.
Blessed Apostle, With confidence we invoke thee!
Blessed Apostle, With confidence we invoke thee!
Blessed Apostle, With confidence we invoke thee!
St. Jude, help of the hopeless, Aid me in my distress!
St. Jude, help of the hopeless, Aid me in my distress!
St. Jude, help of the hopeless, Aid me in my distress!
That by thy intercession, both priests and people of the Church may obtain an ardent zeal for the Faith of Jesus Christ, We beseech thee, hear us.
That thou wouldst defend our Sovereign Pontiff and obtain peace and unity for the Holy Church, We beseech thee, hear us.
That all heathen and unbelievers may be converted to the true Faith, We beseech thee, hear us.
That faith, hope and charity may increase in our hearts, That we may be delivered from all evil thoughts and from all the snares of the devil, We beseech thee, hear us.
That thou wouldst vouchsafe to aid and protect all those who honor thee, We beseech thee, hear us.
That thou wouldst preserve us from all sin and from all occasions of sin, We beseech thee, hear us.
That thou wouldst defend us at the hour of death, against the fury of the devil and of his evil spirits, We beseech thee, hear us.
Pray for us, that before death we may expiate all our sins by sincere repentance and the worthy reception of the holy sacraments, We beseech thee, hear us.
Pray for us, that we may appease the Divine justice, and obtain a favorable judgment, We beseech thee, hear us.
Pray for us, that we may be admitted into the company of the blessed, to rejoice in the presence of our God forever, We beseech thee, hear us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Have mercy on us.
V. Saint Jude, pray for us,
R. And for all who invoke thy aid.
Let us pray. O God, Who through your blessed Apostle Jude Thaddeus has brought us unto the knowledge of Your Name:
grant us both to celebrate his eternal glory by making progress in virtues, and by celebrating his glory advance in virtue.
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with You and the Holy Spirit are one God, now and ever and to ages of ages. R. Amen
More Prayers to Saint Jude
-St. Jude, glorious apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the person
who betrayed our Lord has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the true Church invokes you universally as the Patron of things despaired of.
Pray for me, who is so miserable; pray for me, that I may finally receive the consolations of Heaven in all
my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (mention your request here), and that I may bless God with
the Saints through all Eternity.
-O most holy apostle, St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the church honors and invokes you universally,
as the patron of hopeless cases, of things almost despaired of. Pray for me, I am so helpless and alone.
Make use, I implore you, of that particular privilege given to you, to bring visible and speedy help where help is
almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need that I may receive the consolation and help of heaven
in all my necessities, tribulations, and sufferings, particularly (state your request) and that I may praise God with
you and all the elect forever.
-I promise, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, to always honor you as my special and powerful patron,
and to gratefully encourage devotion to you.
-Holy Saint Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful
intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depths of my heart
and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition.
In return I promise to make your name known And cause you to be invoked. Saint Jude pray for me and all those who invoke
your aid. Amen."
An example of a chaplet for the Novena of Saint Jude
