Prayers for the Loss of a Son: Catholic Prayers for a Child

There is no grief like the loss of a child. The Catholic faith does not take that pain away, but it offers grieving parents a place to bring it: to Jesus, who raised the only son of the widow of Naim, and to Mary, who stood at the Cross and watched her own Son die. Below are prayers for a son or daughter who has died, prayers for parents in grief, a prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows, and passages of Scripture that have consoled bereaved parents for centuries. Whatever the age of your child, a baby, a young person or an adult, these prayers are for you.

A short prayer for my child, written for this page:

Lord Jesus, I give you my son (or daughter), (name), whom I loved more than my own life.
Hold my child in your arms, forgive whatever needs forgiving, and give my child eternal rest and joy.
And hold me too, because I cannot bear this alone. Amen.

A prayer for a son or daughter who has died

Written for this page.

Father of mercy, you gave me my child, and now my child has gone before me.
I thank you for every day we had together.
Receive (name) into your kingdom. Let my child see your face and know your love,
and let me one day hold my child again in the joy of the resurrection. Amen.

Then pray: Eternal rest grant unto him (her), O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him (her). May he (she) rest in peace. Amen.

For a baby who died before or soon after birth, the Church entrusts children who die without baptism to the mercy of God, “who desires all men to be saved,” and to the tenderness of Jesus, who said, “Let the children come to me” (Catechism, 1261).

A prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows

Mary, Mother of Sorrows, you stood at the foot of the Cross and held your Son’s lifeless body.
You know this pain. Stay with me, as you stayed with him.
Pray for my child, and obtain for me the strength to go on and the hope of the resurrection. Amen.

See Our Lady of Sorrows and the Seven Sorrows Rosary.

Scripture for grieving parents

Jesus raises the widow’s son (Luke 7:12–15, Douay-Rheims):

And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her.
Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: Weep not.
And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it, stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise.
And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

King David’s cry for his son (2 Kings 18:33, Douay-Rheims; 2 Samuel in other Bibles):

The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went he spoke in this manner: My son Absalom, Absalom my son: would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom my son, my son Absalom.

Rachel weeping for her children, and God’s promise (Jeremias 31:15–17, Douay-Rheims):

Thus saith the Lord: A voice was heard on high of lamentation, of mourning, and weeping, of Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted for them, because they are not.
Thus saith the Lord: Let thy voice cease from weeping, and thy eyes from tears: for there is a reward for thy work, saith the Lord: and they shall return out of the land of the enemy.
And here is hope for thy last end, saith the Lord: and the children shall return to their own borders.

The promise of heaven (Apocalypse 21:4, Douay-Rheims):

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.

A prayer for parents in grief

Lord, our hearts are broken.
Keep us close to each other and to you; do not let grief divide us.
Comfort our other children, our family and our friends, and help us, one day at a time, to live again. Amen.

How to remember your child

Have a Mass offered for your child, especially on birthdays and anniversaries. See Mass intentions for the dead.
Pray the Rosary, especially the Sorrowful Mysteries, uniting your pain with Mary’s.
Look for a parish bereavement group or a support group for parents who have lost a child. You do not have to carry this alone.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a patron saint for parents who have lost a child?

Many turn to Our Lady of Sorrows, and to saints who lost children, such as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Zélie Martin. See the patron saint of grief.

Can I pray to my child?

If your child is with God, your child loves you and can pray for you. The Church asks us to keep praying for our dead as well, entrusting them to God’s mercy.

What about a baby who died before baptism?

The Church entrusts these children to the mercy of God and encourages parents to hope for their salvation (Catechism, 1261).

More prayers

Texts and sources

Luke 7:12–15; 2 Kings 18:33; Jeremias 31:15–17; Apocalypse 21:4 (Douay-Rheims).
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1261 (paraphrased).