St. John of God
Helper of the Sick
John left home at a young age and worked as a shepherd. The man he worked for wanted him to marry his daughter but John wanted to find his way in the religious life. John went through many tough times before he found what God wanted him to do. He was a soldier in the Spanish army. He worked loading ships and later selling books and holy pictures. He even opened his own bookstore for a while. But John began spending more and more time with the sick and the poor. He was put in the hospital for a time and while he was there he helped others who were sick like him. When he got out of the hospital, he decided to keep helping the sick and the poor. He first worked helping the poor people living in the streets and later opened a house for the sick and the poor. He begged on the streets for beds and medicine and food. One night the hospital in the city caught on fire and he went and rescued all the patients who could not save themselves. He passed through the flames without getting burned. This is why John of God is one of the patron saints of firefighters as well as booksellers, hospitals and the sick. His Feast Day is March 8th.
NOVENA PRAYER
Saint John of God, heavenly Patron of the Sick, I come to you in prayer to seek your help in my present sickness. Through the love which Jesus had for you in choosing you for the sublime vocation of serving the sick, and through the tender affection with which the Blessed Virgin Mary placed upon your head a crown of thorns as a symbol of the sufferings you would undergo in the service of the sick to attain to your crown of glory, I beg you to intercede for me to Jesus and Mary that They may grant me a cure, if this should be according to the Will of God. How patiently you bore the sufferings of your own disease! Teach me to carry with cheerful resignation the cross that God has given me. Let me never complain or lose courage. Help me to understand that suffering is a very important means of sanctifying my soul, of atoning for my many sins, and of reaping a plentiful harvest of merit for Heaven. I trust in your great love for the sick and in the power of your intercession to help them.
Help me, good St. John, and beg the God whose name you bear to touch me as He touched the sick while on earth, that through His almighty power health may return to my body. And as you derived strength in your own sufferings from the crucifix, so may I be able to say what you did to Jesus Crucified: “Lord, Thy thorns are my roses and Thy sufferings my paradise.” Good Saint John, lover of those who suffer and special Patron of the Sick, I confidently place before you my earnest petition.
(Mention your request here…)
I beg you to recommend my request to Mary, the Mother of Sorrows and Health of the Sick, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus, the Divine Physician. Saint John of God, patron of the Sick and beloved of Jesus and Mary, pray to Them for me and obtain my request.
(Three times.)
Saint John of God, Patron of the Sick, pray for us.
Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory Be…
Prayer to St. John of God
Saint John of God,
I honor you as the Patron of the Sick,
especially of those who are afflicted by heart disease.
I choose you to be my patron and protector in my
present illness.
To you I entrust my soul, my body, all my spiritual
and temporal interests, as well as those of the
sick throughout the world.
To you I consecrate my mind,
that in all things it may be enlightened by faith
above all in accepting my Cross as a blessing
from God; my heart, that you keep it pure and
fill it with the love for Jesus and Mary that
burned in your heart; my will, like yours,
it may always be one with the Will of God.
Amen.
Prayer to St. John of God
St. John of God,
patron of the sick and compassionate Brother
to all who suffer or are troubled in any way,
I turn to you with great confidence in my time of need.
I ask you John to speak to Jesus on my behalf.
He will listen to you because you tried to be like Him
in the compassion and love you had for people in need.
I know only Jesus can really help me,
but I also know that He can be influenced by someone close to Him,
I plead with you Brother John
to present this special intention of mine to Jesus
so that He may grant it, according to His will ……(mention the intention).
Help me John to strengthen my faith, my hope and love
for Jesus and our Mother Mary
for whom you had such a special love.
All glory to the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Prayer to St. John of God
O glorious Saint,
full of tenderness and compassion for the afflicted,
who, as a reward for your charity
merited to minister to Jesus Christ under the appearance of a patient,
obtain for us the grace to ever see Jesus Christ Himself
in the person of our neighbor,
so that we may be found worthy
to receive the eternal bliss promised
to those who serve the Divine Master
in the person of the sick, the poor and the needy.
Amen.
COLLECT PRAYER
O God, who filled Saint John of God with a spirit of compassion, grant, we pray, that, giving ourselves to works of charity, we may merit to be found among the elect in your Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen.
COLLECT PRAYER
Father, you gave John of God love and compassion for others. Grant that by doing good for others we may be counted among the saints in your kingdom. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever.
Amen
NOVENA PRAYER TO ST JOHN OF GOD, PATRON OF THOSE WITH HEARTACHE
FIRST DAY:
Dear St John, you are the patron of all who suffer heart disease. We pray for them that they may find help for their illness. We also pray for all who are sick of heart whether through sin or unrequited longing. May they find and follow God’s will. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
SECOND DAY:
Dear St John, you ran away from home when you were young. We ask you to intercede for all runaways, that they may meet those who might help them, not those who might harm them. May we too not try to run away from the realities of life. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
THIRD DAY:
Dear St John, you were a penitent sinner. We pray to know our sins and to repent of them and to know God’s love and forgiveness. Awake in us a true love for the sacrament of penance and the courage to begin again. We pray especially for (mention your request).
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
FOURTH DAY:
Dear St John, you listened to Blessed John of Avila when he told you to stop punishing yourself. May we also hear the voice of holy men and women in our lives and especially the voice of the Church, believing that is how God speaks to us. Grant us the humility to be able to obey. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
FIFTH DAY:
Dear St John, you worked tirelessly for the sick, spending your life in the service of others. We ask that you intercede for us that we may be healed of our spiritual sicknesses. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Bee
SIXTH DAY:
Dear St John, you founded hospitals and worked to support them. We pray for all who work in hospitals, especially in areas where there is no funding. May they always trust in God and see him in their patients. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
SEVENTH DAY:
Dear St John, you said, “Labour without ceasing to do all the good works you can while you still have time”. Grant us the grace to convert today. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
EIGHTH DAY:
Dear St John, before you worked for the sick, you sold religious books. We ask your blessing on all who make the Word known through the written word or other media. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
NINTH DAY:
Dear St John, we pray for the dying, especially those who are dying alone. We ask you, their patron, to intercede for them before God. We pray especially for
(Mention your request).
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
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