Catholic Prayer: Novena to St. Camillus de Lellis

Description:

St. Camillus honored the sick as living images of Christ. This novena can be prayed on his feast day or any time for the sick and dying.

Prayer:

Opening Prayer

Most merciful Father, in many ways you have shown your love and care to your people, especially to the poor and the sick. Because your servant St. Camillus has shown your compassion in an admirable manner, you have welcomed him among your saints. We graciously put in St. Camillus’ hands ourselves and our loved ones, and through his intercession we beg you to grant us your abundant graces through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

I. St. Camillus, you lived in faith and in fidelity to Our Lord Jesus Christ despite the many trials of your own life. In your compassion for the poor and the sick, you were a clear sign that God lives and cares. In our troubled times, many live as if God were dead or absent. We pray you to share with us your faith in the Person of Jesus. Even if we falter and are weak ourselves, through you, we pray Jesus to grant us a faith that is expressed in good works and in faithfulness to his saving will. We also ask you to present this petition to God, Our Father… For this we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Glory be to the Father…

II. St. Camillus, even as you spent your life in service to the poor and the sick, your heart and mind were firmly centered in the words of Jesus: “Blessed are the merciful for mercy will be theirs.” You saw in the many poor and sick you cared for the truth that God never abandons his people even in their most difficult trials. Your hope in God’s love was boundless. In our own lives, we often find ourselves having nothing and no one to count on. Often we are like the poor and the sick you cared for. Through your intercession, we pray that hope in God’s love and mercy will be always in our hearts. In fact, even now, we hope for God’s forgiveness of our sins, for His endless care and for this grace… This we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Glory be to the Father…

III. St. Camillus, the Lord has filled your heart with firm love for God and a self-sacrificing love of neighbor. In fact, it was above all for the love of God that you spent your life in love and service of the poor, the sick and the dying. In our life, we know that love of God and love of neighbor are the principal commandments and yet often we live our life in selfishness. We ask you, St. Camillus, to intercede for us to the same God you love. Let our hearts be filled with that love that comes from God; and let our concern be always for God’s love and for service to our neighbors. Now we would like to pray for the following persons… Through your intercession may their needs be granted. We also pray for all the sick and the needy, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Glory be to the Father…

V. Pray for us, St. Camillus. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Jesus Christ, our Lord, you have given St. Camillus a singular spirit of mercy and love in serving the poor and the sick and in leading the dying into your Kingdom of Peace and Love. Grant that, being filled with his spirit and following his example, we may merit, on the day of our judgment, to hear these words of the Gospel: “Come you blessed of my Father for I was sick and you visited me.” This we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer Source: Order of St. Camillus