Pray for impossible causes: Novena to St Jude

Let St Jude take your impossible and hopeless causes to the Lord as we pray to him for nine days leading up to his feast on 28th October.

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The Novena

St Jude is known as the patron of hopeless, impossible, or lost causes. For nine days, leading up to his feast 28th October, receive the following:

🙏 A daily novena prayer for an impossible cause

🙇 A commitment to make to grow in holiness

😩 A prayer for help in time of need

Who was St Jude?

St Jude is famous as being the patron saint of lost causes, but on earth, he was one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles. In Scripture, he is known sometimes as Thaddeus (Matthew and Mark), sometimes as Judas but not Judas Iscariot (in Luke and John). 

He is often associated with the Jude mentioned who is a close relative of Jesus (the Aramaic word used is often translated as 'brother' but can refer to a cousin or another close relative, and we know that Mary remained ever-virgin so Jude was not her son). He may also be the writer of the Epistle of Jude in the New Testament. His feast is celebrated on 28th October alongside St Simon, another Apostle who may have been his companion in death.

Leave your Prayer Intention

Before starting the novena, leave your prayer intention others will pray for.

Click here.

Find out more...

This novena comes from the Catholic Truth Society booklet Devotions to St Jude where you can learn more about St Jude and discover various prayers to him for different intentions, two novenas, a litany, and more.


Prayer from the novena

Prayer to St Jude for Help in Time of Need

Saint Jude, faithful disciple and friend of Jesus, many have forgotten you because of the name of the man who betrayed the Master. But the church honours you, most holy Apostle, and invokes you as the universal patron of hopeless cases - of things despaired of. I ask you to intercede for me now in my time of need. Please bring help where help is almost despaired of, that I may receive consolation from the Lord in my suffering and assistance in my distress, particularly [make your request]. Trusting in the Lord's promise that whatever is asked in Jesus's name will be granted, I praise God for the many blessings I have already received from his generous love and look to the day when I can glorify him with all the saints in heaven. Amen.