Prayer for the Sick
ALMIGHTY and Eternal God, the everlasting salvation of them that believe, hear us on behalf of Thy sick servant, N.N., for whom we implore the aid of Thy pitying mercy, that, with his/her bodily health restored, s/he may render thanks to Thee in Thy Church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for a Sick Person Near Death
ALMIGHTY and Everlasting God, preserver of souls, Who dost love, and Who for their amendment dost tenderly chastise those Whom Thou dost receive, we call upon Thee, O Lord, to bestow Thy healing, that the soul of Thy servant, at the hour of its departure from the body, may by the hands of Thy holy Angels be presented without spot unto Thee. Amen.
Prayers for the Dying
OMY GOD, I offer Thee all the holy Masses which will be said this day throughout the whole world for poor sinners who are now in their death agony and who will die this day. May the Precious Blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ obtain for them mercy. Amen.
(Pre-1968 Indulgence of 300 days – PIUS X, Dec. 18, 1907)
OMOST merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray Thee by the agony of Thy most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Thy Immaculate Mother, wash in Thy Blood the sinners of the whole world who are now in their agony, and are to die this day. Amen.
Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying.
(Pre-1968 Indulgence of 300 days, each time)
Prayer to St. Joseph for the Dying
EVERLASTING Father, for the sake of the love which Thou didst bear to St. Joseph, whom Thou didst choose above all to occupy Thy place on earth, have mercy on us and those who are dying.
Pater Noster … Ave Maria … Gloria Patri …
Everlasting Son of God, for the sake of Thy love toward St. Joseph, who didst protect Thee so faithfully on earth, have mercy on us and those who are dying.
Pater Noster … Ave Maria … Gloria Patri …
Everlasting Divine Spirit, for the sake of Thy love toward St. Joseph, who so carefully protected Mary, Thy most holy and beloved Spouse, have mercy on us and on those who are dying.
Pater Noster … Ave Maria … Gloria Patri …
(Pre-1968 Indulgence of 500 days, once a day)
Litany for the Dying
(Private use only)
N.B. It is suggested that the dying be given a Crucifix to hold or put it in a place where it is easily seen.
LORD have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, (* pray for him/her)
All ye holy Angels and Archangels, (*)
Holy Abel, (*)
All ye choirs of the just, (*)
Holy Abraham, (*)
St. John the Baptist, (*)
St. Joseph, (*)
All ye Patriarchs and Prophets, (*)
St. Peter, (*)
St. Paul, (*)
St. Andrew, (*)
St. John, (*)
All ye holy Apostles and Evangelists, (*)
All ye holy Disciples of our Lord, (*)
All ye holy Innocents, (*)
St. Stephen, (*)
St. Lawrence, (*)
All ye holy Martyrs, (*)
St. Sylvester, (*)
St. Gregory, (*)
St. Augustine, (*)
All ye holy Bishops and Confessors, (*)
St. Benedict, (*)
St. Francis, (*)
St. Camillus, (*)
St. John of God, (*)
All ye holy Monks and Hermits, (*)
St. Mary Magdalen, (*)
St. Lucy, (*)
All ye holy Virgins and Widows, (*)
All ye holy Saints of God, make intercession for him / her.
Be merciful, spare him / her, O Lord!
Be merciful, deliver him / her, O Lord!
Be merciful, deliver him / her, O Lord!
From Thy anger, (~ deliver him / her, O Lord!)
From the danger of death, (~)
From an ill end, (~)
From the pains of hell, (~)
From all evil, (~)
From the power of the devil, (~)
Through Thy nativity, (~)
Through Thy Cross and Passion, (~)
Through Thy Death and burial, (~)
Through Thy glorious Resurrection, (~)
Through Thy admirable Ascension, (~)
Through the grace of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, (~)
In the day of Judgment, (~)
We sinners, we beseech Thee, hear us.
That Thou spare him, we beseech Thee, hear us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us. Amen.
The Proficiscere Prayer
(Go Forth Christian Soul)
While the soul is in agony of its departure, the priest (or any person) recites the following prayer:
GO FORTH, O Christian soul, from this world,
in the Name of God the Father Almighty, Who created you,
in the Name of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Who suffered for you,
in the Name of the Holy Ghost, Who was poured forth upon you,
in the name of the Angels and Archangels,
in the name of the Thrones and Dominations,
in the name of the Principalities and Powers,
in the name of the Cherubim and Seraphim,
in the name of the Patriarchs and Prophets,
in the name of the holy Apostles and Evangelists,
in the name of the holy Martyrs and Confessors,
in the name of the holy Monks and Hermits,
in the name of the holy Virgins and of all the Saints of God:
may your place be this day in peace, and your abode in holy Zion.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Litany to Saint Joseph for the Dying
(Private use only)
N.B. It is suggested that the dying be given a Crucifix to hold or put it in a place where it is easily seen.
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, (*)
God the Holy Ghost, (*)
Holy Trinity, one God, (*)
St. Joseph, foster father of Christ, (~ we beseech thee, hear us.)
St. Joseph, patron of the dying, (~)
Obtain for [him / her] forgiveness of his (her) sins, (~)
Obtain for him great patience, (~)
Obtain for him a perfect resignation, (~)
Obtain for him a living and unshaken faith, (~)
Obtain for him a firm confidence, (~)
Obtain for him ardent charity, (~)
Avert from him the attacks of the enemy, (~)
Protect him from the temptations that assail him, (~)
Preserve him from despondency and despair, (~)
Obtain for him the grace of Jesus Christ, (~)
Assist him and do not abandon him, (~)
Come to his aid in his weakness, (~)
Assist him in his abandonment, (~)
Obtain for him a happy death, (~)
Obtain for him a merciful judgment, (~)
Conduct his soul to the vision of Jesus,
there to obtain mercy for him. Amen.
The Body and Tomb of St. Joseph
“In an ecstasy, a saint has seen the body of St. Joseph preserved intact in a tomb, the site of which is yet unknown. The more the glorious spouse of the most Blessed Virgin Mary is honoured, the sooner will the finding of his body take place, which will be a day of great joy for the Church.”
(Source CatholicTradition.org: Fr. Paul of Moll (1824-1896), from Father Paul of Moll, by Edward van Speybrouck, p. 238.)
An ancient tradition states that the tomb of St. Joseph, now empty, is in the Valley of Josaphat. St. Jerome was of the opinion that St. Joseph’s tomb is within the boundaries of the Garden of Gethsemane.
(Source CatholicTradition.org: The Life and Glories of St. Joseph, by Edward H. Thompson, pp. 409-410.)
